After attending a presentation on the topic of the creation debate among Seventh-day Adventists (SDA’s), I realized there is a need for discussion and the provision of accurate information, regarding the purpose of the SDA Fundamental Belief Statement (FBS). It seems that many who come in contact with SDA’s church, including some of its members, relate the FBS with the adoption of a creed. This connection is incorrect and requires immediate attention.
Thus, one should be informed that the primary purpose of the FBS is to provide those outside the SDA church––such as government agencies and officials, other religious denominations, etc––with an understanding of the principles and doctrines by which the SDA church abides. For this reason, the preamble of Seventh-day Adventists FBS reads: “Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.”[1]
Once its primary purpose is established, I must ask to those questioning the importance of working on a revision of the wording for the FB #6––On Creation: Should the SDA church maintain a statement on Creation, or in any other fundamental belief for that matter, that doesn’t fully represent what the church as an institution believes? Shouldn’t the wording on the FB #6 be very specific, so whenever someone reads it have the exact understanding of the SDA position on the doctrine of Creation?
It appears that the Seventh-day Adventist FBS should have no room for interpretation, but be clear and specific in all the points it seeks to convey. Of course, there are other issues that must be tackled besides Creation; issues such as the bearing of arms by our young people in the armed forces, abortion, torture, and so forth. But the fact is... we must start somewhere; in that case, what better place to start if not by reaffirming the foundations of our faith––the Bible, as being historically reliable and thus containing the only “reliable chronicle of the Creation of the world?”[2]
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[1] General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Church Manual (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1981), 31. Emphasis Supplied.
[2] W. Duncan Eva, "Proposal for the 1980 Statement on Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists, 1980," p. 3, 4, W. Duncan Eva Material on Fundamental Beliefs 1980 - 1981, Silver Spring, MD.
