Comment on La Sierra schism widens by Marcel Grondahl.
The SDA Church will meet this summer in General Session:
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 through Sabbath, July 3, 2010 at:
Georgia World Congress Center and Georgia Dome
President Paulsen states:
“We will use our time together to review and evaluate, to exchange ideas and make plans, and to ask: “How has the world around us changed in the past five years? How have we, as a church, changed? What challenges lie before us? What opportunities must we grasp?” For when all is said and done, we have just one overarching purpose: to strengthen God’s church for mission.”
There are those among us who do not see this as a challenge to our church, but rather an issue of the church dictating individual beliefs. I see it differently. Clearly if our institutions foster beliefs that undermine the basic theology of our church, that in my mind is not only a challenge, it could be construed as apostasy. This is not a witch hunt, only a quest to determine if the Genesis account espoused by the church is upheld by the agents of the church IE it’s schools and teachers. If you also hold this view it is imperative to make your voice heard to “strengthen Gods’s church for mission.”
Marcel Grondahl Also Commented
La Sierra schism widens
I earned my MA & ED S degrees in the Education Department at LSU. I know from experience there are departments on campus that uphold the denominational view on creation. Where are the representatives from these departments when votes are taken in the LSU Senate over issues that destroy confidence in our educational system? Does the faculty value “Academic Freedom” so highly that they wish to undermine the Biblical basis for the SDA Church? If so they are most certainly biting the hand that feeds them. My take is really quite simple: Withdraw that hand, let them feed in an institution that grants them complete “Academic Freedom”. The history of religion based higher education institutions is replete with examples of religious schools becoming secular schools over issues of this nature: “Those who fail to learn the lessons of history repeat them.” LSU has certainly been adequately informed, the info state is past, action is next. There is a GC session coming up. If you are a delegate, get informed and let your voice be heard. Actions speak louder than words.
Recent Comments by Marcel Grondahl
La Sierra University won’t neglect creation teaching, president, chairman vow
Well it is now clear that the fox is in the hen house. So… lets just educate that fox to present to the chickens that he just wants a dialog to ensue before lunch. The chickens will buy it, will the owners of the hen house believe the fox has changed its ways? Stay tuned…
Dr. Geraty clarifies his “Challenge” to literal 6-day creationism
It is true what Geraty says regarding this issue. It is between the right and left in the denomination. But this is only the tip of the ice berg confronting the church. Ellen White is another, homosexuality another, and the list goes on. Subscribe to Spectrum and you will see them all sooner or later. Will we become just another protestant denomination with great schools, nice people and no unique (peculiar) message? Remember Yale, Harvard and a host of other schools started out as religious institutions. After all La Sierra is a “UNIVERSITY” and academic freedom is much more important than any fundamental belief according to Geraty and the biology department. Do we hit the ice berg full steam ahead or try to go around it? Those attending the deliberations in Atlanta will have to address this issue and others to keep the church afloat. Pray for them and for our church. Praise God there are those willing to take a stand. Could this be the beginning of the shaking?
Video show LSU undermining church doctrine
In the intro to 111A Dr. Trenchard made it clear that in his opinion all the learning from the students past was vastly different than that of learning at the University level. (example: science fair volcano) The implication was that what was learned in elementary and high school must now be set aside for a new world view (creation vs. evolution?). This mind set presupposes that the creation model the students learned in their classes at a lower level was somehow inferior and void of the latest scientific findings. This implies that it is only at the University level that “truth” can truly be found.
Dr Guy quotes EGW saying that certain doctrines (including the fundamental truths) of the church may need to be revised. The implication here is that it is at the University level that this quest for new “truth” will be encountered. Again he is setting the stage for the University student to doubt what he/she learned in their earlier education from church, from parents, from former classes. I doubt that what EGW had in mind was casting doubt on the literal six day creation and that now it is fair game simply because the student is at the University level.(serpent & tree in garden argument) If this exercise was designed by the University to foster faith, in my opinion it failed miserably!!