Adventists monitoring possible Sunday business-closing law in Europe
European Parliament member wants to promote time with family

Lutherans apologize for 16th century persecution of Anabaptists
Early Adventism influenced by many of religious reformers' beliefs

Adventist outreach earns church role in world mission conference
Sharing Christ in 21st century among collaborative event's goals

Adventists monitoring possible Sunday business-closing law in Europe

European Parliament member wants to promote time with family

27 Jul 2010, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Ansel Oliver/ANN

Seventh-day Adventist religious liberty proponents are monitoring a proposal from a European Parliament member who wants businesses in Europe to close their doors on Sundays.

Parliament member Martin Kastler of Germany is urging for the passage of continent-wide laws similar to those of his home country, which encourage employees to take a day off work to be with their families, the New York Times reported.

Though parliamentary rules bar most members, including Kastler, from introducing legislation, a recently enacted citizens petition function would require the 736-member body to draw up such legislation if supporters raise 1 million signatures from across member countries, the Times reported.

While many Adventists in Europe now live and worship in countries with similar laws, the church has traditionally opposed such laws, citing possible religious discrimination.

"We agree that people need a day of rest, but we want to be sure those who don't have Sunday as a designated religious day of rest will be respected and accommodated," said John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) director for the Adventist world church and secretary-general of the International Religious Liberty Association.

"We hope that those behind the proposal will understand the pluralistic dimensions of European society today and the importance of respecting different religious beliefs," he said.

Church officials in the denomination's Switzerland-based Euro-Africa Division said they are monitoring the situation. This autumn they plan to hold consultations with local leadership regarding a possible response to any progress on Kastler's initiative.

"If [it] was just this question of shops opening on Sunday, our members would not see it as a problem," said Karel Nowak, PARL director for the church in Euro-Africa. "This is [already] the current situation in many West- and Central-European countries."

Nowak's key concern is the possible arguments supporting the initiative. He said some people want to "strengthen 'traditional European values,' meaning 'traditional Christian' values and lifestyle."

"In my opinion this development is concerning and could lead to escalation of tension among different groups," Nowak said.

Lutherans apologize for 16th century persecution of Anabaptists

Early Adventism influenced by many of religious reformers' beliefs

27 Jul 2010, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN

A global Lutheran counsel in Germany officially apologized for its 16th century persecution of Anabaptists -- religious reformers whose descendants include Mennonites and whose beliefs profoundly influenced the founders of Seventh-day Adventism.

During a July 22 service of repentance, the Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) voted unanimously in favor of the formal apology, which expresses "deep regret and sorrow" for past persecution and requests forgiveness from both God and the Anabaptist family.

In a foreword in the recent issue of Lutheran World Information, LWF President Mark S. Hanson said the church's repentance is part of the "ministry of reconciliation" Christians are called to as "ambassadors for Christ."

Anabaptists, whose name means "to baptize again," historically urged baptism by immersion for Christians as a public expression of faith and admission into a community of believers -- radically different from the era's common practice of infant baptism.

Anabaptists were also early advocates of separation of church and state, religious liberty and justification by faith. Facing persecution from both Protestants and Catholics in Europe in the 1500s, many found solace in America.

The service of repentance, held in Stuttgart, Germany, came after three decades of reconciliation talks beginning in 1980 during the 450th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, a defining Lutheran doctrinal text, EthicsDaily.com reported this week. At the time, Mennonite representatives questioned whether the text should be commemorated, since it denounced their teachings, the report said.

During the 1990s, Lutherans also opened dialogue with the Adventist Church, with both denominations seeking to recognize their joint Reformation heritage and achieve a better mutual understanding of and respect for their doctrinal differences.

The 1994 through 1998 talks resulted in "deep spiritual fellowship," according to a book reporting on the conversations published by both the Adventist and Lutheran churches in 2000.

In comments during the service of repentance, John Graz, director of the Adventist Church's department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, commended Lutherans for displaying "courage" through repentance.

"As Adventists, we also have our roots in the Anabaptist movement, and we appreciate very much your honesty and your sincerity," Graz told the approximately 600-member Council, which is responsible for the business of the Lutheran World Federation in between its Assemblies, held every six years.

Adventist outreach earns church role in world mission conference

Sharing Christ in 21st century among collaborative event's goals

27 Jul 2010, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN

Seventh-day Adventists were among representatives from more than 100 Christian denominations who met in Edinburgh, Scotland last month to envision the future of world mission.

The event marks 100 years since the first Edinburgh World Missionary Conference, considered a watershed in the collaborative shaping of mission.

While several Adventists attended the 1910 conference as delegates, church leaders participated for the first time this year, a testament to the denomination's reputation for outreach, said Ganoune Diop, director of the Adventist Church's Global Mission Study Centers.

"World Christianity can no longer address mission without factoring in the impact of Adventist mission worldwide," said Diop, who co-chaired the Foundations of Mission session, one of nine session themes during the conference.

Other topics included Christian mission among other faiths, mission and postmodernists, Christian communities in contemporary contexts and authentic discipleship.

Delegates -- among them Adventists Cheryl Doss, director of the church's Institute of World Mission; and John McVay, New Testament scholar and Walla Walla University president -- represented 77 national entities, 65 countries of origin and 62 languages.

During the June 2 to 6 conference, delegates shaped mission and Christian witness in the 21st century, and also reviewed landmarks in mission since the 1910 conference. Among milestones profiled was the Adventist Church's medical ministry at Andrews Memorial Hospital during the 1940s in Jamaica, where today about one in 11 citizens is Adventist.

Diop said delegates learned to view mission as the "heartbeat of God," a "humbling and refreshing" experience.

Working with other faiths to propel mission at events such as the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference does not mean the church is compromising its distinct beliefs, doctrinal integrity or mission outreach, Diop said.

"Adventists are in fact encouraged to collaborate with any agency that promotes Christ," said Diop, referencing a statement in the church's Working Policy.*

"As Adventists, we are not part of the ecumenical movement. It is clear that we cannot be restricted in our doctrines and values, but the theme of this conference was witnessing, with Christ as a mobilizing force. That's certainly an area of commonality we can rally around," Diop said.

*"We recognize those agencies that lift of Christ before men as a part of the divine plan for evangelization of the world, and we hold in high esteem Christian men and women in other communions who are engaged in winning souls to Christ." [Working Policy, no. 75]