Adventist Church Undersecretary Homer Trecartin, at the podium,
reads from the Church Manual on the third day of business meetings addressing
the Manual's 95 proposed revisions, Tuesday, June 29. [photo: Robert
East]

Seventh-day Adventist Church delegates continued to wrestle over 95 proposed changes to the Church Manual during business meetings this week in the Georgia Dome.

As of Tuesday at mid-day, delegates had voted to allow the ordination of deaconesses, as well as strongly worded additions to make church and
church-related activities safer for children.

At a church business meeting in 2008, members of the world church's Executive Committee first voted to appoint a study group to review the Church Manual, last revised in 2005, for "style and cohesiveness," Session agenda states.

June 27 discussions were marked by the revising the Manual to accommodate the unions of churches structure, in which a group of local Adventist congregations reports directly to their respective union, eliminating the conferences
structure in that region. Delegates voted the motion to grant church structure more flexibility, recognizing that not all regions fit one mold.

Some delegates were more reluctant to accept regional differences the following morning, when they tackled a motion to include ordination of deaconesses in the Manual. Previously, mention of deaconesses' ordination was absent.

Other regional delegations supported the proposed change as a necessary step forward in affirming women -- especially young women -- in ministry.

"If we vote down something as innocuous as this, I tell you, it would discourage our young people," said John Brunt, representing North America. "They aren't only the future of the church; they're the present."

Notably, many delegates from the church's Southern African-Indian Ocean objected to the motion, arguing that it was superfluous and speculating that it invited the ordination of women as pastors.

"It's my view that the Church Manual Committee has overstepped its limits," said Stain Liyanda of the church's Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region. Liyanda called the motion an "ambush" of the Manual meant to give women's ordination an unprecedented foothold.

In response, newly elected world church Undersecretary Homer Trecartin reminded delegates that they'd each had a copy of the proposed changes since May -- "ample time" for review.

Jeroen Tuinstra, representing Trans-Europe, suggested that the entire proposed sentence be omitted and that the term "deacon" be deemed gender-neutral, with both men and women serving in the capacity ordained in the same fashion. Delegates voted to accept the amendment, but it was apparent that many were not pleased with the outcome. Some came to delegate microphones well after the vote, attempting to reignite the debate.

Delegates who trickled into the Dome for the June 28 afternoon business session got a quick review of the "point of order" provision, which propels delegates to the front of the mic queue to question whether rules of order are being followed.

Hinting that delegates might be using the provision to cut in line to simply comment or request clarification, Gerry Karst, a world church general vice president and one of the moderating officers of the discussion, joked with delegates in a rare moment of levity.

"If you call a 'point of order,' I'm going to suggest for your amusement that
you give a $20 bill to the mic attendent. If your comment actually is a 'point
of order,' you get it back. If not, we keep it," Karst said.

Several minor revisions were moved with little to no discussion during the
afternoon business session. However, an hour into the meeting, with about
two-thirds of the proposed changes still outstanding, many delegates seemingly
grew impatient and sought to accelerate the voting process by waving their
yellow voting cards before motions were called.

But delegates hit the brakes when an item arose blocking former sexual
offenders from transferring to a new congregation without written notification
of their past.

Some delegates, among them a lawyer, worried that the language was too strong
and might lead to lawsuits if a person was wrongly framed for abuse. The world
church's General Counsel, Karnik Doukmetzian, disagreed.

"I'd much rather defend a defamation of character action against the church
than risk a child being abused," he said.

Outgoing world church associate director for Family Ministries, Karen
Flowers, backed him. She said forgiveness does not eliminate consequences, and
in the case of child abuse, such consequences are "grave and far-reaching."
After lengthy debate, delegates moved to accept the change.

In a similar item, officials moderating the discussion informed delegates
that the world church's Executive Committee had altered language on an item
seeking to protect children by blocking sexual predators from positions granting
them unsupervised contact with minors. The new wording allowed for former,
presumably repentant predators to attend church and church-related events.

Several delegates said it was unfair to expect a vote on an item they had not
seen a copy of, since their copies of the Session Agenda did not include the
update. Delegates from the church's Trans-European region were particularly
vocal, one insisting that that the issue be held until a copy was projected on
the many television monitors in the Georgia Dome.

Later, after a copy was displayed on the screens, some delegates questioned
the wisdom of potentially allowing a perpetrator in the proximity of his or her
victim(s). One's call for the added phrase to be referred to the Church Manual
Committee for further review was moved, but delegates also moved to accept the
original motion provisionally.

This morning, delegates revisited Church Manual revisions, making it to
Chapter 10 of the 14-chapter Manual. They voted to include in several chapters a
statement requiring background checks and certifications for all church
employees and volunteers who work closely with minors.

Delegates are expected to conclude their approval of proposed changes to the
Church Manual during an afternoon business session today. If necessary, the
process will continue throughout the week.

 
CORRECTION: When publishing this story
yesterday, ANN incorrectly said delegates moved to allow women deacons to be
ordained in regions that favor it. Delegates, however, also approved an
amendment to the original motion that removed the line that would have left
ordination of women deacons to the discretion of each region. We have updated
the story to reflect the amendment, and regret the error.