wfn.org | Finnish Conscientious Objectors Can Serve Adventist Church

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

October 22, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

Finland: Conscientious Objectors Can Serve The Adventist Church

Tampere, Finland. (ANR/APD) The Seventh-day Adventist Church 
in Finland has obtained the right to become a place of service for 
conscientious objectors. The decree signed by the President of 
the Republic of Finland came into force on 1 October 1999.

"This means that an individual who wants to perform his military 
service in a non-military capacity can do so by serving in the 
Seventh-day Adventist Church and its institutions," comments 
Joel Niininen, secretary and communication director of the 
Adventist Church in Finland.   

Pastor Pekka Pohjola, President of the Finland Union Conference 
considers "this a significant change towards equal treatment of 
churches in Finland.  Up until this year only the Lutheran and the 
Orthodox Churches have had this right.  Now the Government 
has recognised the right of certain minority Churches, if they 
meet specified requirements, to be accepted as service places of 
conscientious objectors.  Young Adventist Christian are now able 
serve within our own Church. To some it may be a spark of 
inspiration to commit their lives into the ministry." The Finland 
Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a member of the 
Free Church Council of Finland, and has an observer status in the 
Ecumenical Council of Finland. With 5'800 baptised adult 
members, organised in 68 local congregations, the Adventist 
Church is the third largest Protestant free church in Finland.