Adventisten Heute’s September issue was a special edition on LGBTQ+ and the Church. It was aimed at promoting an open dialogue between church members and leaders in Germany. It has generated significant tension, as the content seems to question the official position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Conferences, unions, and the Division have received many letters from Church members expressing their disagreement with the content of the articles, and the illustrations. Of particular concern was the main article by Andreas Bochmann, that seems to allow for homosexual marriage based on the text of Genesis 2:24.
The EUD Administration is very concerned that the presidents of the two German Unions decided to publish this special edition of Adventisten Heute on LGBTQ+-related issues, particularly as it suggests a reinterpretation of key biblical passages according to a hermeneutical framework based on presuppositions external to the Bible. We are not surprised by the reactions of many church leaders, organizational entities, and church members. We are deeply concerned that if not handled correctly, such an approach may have the opposite effect from what was intended and polarize church members instead of creating an environment for an open, constructive, and calm discussion.
We recognize that some members, together with their families, and friends, who attend our churches struggle with LGBTQ+-related issues. They need our loving care and support. We believe that we should be a caring community, open to helping and encouraging all those who are suffering from any kind of discrimination, rejection, or abuse.
At the same time, we affirm that God knows what is best for humanity. We cannot ignore His advice, instructions, and commands. We believe that it is impossible to harmonize homosexual practice with the foundational Bible texts on the institution of marriage and family, such as Genesis 1:27,28; 2:18,22-24 and Jesus’ and Paul’s reiterations in Matthew 19:5-12 and Ephesians 5:31, the teaching of the Bible on same-sex relationships in Leviticus 18, Romans 1, and 1 Corinthians 6. This is also reflected in the Church’s fundamental belief 23 on Marriage and the Family. Marriage as instituted by God in Eden and portrayed throughout the Bible is always between a man and a woman.
Human beings were created in the image of God. Due to the entrance of sin (Gen 3), God’s image was seriously damaged and distorted, yet not completely lost. Through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the study of the Holy Scripture human beings are led to understand the difference between good and evil (John 14, 15, 16) and the desire of God to save humankind from the effects of sin, expressed in sending His Son to die for us so that all might be saved and have eternal life (John 3:16).
God’s deepest desire is to restore His entire creation to the state of perfection that characterized it before the fall. However, we understand that complete restoration cannot happen as long as we are in a sinful and sin-degraded world. Yet, we can continually grow in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
God calls the Church to be His hands for all regardless of their ethnicity, social, economic, and familial background. All human beings are sinners in need of Christ and His grace. There is no spiritual brokenness, that cannot be healed or carried through His power.
Our mission is to invite every person to become a child of God, to grow in an ever-closer relationship with Him, and, as a consequence, to be transformed “from glory to glory” reflecting His image and love in a more distinct way.
The officers of the EUD and the Administrative Committee want to assure all members and leaders of the Church within our territory that we stand for our fundamental beliefs. The EUD officers will maintain close contact and dialogue with the officers of the two German Unions to work together with them to consistently uphold the teachings and principles of God’s Word in their territories.
