We are involved in this discussion because of the unique nature of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where no level of the church has final authority for everything.
I'm confused.
I thought Ellen White said that the vote of the World Church in the General Conference session was the final authority.
GC Working Policy says that it is.
B 10 20 General Conference and its Divisions— ...
3. Highest Organization—The General Conference is the highest organization in the administration of the worldwide work of the Church, and is authorized by its Constitution to create subordinate organizations to promote specific interests in various sections of the world; it is therefore understood that all subordinate organizations and institutions throughout the world will recognize the General Conference in session as the highest authority under God. When differences arise in or between organizations and institutions on matters not already addressed in the Constitution and Bylaws, in the policies of the General Conference, or in its Executive Committee actions at Annual Councils, appeal to the next higher organization is proper until it reaches the General Conference in session, or the Executive Committee in Annual Council. During the interim between these sessions, the Executive Committee shall constitute the body of final authority on all questions where a difference of viewpoint may develop, whose decisions shall control on such controverted points, but whose decision may be reviewed at a session of the General Conference or an Annual Council of the Executive Committee. (See also B 40 10.)
...
B 15 General Conference Working Policy
B 15 05 Authoritative Administrative Voice of the Church—The General Conference Working Policy contains the Constitution and Bylaws of the General Conference, the Mission Statement and the accumulated policies adopted by General Conference Sessions and Annual Councils of the General Conference Executive Committee. It is, therefore, the authoritative voice of the Church in all matters pertaining to the mission and to the administration of the work of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in all parts of the world.
B 15 10 Adherence to Policy Required—1.The General Conference Working Policy shall be strictly adhered to by all organizations in every part of the world field. The work in every organization shall be administered in full harmony with the policies of the General Conference and of the divisions respectively. No departure from these policies shall be made without prior approval from the General Conference Executive Committee, except as stated below. The division committee is the authorized body which acts for the General Conference Executive Committee in the respective divisions. All conference, mission, or institutional administrators shall cooperate in maintaining these policies as they affect the work in their respective organizations. Only thus can a spirit of close cooperation and unity be maintained in the work of the Church in all parts of the world field. ...
Edited because I may have misread what the original quote was trying to say, though I think the affect of the words is about the same.
Bob,
Can you quote GC WP L 45 and L 50 so we can compare it with their response?
Questions answered:
http://session.adventistfaith.org/responses
"A: The Seventh-day Adventist Church has no policy or doctrine restricting ordination to men, though it is a long-standing practice."
In light of GC WP L 45 and L 50, would we not call the above statement an outright lie?
If it isn't a lie because it is an unintentional mistake, why in the world would the Pacific Union have someone that uninformed write up a FAQ page on the topic?
Here it is:
L 45 Procedure in Authorizing Ordination
...
L 45 10 Ordination Ceremony—Time and Place—The time and place for the ordination ceremony, including the examination of the candidate, with his wife, shall be arranged by the approving organization in counsel with the union.
...
L 50 Examination of Candidates for Ordination
1. Before any ordination is carried out, there shall be careful, unhurried, and prayerful examination of the candidates as to their fitness for the work of the ministry. The results of their labor as licentiates should be reviewed, and the examination should cover the great fundamental facts of the gospel. Before the church sets a man apart by ordination he should
have given satisfactory evidence of: ....
Current NAD WP does not use the word "man" in L 50, but still refers to the candidate's wife in L 45 10.