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ADVENTIST FAITH AND SCIENCE CONFERENCES

Theologians, scientists, and church administrators gathered for the International Faith and Science Conferences (2002–2004) to review the contributions and limitations that both faith and science bring to the Seventh-day Adventist Church's position on origins.
Seventh-day Adventist International Faith and Science Conferences

The meetings were authorized by the the General Conference Executive Committee to address the growing influence of the theory of evolution on modern society. Scholarly papers by theologians, scientists, and educators were presented to review the Adventist position on origins and discuss challenges to the position. Beyond addressing philosophical, scientific, and theological questions, the conferences addressed the need to connect the church's teaching on origins to everyday life so it remains part of a living faith that provides practical guidance for church members. 

The conferences resulted in an affirmation of the doctrine of creation in Scripture as understood by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Affirmation of Creation (Excerpt)

As a result of the two international conferences and the seven division conferences, the Organizing Committee reports the following affirmations:

  1. We affirm the primacy of Scripture in the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of origins.
  2. We affirm the historic Seventh-day Adventist understanding of Genesis 1 that life on earth was created in six literal days and is of recent origin.
  3. We affirm the biblical account of the Fall resulting in death and evil.
  4. We affirm the biblical account of a catastrophic Flood, an act of God’s judgment that affected the whole planet, as an important key to understanding earth history.
  5. We affirm that our limited understanding of origins calls for humility and that further exploration into these questions brings us closer to deep and wonderful mysteries.
  6. We affirm the interlocking nature of the doctrine of creation with other Seventh-day Adventist doctrines.
  7. We affirm that in spite of its fallenness nature is a witness to the Creator.
  8. We affirm Seventh-day Adventist scientists in their endeavors to understand the Creator’s handiwork through the methodologies of their disciplines.
  9. We affirm Seventh-day Adventist theologians in their efforts to explore and articulate the content of revelation.
  10. We affirm Seventh-day Adventist educators in their pivotal ministry to the children and youth of the church.
  11. We affirm that the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church identified in Revelation 14:6, 7 includes a call to worship God as Creator of all.

Full Report of the Faith and Science Organizing Committee 

General Conference Executive Committee Acceptance of Report

On October 13, 2004, the General Conference Executive Committee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church accepted and voted the following response to the International Faith & Science Conference report:

Whereas belief in a literal, six-day creation is indissolubly linked with the authority of Scripture, and;

Whereas such belief interlocks with other doctrines of Scripture, including the Sabbath and the Atonement, and;

Whereas Seventh-day Adventists understand our mission, as specified in Revelation 14:6, 7, to include a call to the world to worship God as Creator,

We, the members of the General Conference Executive Committee at the 2004 Annual Council, state the following as our response to the document, An Affirmation of Creation, submitted by the International Faith & Science Conferences:

  1. We strongly endorse the document’s affirmation of our historic, biblical position of belief in a literal, recent, six-day Creation.
  2. We urge that the document, accompanied by this response, be disseminated widely throughout the world Seventh-day Adventist Church, using all available communication channels and in the major languages of world membership.
  3. We reaffirm the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the historicity of Genesis 1-11: that the seven days of the Creation account were literal 24-hour days forming a week identical in time to what we now experience as a week; and that the Flood was global in nature.
  4. We call on all boards and educators at Seventh-day Adventist institutions at all levels to continue upholding and advocating the church’s position on origins. We, along with Seventh-day Adventist parents, expect students to receive a thorough, balanced, and scientifically rigorous exposure to and affirmation of our historic belief in a literal, recent six-day creation, even as they are educated to understand and assess competing philosophies of origins that dominate scientific discussion in the contemporary world.
  5. We urge church leaders throughout the world to seek ways to educate members, especially young people attending non-Seventh-day Adventist schools, in the issues involved in the doctrine of creation.
  6. We call on all members of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist family to proclaim and teach the church’s understanding of the biblical doctrine of Creation, living in its light, rejoicing in our status as sons and daughters of God, and praising our Lord Jesus Christ—our Creator and Redeemer.