My Ordination Annulment Letter - Dec 24 2009

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

(Australian Union Conference) Limited

24 December 2009

Dear Adrian

Your Ordination

As is always the case, there would have been great joy experienced by those close to you and the wider Church when you entered the full-time ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. lt was our desire and yours, at that time, that this be a life calling.

But a tragic tension has come between you and your Church. and for this we are saddened. Before proceeding further, though, we do affirm you for your open interaction with both the theological and administrative leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church over a long period of time now. The spirit in which you have participated has been contributory to maintaining a positive relationship. Nevertheless the outcome has been such that you have not taken counsel from the brethren but rather chosen to hold onto some very significant theological positions that are at variance with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And further, you have declared that you will actively share these variant beliefs.

You yourself acknowledge that your views are opposed to the fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which include the doctrine of the Trinity, the co-eternal divinity of Jesus and the distinct personhood of the Holy Spirit. Much counsel has been passed on to you from senior leaders in the Church, including the Biblical Research Committee, Dr Paul Petersen and Dr Neil Watts, but without effect. lt is your assertion that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has gone into apostasy and no longer holds present truth. By maintaining your position and advocating the teaching of variant doctrines, you have made void your ordination as a minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Thus I must advise you that, with deep regret, the Board of Directors of the Australian Union Conference, in harmony with South Pacific Division Policy EMP.10.05 section 4.b. (relevant sections of this policy are attached) and the recommendation of the South Queensland Conference, have approved the recording of the annulment of your ordination.

While your choices have necessitated such a very sad outcome, I am sure you know that Church leadership longs for a time when you might choose to again believe as does the Seventh-day Adventist Church in those areas where you are currently in opposition.

You remain in our prayers.

Yours sincerely

________________

General Secretary

Encl: Copy of Policy EMP.10.05 sections 1-7

EMP 10.05 4b

Dissidence

Where an employee openly expresses significant dissidence regarding the fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Continued and unrepentant dissidence may eventually be seen by the church to be apostasy and identified as such by the employee's administrative organisation after counselling with the next higher organisation.