SDA INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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Last Update: 09/Aug/1999


Court rules against SDA pastor
A New Orleans court has ruled that an elderly Adventist pastor accused of being involved in a massacre in Rwanda must be turned over to a war crimes tribunal The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an earlier ruling by a federal judge stating there is probable cause that Elizaphan Ntakirutimana, 75, committed genocide and crimes against humanity. Ntakirutimana can still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 1994 Rwanda massacres, Ntakirutimana was pastor of a Seventh-day Adventist Church. Witnesses claim he urged a large group of men, women and children to seek refuge in a church and hospital complex -- then took part in a daylong gun and machete attack against them. He was arrested in September 1996 in America, where his son lives, while there legally on a permanent resident visa. His lawyer Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark argued that the tribunal was formed in violation of the U.N. charter, and that evidence was not sufficient to warrant the pastor's extradition. Entered August 8, 1999

2000 join church in Congo
Despite civil war in the Congo, 2000 people have joined the Adventist Church so far this year. "Of course the war is severely disrupting what we do," says Jean Emmanuel Nlo Nlo, communication director for Adventist Church in the region. Seminars by satellite have continued, including ACTS 2000, though the use of such high technology equipment attracts suspicion from the warring factions

12 ministers accept Sabbath
Twelve ministers of other faiths have accepted the Sabbath from reading Dr Samuelle Bacchiocci's new book "The Sabbath under Crossfire." The book was released only four months ago.

Genetic engineering warning
A senior administrator of the Adventist health system has expressed concern about genetically-modified foods. Dr DeWitt Williams, health director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, noted that the church itself has not yet taken an official stance on this subject. But he told a recent conference that the church has a firm stand on safeguarding ecological balance as part of God's creation. Already, genetically-modified food is having unexpected results, he said. A recent case is a version of corn genetically-modified to resist insect attack -- it accidentally killed monarch butterflies. Sanitarium Health Food Company, the church's largest health food company and one of Australia's largest user of soya beans does not use genetically-modified soya beans.

Adventist university "illegal"
An article in "The Nation" in Nairobi suggests that a new Adventist university-level college is illegal. The articles says that "Confusion reigned at Kamagambo University College following a disclosure that it is not recognised by the Higher Education Commission. At the same time, parents with students taking degree courses there accused the Ministry of Education of taking too long to clear the air over the status of the institution. In a public notice carried in the local dailies last Monday and signed by the commission secretary Justin Irina, the newly established college has no authority to offer any degree course. The notice read in part: `This is to inform the public that Kamagambo Adventist College does not have any authority to offer university level education either on its own or in conjunction with any institution.' The college admitted its first batch of 92 students three years ago for a four-year degree course."


Adventists given TV station
The Adventist Church has been given the full use of a television station in Georgetown, Guyana. The wife of the station owner is a Seventh-day Adventist and her husband has been impressed by the Net98 program being run on his station. He invited several Adventists to meet him last month and offered them day-to-day operation of the station. He will still own the station and will provide the expertise to make sure the station does not run into legal or political snags. However, the entire programming is to be in Adventist hands to advance the mission of the church.


Adventist killed in Kosovo
The Kosovo Liberation Army killed an Adventist woman last Sunday. Mrs Mileva Vujosevic, 65, was knifed to death on the doorstep of her home in Pec, Kosovo. Her husband was not there to protect her because he was staying at the Adventist Church to protect the building. Mrs Vujosevic has three children. One is an Adventist minister. She was buried by the Orthodox bishop on Monday afternoon -- an unprecedented act by the Orthodox Church. Mileva became an Adventist at the age of 15 and was a committed member, working as a literature evangelist selling books and distributing numerous Voice of Prophecy cards. "I am shocked by this barbaric act on an innocent woman," says Radisa Antic, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Yugoslavia. "We, as Adventists, condemn any atrocities committed by any individual in Kosovo - either by Serbs or Albanians."

Seventh-day Adventist Becomes Papua New Guinea's Deputy Prime Minister
The former Papua New Guinea Speaker of Parliament, John Pundari was appointed as Papua New Guinea's new Deputy Prime Minister in a political upheaval that saw a change of government this week. Pundari is a skilled, young banker and a "mercurial career" politician. He is also a member of one of the Port Moresby local Seventh-day Adventist congregations. Although widely tipped to be elected as the nation's youngest leader ever, after Prime Minister Bill Skate resigned last week, Pundari, 32, joined with the opposition coalition and supported the appointment of Sir Mekere Morauta as Prime Minister in a new government on Wednesday, July 14. According to press reports, Pundari strongly criticized the country's political establishment several weeks ago, saying that he had a moral duty to fight economic mismanagement and the corruption which is endemic in most walks of Papua New Guinea life. Pundari, the leader of the Advance PNG Party, was first elected to Parliament only seven years ago and became Deputy Prime Minister without having served as a minister. Elected only seven years ago as the member for Kompiam-Ambun in PNG's Enga province, Pundari was elevated to the post of Speaker in 1997. As Speaker, Pundari became known for fairness in his dealings with government and opposition members of Parliament. In February, Pundari, accompanied by his family, visited the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. He spoke of his personal convictions about a need for high moral values in political and social life. He expresses such convictions openly, setting a high standard of public service for those who are elected as civil servants. Pundari identified educational and health needs as paramount for PNG. "Education is one area in which the Church can contribute greatly," said Pundari. "We need to do much more for both primary and secondary schooling. I am also very grateful for the health services provided by the Adventist Church, for with a healthy population, the development of a country is assured." Seventh-day Adventists, with membership of over 175,000 in PNG, are known for their educational, health and humanitarian services. Many elected politicians in PNG are Seventh-day Adventists. Pundari also emphasizes the importance of family values and their promotion in society. "Churches impart positive family values. I promote them myself, since I have learned much through being a member of the Adventist Church. I call upon all churches to educate parents in the importance of family values, for the strength of any nation is in the family." Pundari says that his country needs honest and genuine leaders, and criticized members of Parliament for damaging PNG's image through their behavior while on trips overseas. He called for greater accountability of civil servants to the people they represent. Reacting to the news, John Graz, the Church's Public Affairs Director, recalled Pundari's two visits to the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters, in 1996 and again in February 1999. He noted that the media reports about Pundari, speculating of his rise to leadership, are very positive, especially concerning his decisions to fight corruption and work closely with the needs of the people. In his letter to the new Deputy Prime Minister, Graz said, "You are a modern Joseph, a modern Daniel, and a fabulous example for our members and especially for our young people. Your faith in God and your integrity will be your strength, and always know that your worldwide network of brothers and sisters are praying for you."
[From ANN}

Adventist Church Leaders React to Joint Anglican-Roman Catholic Recommendation
Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders reacted today, May 18, to the recommendation of a joint Anglican-Roman Catholic international commission that the Pope be recognized as "the universal primate." The publication of the ARCIC III report entitled "The Gift of Authority" includes multiple references to the Bishop of Rome and his identification in terms of universal primacy, or leader of all churches. "Within his wider ministry, the Bishop of Rome offers a specific ministry concerning the discernment of truth, as an expression of universal primacy," says the report. "The reception of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome entails the recognition of this specific ministry of the universal primate. We believe that this is a gift to be received by all the churches…. Such a universal primate will exercise leadership in the world and also in both communions, addressing them in a prophetic way." "We are keenly aware of the conclusions of this international commission and its desire to achieve unity among the churches," says Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist Church. "We reaffirm our historical position, which is in harmony with the Reformation declaration that spiritual authority is vested in the Bible only as the Word of God, and not in an individual. We continue to maintain this conviction as a community of Christian believers." Ekkehardt Mueller, associate director of the Adventist Church's Biblical Research Institute commented that while the report is carefully drafted, its appeal is to tradition over the Bible. "The report strongly stresses the church and its tradition," comments Mueller. "Again and again reference is made to tradition rather than to Scripture so that Scripture becomes almost secondary. Accepting the principle of "the Bible and the Bible only,"Adventists do not find biblical evidence for a universal primacy associated with any human being. While the decision of the Anglican Church may advance the ecumenical process and may encourage other churches to come under the umbrella of the universal leadership of the Bishop of Rome, and as much as Seventh-day Adventists encourage open communication and good relations with other denominations, Adventists cannot follow the Anglican decision without giving up their understanding of Scripture and their own calling. For Adventists the authority of Scripture and the authority of the Bishop of Rome are incompatible."
[From ANN]


Modern Technology Shares News and Beliefs
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA ... [ANN] The Seventh-day Adventist Church is continuing to advance its use of modern technology, especially on the Internet. The Church's main website at www.adventist.org is being developed and upgraded using increased technical expertise. The site shares information on the church's history, fundamental beliefs, facts and figures, mission and structure. "We have found that technology is one of the best ways to share news and beliefs," says Jonathan Gallagher, news director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. "Our weekly bulletins, which are posted on the web, keep the World Church updated on current events and provides them with features of what church members are doing around the world. More innovative aspects are planned as a new server is brought online this summer." And the World Church is responding to this technology. Currently the website receives 20,000 "hits" every day, which translates to approximately 1000 individual visits, or more than a third of a million annually. One of the favorite features of the site has been the sunset calculator, where visitors can calculate sunset at any specific place around the world. "This is a means by which church members can access the information right away," says Gallagher. "We at the news office are happy to provide this service." The website has recently undergone some redesign and upgrade. John Beckett, technical web master for the site, is working on automated e-mail news services and search functions, among other projects. "We are working on providing more ‘user-friendly' options on the site," says Beckett. "The search functions will allow visitors to search for specific stories, features or news items." Beckett, along with the Church's Communication Department, is working with the various church departments as they develop their websites. Visitors will be able to access departmental websites through the main site. "We are also developing plans for a ‘virtual GC' where individuals can visit our site during the Church's world session in 2000 and see ‘live' what is happening in Toronto," says Gallagher. "The web site will play a key role in distributing news and information during the Session."
[From ANN]