AMBASSADORS VISIT cAMBODIA page 8 - RECORD.net.au

NEWS
Timetable to review ordination theology
Wahroonga, New South Wales
An ongoing discussion on the issue of women in church
leadership has prompted the Seventh-day Adventist world
church to order a thorough review of the theology of ordination.
Biblical scholars and church administrators in the South
Pacific Division (SPD) will do their part by submitting a series
of draft discussion papers to the SPD biblical research committee
by March 31.
The commitment to study the issue was made at the
2010 General Conference (GC) session with a timetable and
outline of the review process released at the Church’s annual
council in October last year. Dr Artur Stele, world church
vice president and director of the Biblical Research Institute,
said the process would examine the foundation of ordination
as well as its implications for church practices.
The GC’s Biblical Research Institute will coordinate the
process of studying ordination with corresponding biblical
research committees in each of the church’s 13 world divisions.
“This will be a very careful process,” GC president, Dr
Ted Wilson, said.
Each division is asked to request its biblical research
committee to study the theology of ordination and its implications
for church practices in that region.
SPD field secretary, Dr David Tasker, will coordinate the
process here. He has already contacted a wide group of
biblical scholars and church administrators, asking each to
comment on one of 12 aspects of ordination.
Pastors pray over Prime Minister
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
In December, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter
O’Neill was surrounded by Seventh-day Adventist pastors
at Korobosea church for a prayer and dedication of his
leadership and government.
The Prime Minister was invited to attend a church
service and unveil a million kina proposed state-of–the-art
refurbishment of Korobosea church to cater for the influx
of membership in the city.
Mr O’Neill acknowledged the contributions of the Adventist
Church with other Christian denominations in the
country, saying churches played an important role in all
communities throughout PNG. “Not only in spiritual development
but in provision of health and education services
as well,“ Mr O’Neill said. “My government appreciates
these services.”
The Prime Minister pledged K1.5 million to the delight
of the local congregation. K1 million of this donation comes
from the current church-state partnership program and
the remaining K500,000 comes from the Prime Minister’s
discretionary fund.
President of Papua New Guinea Union Mission, Dr Leigh
It’s an unprecedented
task. “We’ve
taken a lot of things
for granted,” Dr Tasker
said, reflecting on
Seventh-day Adventist
church practice.
“We do a lot of things Dr David Tasker explains how the SPD will
based upon what John be involved in the review of ordination.
Wesley did, which is not
wrong but it’s a tradition rather than a theology. So we’ve
never looked at a theology of ordination before. I mean, why
do we ordain deacons and then elders and then ministers?
What is the biblical justification for having those different
levels of ordination? And that’s [just] one of the issues that
we’ll be looking at.”
The SPD, along with the other divisions, will review the
study made by its biblical research committee at the 2013
year-end meetings. It will make recommendations to the
Biblical Research Institute director for consideration by a
theology of ordination study committee with appropriate
division representation. This committee will analyse the
materials received from the divisions and prepare a combined
report by June 2014 to be reviewed by various General
Conference committees, with a view to processing recommendations
as part of the 2015 General Conference session
agenda.—Ansel Oliver/ANN/Kent Kingston
Rice, thanked
the Prime Minister
and acknowledged
his
government’s
support.
Dr Rice also
thanked Korobosea
church
members for
Pastor Leigh Rice prays for Mr O’Neill.
their contribution
in tithes
and offerings and taking the initiative to engage in the major
facelift project for their church. “These visible externals
reveal a much more important internal quality—a healthy
church,” Dr Rice said. He told the congregation they were
a fine example of the vision of the church in PNG to be
always growing and excelling in all areas of ministry.
Senior church pastor Kadasa Damaro was overwhelmed
with the support of the Prime Minister which was needed
to complete the church.—Andrew Opis
record.net.au • JANUARY 21, 2012 7