I place this before you in awareness of an ongoing discussion in some quarters between faith and science, particularly as it relates to origins and creation.

For us as a community it has always been of utmost importance to stay close to the Scripture. Faith has that as its final point of reference. We must not allow ourselves to come adrift from the Bible in defining our values and in stating what we hold.

Our position as a church in the matter of origins is clearly although somewhat broadly stated in our Fundamental Beliefs. This position is further amplified in a statement voted by the General Conference Executive Committee at the 2004 Annual Council. To remind ourselves of the details of that action, I have included the wording in this appeal:

    “We strongly endorse the document‘s affirmation of our historic, biblical position of belief in a literal, recent, six-day Creation.

    We urge that the document, accompanied by this response, be disseminated widely throughout the world Seventh-day Adventist Church, using all available communication channels and in the major languages of world membership.

    We reaffirm the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the historicity of Genesis 1-11: that the seven days of the Creation account were literal 24-hour days forming a week identical in time to what we now experience as a week; and that the Flood was global in nature.

    We call on all boards and educators at Seventh-day Adventist institutions at all levels to continue upholding and advocating the church’s position on origins.  We, along with Seventh-day Adventist parents, expect students to receive a thorough, balanced, and scientifically rigorous exposure to and affirmation of our historic belief in a literal, recent six-day creation, even as they are educated to understand and assess competing philosophies of origins that dominate scientific discussion in the contemporary world.

    We urge church leaders throughout the world to seek ways to educate members, especially young people attending non-Seventh-day Adventist schools, in the issues involved in the doctrine of creation.

    We call on all members of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist family to proclaim and teach the church’s understanding of the biblical doctrine of Creation, living in its light, rejoicing in our status as sons and daughters of God, and praising our Lord Jesus Christ–our Creator and Redeemer.”

I appeal to all engaged by our church in the ministries of administration, preaching, teaching, and writing to articulate and reflect our stand as a community on Creation. We are a faith-community, and the world of faith is the world in which God’s creative powers are on constant display. Sometimes the findings of science may reflect some of this, but often not. Faith is certainly not subject to findings of science.

To those who teach at our colleges and universities, let me say that you have a demanding, often difficult, but sacred assignment. It is a ministry you hold in trust. It is understood that to care for your ministry responsibly you have to take your students on many a journey of findings into various disciplines of study. They need to know what they will meet in their profession and in life. As part of that exercise you will also expose them to the elements and concepts of evolution. That is understood.

As your pastor, however, I appeal to you that when you take your students out on the journey, you bring them safely back home before the day is over. And their home must always be in the world of faith. You owe it to the students, you owe it to God, you owe it to their parents, you owe it to the church, and you owe it to yourself as a believer to safely guide them through difficult moments on their journey.

This appeal comes with the greatest respect for your integrity and your professional skills. But you are also my sister and brother in faith, and we share a common commitment to God to whom we shall ultimately bring the fruits of our labor. I pray that he will give to each of us the strength that accompanies faithfulness.

Jan Paulsen

Source: “An Appeal”, Adventist News Network

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is passing out food and supplies to survivors of a cyclone that hit the southwestern coast of Bangladesh late last month.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is providing food and supplies to survivors of Cyclone Aila that hit the southwestern coast of Bangladesh late last month. The cyclone killed nearly 200 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless, relief workers in the region said. [photo: ADRA]

Cyclone Aila killed nearly 200 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless, relief workers in the region said. Aila also destroyed homes, businesses and thousands of acres of cropland, officials from ADRA said.

“Many villages are still underwater, and because of the rainfall we are afraid that the situation of survivors will continue to deteriorate,” said Elidon Bardhi, country director for ADRA Bangladesh. “Currently, people are in desperate need for basic necessities, including medical assistance, food, and clean water.”

ADRA, the aid organization for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is distributing emergency supplies to survivors throughout the severely affected area near the Bangladesh and India border. Workers are providing food and water purification tablets to 1,200 affected families.

In some low-lying areas, seawater has contaminated water supplies, leaving communities with little or no access to drinking water, ADRA officials said.

“People were very happy to receive the emergency supplies,” Bardhi said. “At least for now they will be able to forget their hunger and focus on the recovery process.”

Local officials said ADRA was the first aid organization to distribute relief supplies in the region after the cyclone hit.

In neighboring eastern India, Cyclone Aila also killed a least 150 people and left more than 150,000 homeless. The heavy rain caused numerous landslides and damaged large agricultural areas.

About 80 percent of Bangladesh’s rain accumulation occurs during the annual monsoon season, which lasts from June to October. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable due to its general low elevation and high population density.

For more information, visit adra.org

Source: “ADRA aids survivors of cyclone in Bangladesh, India”, Adventist News Network

A proposed law criminalizing the criticism of religion in Ireland may defy international standards of freedom of speech and indicate a troubling trend toward more state control over religious matters, religious liberty experts say.

Members of the Oireachtas (Parliament) Committee on Justice are considering an amendment to the country’s Defamation Bill that will effectively ban “blasphemous libel,” making it a fineable offense to publish or utter such speech.

The article would update an older defamation of religion law present in the country’s constitution. Such laws, while long “dormant” in Europe, are regaining favor, said John Graz, director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Seventh-day Adventist world church.

Earlier this year, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution on so-called “defamation of religion” laws. While designed to protect religious groups, such laws can backfire against freedom of expression, Graz said.

“Respect and dialogue should be the way to deal with religious issues and calm tensions,” he added.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has warned the Irish government that blasphemy law defies international standards of freedom of speech, the Irish Times reported last week.

The OSCE is the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization, with 56 member nations. The agency’s duties include upholding principles such as fair elections, press freedom and human rights.

Source: “Ireland’s ‘blasphemy law’ worries religious liberty proponents”, Adventist News Network

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It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our precious father and husband. Shortly after midnight on Saturday, December 20, Samuele Bacchiocchi breathed his last breath. During his last breaths, he was surrounded by his three children and wife of 47 years (today would have been his 47th wedding anniversary), and we read together 2 Timothy 4:6-8: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” This quote sums up the life of a man who sacrificed practically all of his time and energy to help others understand the Bible more fully, even up to end as he gave his last seminar in England the Sabbath before being taken to the emergency room.

We are very grateful that we could all be together at this time and believe that it is fitting that God chose the Sabbath day, the day that he loved most and spent his life preaching and writing about, to be the day that he entered into his final earthly rest. We take comfort in the fact that the next time he will open his eyes he will see his Lord and Savior, and that we will be reunited with him in heaven. His incredible journey here on earth has come to an end, but may we continue his legacy until Jesus returns!

The funeral services will be held this coming Sabbath, December 27, at 4:00 pm at the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.

We would like to thank each and every one of you again for the incredible outpouring of love and prayers that have provided us with supernatural peace and comfort during this difficult time. We are privileged to be a part of this extraordinary community of faith.

If any of you would like to send a message to the Bacchiocchi Family, we encourage you to send it to any of the following addresses of his children: Loretta Bacchiocchi, at loretta_bacchiocchi@fhchs.edu, Gianlucca Bacchiocchi at bacchiocchi@gmail.com, or Daniel Bacchiocchi at dbacch@sbcglobal.net.

May God richly bless you all,

The Bacchiocchi Family

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