Younger Adventists pave road ahead on church gay issues

March 30, 2015 | By Sheila Hagar | Union Bulletin

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has evolved on social issues since its founding in 1863. In official statements, it has taken stands for civil rights, opposition to slavery and for religious liberty, among other issues.

At the same time, statements have said leadership is “sometimes reluctant to take a public position.”

Adventist congregants, however, are more public — to the point of taking action themselves — when it comes to some things. And homosexuality is one of those issues moving toward the front burner.

On March 11 and 12, the Youth & Young Adult Ministries Summit at College View Seventh-day Adventist Church, across the street from Union College in Lincoln, Neb., hosted the first gathering of leaders of Adventist youth ministries to formally address lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

The event marked a significant step forward in the church, said summit leader Chris Blake, an associate professor of communications and English at Union College, an Adventist school. Read more...