“Unfortunately, theistic evolution is one view that is being held …

Comment on A Historical Review of the Creation Debate Among SDAs by David Read.

“Unfortunately, theistic evolution is one view that is being held and taught by a number of Seventh-day Adventists today.”

I think there should be quotes around “Seventh-day Adventists.” In fact, this piece, although written by someone sympathetic to traditional Adventism, is a bit too neutral in tone. Another example:

“The last few years have shown that there are a number of views on creation within the Adventist Church.”

Really, this is all the cultural Adventists, the Seventh-day Darwinians, want: a concession that an Adventist in good standing can be either a Darwinist or a creationist. Their main argument is that Adventism is defined not by adherence to a coherent body of doctrine, but by self-identificationn with the Adventist subculture, regardless of adherence to beliefs. If this point is ever conceded, the game is over and Adventism as a belief system is doomed.

So, no, there certainly are not “a number of views on creation within the Adventist Church.” Rather, there are unbelievers who are attacking the foundations of the church from within. I know that Sean and others disagree with me on this point, but now that I appreciate the extent of the problem, I believe that the impulse to coddle and tolerate these people–even laypeople who were not employed as teachers or church officials–was not from God. I think Lydian put it very wisely and eloquently on another thread:

“It also seems to me (and forgive me if I’m wrong) that an awful lot of responsible people have been asleep at the wheel for a mighty long time and this has allowed this heresy to grow from a baby to a full-sized monster! And what could have, and should have, been met with Christ-like firmness many years ago is now going to take tremendous action (and likely many more lost souls) to root out and eradicate this deeply rooted cancer in our church–even if it is possible to do so (which is questionable.)”

Recent Comments by David Read

The Reptile King
Poor Larry Geraty! He can’t understand why anyone would think him sympathetic to theistic evolution. Well, for starters, he wrote this for Spectrum last year:

“Christ tells us they will know us by our love, not by our commitment to a seven literal historical, consecutive, contiguous 24-hour day week of creation 6,000 years ago which is NOT in Genesis no matter how much the fundamentalist wing of the church would like to see it there.”

“Fundamental Belief No. 6 uses Biblical language to which we can all agree; once you start interpreting it according to anyone’s preference you begin to cut out members who have a different interpretation. I wholeheartedly affirm Scripture, but NOT the extra-Biblical interpretation of the Michigan Conference.”

So the traditional Adventist interpretation of Genesis is an “extra-Biblical interpretation” put forward by “the fundamentalist wing” of the SDA Church? What are people supposed to think about Larry Geraty’s views?

It is no mystery how LaSierra got in the condition it is in.


The Reptile King
Professor Kent says:

“I don’t do ‘orgins science.’ Not a single publication on the topic. I study contemporary biology. Plenty of publications.”

So, if you did science that related to origins, you would do it pursuant to the biblical paradigm, that is pursuant to the assumption that Genesis 1-11 is true history, correct?


The Reptile King
Well, Jeff, would it work better for you if we just closed the biology and religion departments? I’m open to that as a possible solution.


The Reptile King
Larry Geraty really did a job on LaSierra. Personally I think it is way gone, compromised beyond hope. The SDA Church should just cut its ties to LaSierra, and cut its losses.

As to the discussion on this thread, round up the usual suspects and their usual arguments.


La Sierra University Resignation Saga: Stranger-than-Fiction
It is a remarkably fair and unbiased article, and a pretty fair summary of what was said in the recorded conversation.