wfn.org | Seventh-day-Adventists should not be treated as sect

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Lutheran-Adventist conversations' final report

GENEVA, 4 June 1998 (lwi) - "Lutherans in their national and regional
church contexts" should, in the future, recognize the Seventh-day-Adventist
Church no longer "as a sect but as a free church and a Christian world
communion". This recommendation comes from the final report of the
bilateral conversations between the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the
Seventh-day-Adventist Church held in Cartigny, Switzerland, May 10-16. The
final report further recommends that "Adventists in their relationship with
other Christian churches seek to have this conviction consistently
affirmed".

In addition, both partners recommend the mutual recognition of "the basic
Christian commitment" of each other's faith communions. Both sides are
urged in their public teaching and theological education to present the
other faith communion's view of church authority "truthfully and
unpolemically" and in a manner which corresponds to their
self-understanding.

Also in the future, "consultative linkage" between Lutherans and Adventists
is to be maintained "for the good of the total Christian community". The
final report identifies the following as possible areas of cooperation:
alleviating the suffering of humanity, religious liberty endeavors,
ministerial associations/pastoral gatherings, joint prayer events, and
Bible Society work.

Although the four-year series of conversations is concluded, Lutherans and
Adventists should "meet in occasional bilateral consultations". The
theological foundations and the spiritual dimension of our observance of
the day of rest "with particular reference to modern society", is a
possible topic for next year.

The Lutheran/Seventh-day-Adventist series of conversations began four years
ago in November 1994 in Darmstadt, Germany. This was the first
international consultation between representatives of the free church of
the Seventh-day-Adventists and the LWF. The goals of the first meeting
were, among others, better mutual understanding, the breaking of false
stereotypes and the discovery of each other's bases of belief. The themes
of the four-year conversations were Justification by Faith: the Law; Law
and Gospel, Ecclesiology and the Understanding of Church Authority, and
Eschatology.

The fourth concluding meeting in Cartigny was co-chaired by the Adventist
representative, Dr. Bert B. Beach (USA), and the Lutheran representative,
the Oslo dean, Ole Chr. Kvarme. One of the highlights of this year's
consultation was the visit of President Robert S. Folkenberg of the
Adventist General Conference headquartered in Maryland, USA, and of LWF
General Secretary Ishmael Noko.

The final report, and the consultation papers, will be published.

The Seventh-day-Adventist Church has some 10 million members in over 200
countries. The LWF has 124 member churches representing over 57 million
members worldwide.

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Lutheran World Information
Editorial Assistant: Janet Bond-Nash
E-mail: jbn@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/