News

Megan Galusha
Public relations editorial intern

Seventh-day Adventist ministers in Australia believe environmental stewardship is biblical and affirm their commitment to it but say the church is not showing enough leadership.

Avondale College lecturers Brad Watson and Dr Murray House, with former lecturer Dr Graham Stacey, surveyed 278 ministers attending a summit organised by the church in Australia and held at Avondale in February this year. The results show almost all the ministers (93 per cent) believe in a six-day creation as described in the Bible. The ministers agree the Bible: forecasts widespread environmental destruction at the end time (94 per cent); but requires humans to protect what God created (90 per cent). Most think Jesus Himself would be interested in modern environmental issues and believe the Judeo-Christian tradition requires humans to care for the environment.

Eighty-four per cent think the environment is in bad shape, but 73 per cent believe the congregations they lead could do a lot more to help the environment. They said their congregations had not taken action to reduce impact on the environment, even though about the same number of ministers agreed environmental stewardship should be an important part of the Adventist Church's message.

Brad, a lecturer in development studies and geography, says he is pleased that although most congregations have room for increased commitment to the environment, 85 per cent of their ministers agree with the statement, "I am personally committed to environmental stewardship." However, more than a third of the ministers reported not feeling prepared enough to promote creation or environmental stewardship to their congregations.

The results of the survey show Adventists are interested in environmental issues but do little to advocate for creation, says Murray, a senior lecturer in theology. "There seems to be a vast disconnect between the beliefs and actions."

Brad says the willing participation and the answers of almost all the ministers at the summit impressed him. "There is a growing awareness within the Adventist Church that we can and should have something to say about the decline of God's creation. Young adults in particular resonate with the need to defend creation rather than wait passively for the end of the world. It is a challenge to be relevant and engaged with contemporary society and its problems."