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Ambassador
Knut Vollebaek and his wife, Ellen Sofia Aadland Vollebaek
stand with Seventh-day Adventist representatives
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April 24, 2002
Silver Spring, MD... At the invitation of the president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Ambassador Knut Vollebaek, Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S. and his wife, Ellen Sofia Aadland Vollebaek, visited the Seventh-day Adventist World Headquarters, April 23, 2002.
Responding to an earlier inquiry by the Ambassador, Elder Paulsen expounded on the services the Adventist church offers in its education, medical, humanitarian and community work. "The values of our church are communicated in part through these programs. As a church we have not lost sight of the fact we live here and now. We need to give attention to this to make sure that every new generation has the opportunity to realize their potential on an everyday basis in their professions and in the community, that these things also have a primary balance in their lives," Paulsen said.
Paulsen also mentioned that growth is experienced in countries where the laity is involved in the community. "It has also been a privilege to establish our medical, educational work in countries emerging from difficulty, such as Afghanistan, Cambodia and Mongolia. The challenge for the church is finding a way to communicate Christianity and Christian values to such societies," Paulsen added.
Addressing those present at a luncheon, Ambassador Vollebaek affirmed the church's work in promoting principles of tolerance and religious freedom. "If religions are blamed for conflicts, then religions can come together and find a solution," Vollebaek said. "The work of the Adventist Church is very important in that it provides people with a future. From this aspect, governments and churches should definitely work together," he concluded.
Vollebaek also reported that the Norwegian government established a commission in 1999 to study the issue of separation of church and state. A report was recently published and distributed to the various institutions for feedback. Once feedback is received from these various institutions, the issue would probably be passed in Parliament. The Norwegian church (the official state church) agrees that there should be international religious freedom. The issue of separation of church and state has received broad support from the public in Norway.
"We
commend Norway in its strong support toward religious freedom
and human rights, and their important involvement in the process
of peace negotiations," said John Graz, director for the
church's Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty,
who coordinated the visit.
Speaking on behalf of the Norwegian Union of the Adventist Church, president Tor Tjersansen, commented that the "greatest challenge for the church in Norway is reaching the postmodern mind. "People are indifferent to religion because they do not see religion as being practical to their daily living. We are currently searching for new entry points to reach the public. Adventists have been to secluded in the past, but we have now identified the importance of building friendships and networking on a one-to-one basis, which gives us opportunities to share our values and services," he said.
A relatively secular society, Norway's population of over four million people is made up of 86 percent Evangelical Lutheran, 3 percent Protestant and Roman Catholic, 1 percent other, and 10 percent unknown. The Adventist Church membership in Norway is under 5,000. [Viola Hughes]
Extremist
Interpretation of Sharia Threatens Nigeria's Stability
Silver Spring, MD... The Talibanizationn of Nigeria: Sharia Law and Religious Freedom, a 101-page report recently released by Freedom House reflects the rapid spread of extreme Islamic rule in Africa's largest nation. The report warns that the implementation of extremist interpretations of the sharia could provoke further inter-religious conflict in Nigeria. Thousands have already perished as a result of the adoption of the sharia in 12 of the 36 states in Nigeria.
There is no dispute among Muslims that the Qur'an is the basis of the sharia and that its specific provisions are to be scrupulously observed. The sharia contains the rules by which a Muslim society is organized and governed, and it provides the means to resolve conflict among individuals and between the individual and the state. While parts of the sharia had always existed in Nigeria's civil law, some Nigerian states are expanding sharia jurisdiction to criminal law matters in ways that violate the country's constitution and international human rights standards.
Northern Christians fear that the sharia-based laws will be applied to them, and will create an atmosphere and legacy of discrimination and "second class" status; creating the potential for violence. The report concludes that if left unchecked, the rapid spread of extreme sharia could push Nigeria into civil war.
"The majority of Muslims are moderate people of faith who promote peace. While the sharia is based on the Qur'an and prophet Mohammad's teachings, extremists' interpretation has led to confusion, and in some cases conflict," commented Karim Bromund, director of inter-religious affairs for the Islamic Supreme Council of America. "The Qur'an teaches that everybody has the god-given right to practice what they believe, and the sharia is like a road on which a Muslim travels. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like yourself can help people understand our differences by helping us to promote principles of tolerance, love and acceptance," Bromund concluded.
The Seventh-day Church has always stood by principles of tolerance and religious freedom, and its mandate to fulfill that is implemented by its Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty in countries around the world. The Adventist Church also operates a Muslim Relations Center in California that seeks to promote relationships of mutual understanding and respect between Muslims and Adventists.
"We are engaged in seminars for educating our people about Islam and how to relate respectively for spiritual encouragement and growth of both faiths," said Dr. Jerald Whitehouse, director of the Muslim Relations Center. "Our unique lifestyle (forbidding unclean meats, alcohol and tobacco as harmful to our body) provides us unique opportunities for relating with Muslims. We also encourage local churches participating with local Mosques in joint seminars and in community projects that enhance the quality of life and values in the community. It's helpful to understand that most Muslims share the same concerns for family morality and values as we, and we can work together to preserve these," Whitehouse concluded.
Bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon, Nigeria's more than 126 billion citizens are made up of 50 percent Muslims, 40 percent Christians, and 10 percent indigenous beliefs. The Adventist Church has approximately 150,000 members in Nigeria, worshiping in more than 1,000 congregations. [Viola Hughes]
Adventists
Attend White House Presidential Briefing
Washington, D.C.... Representatives from the Seventh-day Adventist Church attended a White House Presidential Briefing on legislation designed to increase charitable giving, April 11. The event took place in the East Room of the White House.
"It is always a privilege to represent the church, but it is a particularly special experience when that representation occurs at the White House," commented attorney James Standish, director of legislative affairs for the Adventist Church. "It gave us an important opportunity to not only hear President Bush in person describe his vision, but also to catch-up with many of our contacts in the administration, and to get to know new people we may be able to work with on issues in the future."
Also in attendance was Dr. Clarence Hodges, vice president for the church's North American Division, who said, "We are very much concerned about the president's desire to see faith-based organizations do more. That will be good for all those in need. We must serve them with love and without strings. However, we must be careful to help government steer clear of funding religion and religious leaders. And religious leaders must be careful not to compromise their principles for government funds. We will not know the details of the Bill until it's finished, the law signed and the resolutions published. Therefore, we are involved at this stage to influence that process to avoid the pitfalls of uniting church and state and compromising principles."
President Bush discussed the Charity Aid, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act at the briefing. The CARE Act, S. 1924, the product of a yearlong intense debate over the "faith-based initiative," is co-sponsored by Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. In order to accommodate some of the most serious concerns over the faith-based initiative, particularly concerns over the separation of church and state, the bill leaves out some of the most controversial proposals that were initially floated. At the same time, it includes some important charitable giving incentives as well as provisions designed to provide incentives to poorer Americans to begin savings accounts.
For an analysis of the CARE Act and photos of the White House event, visit ola.adventist.org. [Viola Hughes]
Azerbaijan:
Adventist Leader Welcomes Church Re-registration
Silver Spring, MD, USA... Speaking during an interview at the Seventh-day Adventist Church headquarters, pastor Pavel Liberansky said that he welcomed the recent re-registration of two churches by government authorities in Azerbaijan.
"After having problems, particularly in the town of Gyanja where civil authorities wanted to close our church, we are pleased that registration was granted on April 11," said Liberansky. "The church is open once again and police involvement has now ended. In addition, we earlier received registration for one of our churches in Baku." In an action that brought international concern, the Adventist church building in Gyanja was about to be closed even though documents had been submitted to gain re-registration.
Liberansky is president of the Adventist Church's Caucasus Union, the organization that includes Azerbaijan. He says that in general there are good relationships between the Adventist Church and civil authorities in Azerbaijan. "However we are also asking that other Adventist churches and groups active in Azerbaijan are registered. We are particularly interested in the situation in Nakhichevan, where we have not been able to achieve official recognition and registration."
Azerbaijan is one of the former Soviet republics in central Asia and has a predominantly Muslim population. [Jonathan Gallagher]
Yugoslavia:
Adventist Church President Warns of Increasing Intolerance
Silver
Spring, MD, USA... The president Seventh-day Adventist Church
in Yugoslavia warned of increasing intolerance and hostility
towards protestant minorities.
Dr. Radisa Antic made his comments during an interview at the headquarters of the Adventist Church on April 18, saying that attacks on Adventist churches are happening almost daily.
"It has become a habit of teen gangs to attack our churches," he said. "Just last week in Belgrade I met the pastor carrying five windows out for repair, a frequent activity. In Backa Palanka, the church has been broken into at least ten times, and the interior vandalized. The police are uninterested in our reports of these crimes. I have experienced such hostility personally-for example, at one meeting I was attacked by three youths who pelted me with eggs."
While not wanting to attribute blame, Antic says that the Orthodox Church "is gaining more and more power in many places when it comes to religious affairs. The authorities are unwilling to do anything without first obtaining approval from the Church leaders, and there have also been instances of police harassment of Adventist members."
Additionally, at least two or three articles or reports appear in the media every week condemning "sects." "Two books were published just last week that identified the Adventist Church as a 'dangerous sect,' even though we are the largest Protestant church in the country," comments Antic.
In the past the Adventist Church has had good relations with Orthodox Church leaders, most recently even holding a seminar on religious freedom in an Orthodox monastery, says Antic. He concludes, "We continue to pray and work for religious freedom and mutual respect between religious groups, recognizing that force and intimidation has no place in the message of Christ." [Jonathan Gallagher]
Adventist
Leader Adds Voice to Concern over Anti-Semitic Attacks
Silver Spring, MD, USA... A Seventh-day Adventist Church leader added his voice to the chorus of concern over the recent anti-Semitic attacks in France and Belgium, April 17, 2002. In the attacks a group of soccer players were beaten with metal bars, a kosher shop was fired upon, a Jewish couple assaulted, and a school bus full of children stoned. In parallel incidents several synagogues were firebombed, with one in Marseille being totally destroyed. The attacks are the latest in a series of violence that has plagued these two countries. More than 400 incidents have been documented in France alone.
"Adventists are appalled at such incidents of persecution and intimidation," said Dr. John Graz of the Adventist Church's public affairs and religious liberty department. "We add our voice to the condemnation of such attacks which are completely unacceptable in modern society. Such violence reveals a degree of hostility and hatred that has so often led to terrible disasters. We call on all people of good faith to respect one another, especially one another's religious beliefs. The violation of religious freedom and the victimization of minorities cannot be allowed to escalate, and we call on all authorities to prevent such violent acts."
Graz's comments come as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a release April 15 deploring the violence.
"These attacks on Jews in France and Belgium are despicable," said Michael K. Young, chair of the Commission. "We hope the French government, in particular, will follow through on its recent statements to track down the perpetrators and hold them to account; making it clear such behavior will not be tolerated in France."
The Adventist Church has always rejected violence and intimidation practiced by any group. In an official statement issued in 1999, the Church calls attention to the rise in persecution and intolerance:
"Throughout history religious minorities have often been subject to discrimination and outright persecution. Today religious intolerance and prejudice are again on the rise. The Seventh-day Adventist Church stands for religious freedom for everyone, as well as for the separation of church and state. Seventh-day Adventists further believe that the law must be applied evenly and without capricious favor. Religious freedom is limited when aggressive or violent behavior violates the human rights of others."
The statement also supports the United Nations activities that seek to counter such intolerant and offensive behavior:
"In support of Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments, and in harmony with its beliefs and its history, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is fully committed to promote, defend, and protect religious freedom for everyone, everywhere. In addition, we will continue to promote dialogue and better understanding between governmental authorities and people who belong to religious minorities." [Jonathan Gallagher]
Religion Draft Laws
April 15, 2002
Silver Spring, MD, USA... Interviewed for a broadcast by Radio
Free Europe, Dr. John Graz of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's
department of religious liberty and public affairs expressed
his concern about three draft laws under consideration by
the Russian Parliament and Ministry of justice.
In the April 9 interview, Graz said that the three bills posed definite challenges to religious freedom in Russia. "One bill concerns the identification of 'traditional' and 'non-traditional' religions in Russia which legalizes discrimination between religious groups. We believe that the government should not deal with such an issue that may lead the state to discriminate between faith communities."
The
Adventist Church has always believed that all religions should
be equal before the law.
"The other two bills deal with religious extremists," Graz continued. "We are opposed to the drafts on religious extremists. Our position is that you do not need to identify religious extremists, but to deal with all extremists in the same way." Asked about relations between the Adventist Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, Graz said that in general good relations were cultivated but that the Adventist Church regretted the intolerance of some local priests outside Moscow.
The
Adventist Church's Euro-Asia division which includes Russia,
the Ukraine and other former republics of the Soviet Union has
a membership of 150,000 meeting in 1,900 churches and 1,150
companies. [Jonathan Gallagher]
Adventists Protest Religious Intolerance to UN Human Rights Commission
April
15, 2002
Geneva, Switzerland... A statement on behalf of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to the United Nations Commission to Human Rights on April 9 deplored the "ever-increasing rise in religious intolerance, conflict and violence," and protested persecution of religious minorities.
Adventist UN liaison director, Jonathan Gallagher, said that it was important to raise such issues in such an important international forum. It's estimated by Freedom House that 100 million Christian believers have been killed in the 20th century. More Christians have died through persecution between 1990 and 2000 than in all the previous centuries combined although Christians are not the only religious group that have suffered.
"We as a Church continue to be appalled at the rising tide of religious violence that is engulfing the world. To persecute and to attack another human being just because of religious differences is a terrible indictment of how religions can be hijacked for hatred. As the statement says, 'The Seventh-day Adventist Church adds its voice and its resources to this global battle against the forces of evil intimidation and persecution, determined to do its part to ensure human rights-particularly freedom of religion or belief for all peoples.'"
The statement cited Saudi Arabia, China, Sudan, North Korea, and some central Asian states as examples of religious persecution that has led to violence and death and appealed for an end to such violations of fundamental human rights:
"The appeal of the Adventist Church is that such deplorable violations of human rights not be excused or ignored because of political convenience or national interest, that persecution and intolerance be clearly identified and vigorously protested, and that all such proponents be called to account for their crimes against humanity."
The statement also identified the problems that happen when religions are themselves hijacked for other ends, Gallagher comments. The statement concludes:
"The Adventist Church recognizes and deplores this ongoing tragedy, and calls upon all nations, religions and individuals to reject any and all forms of violence, particularly violence carried out "in the name of God." [Viola Hughes]