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Excellent article!!

To me the issue is that the GC voted on it 3 times in 3 sessions and it was no. If the Union can do what ever it wants, what was the point of voting on it? And this is clearly a "what ever they wanted". The Union statement is so broad it could cover LGBT, even Trans people. There were no boundaries. It appears to me, that some people don't understand the limits of the Union. Maybe that is how they justify the disobedience. Thank you for your insight Gregory.

What is SSPX?

The General Conference appears to have something similar to SSPX going on - only in this case it's the liberal branch of the SDA Church that is seeking to normalize its agenda.

Stendahl was definitely an interesting man who could argue theology. Many in the Lutheran Church are still trying to sort out how he was able to argue that there were no theological or pastoral reasons standing in the way of practicing homosexuals (either in or outside of committed relationships) being ordained as clergy as the ordinations stood before God in faith be they married heterosexual couples or single practicing homosexuals that churned through same-sex partners. Back in the day this was a big deal and picked up by secular media. Here is one account of Dr. Stendahl's really putting his back into ordination for LGBT folks. Reading that article from the early 90's it's amazing to see how things worked themselves out. It's also amazing to see how the seeds of one particular theological slant can germinate and grow in fertile soil. Church Defied as Three Gays Are Ordained - Los Angeles Times

Gentlekpeopole, You can rant and rave all that you want to. Butl, You do nto ulnderstand that actual issue. Ordilnaltion of women in the North American Division is due to thae fact that in the NAD, lthe legal aulthority to ordain any person rests, it is clailmed, withl the Union Conference and not wiltlh any other SDA organization, including the General Conference.

Stendahl described the introspective conscience as one which asks, "On what basis may I find salvation?" He believed that this inquiry was not present in the Eastern churches. It started in the West with Augustine, according to Stendahl. Luther had an introspective conscience. Paul did not. He possessed a "robust conscience." He had lived with a clear conscience toward God all his life. He did regret persecuting the church of God, prior to his "call." While Luther's conversion approximated that of a down and out sinner, Paul's call was like unto that of an OT prophet. Stendahl described the introspective conscience as unique to the West; however, the 7 penitential Psalms, defined by medieval monk Cassiodorus as Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 130, and 143, describe the sufferings of man troubled by an introspective conscience. Psalm 25 might be included in this number, although it is traditionally not. Thomas Schreiner takes serious issue with Stendahl on a number of points: Thomas Schreiner’s Critique of N.T. Wright’s View of Justification – Debating Justification with N.T. Wright and NPP. Part 7 – Krisis & Praxis Dr. Stendahl disagrees with Luther in several areas. Both agreed, however, that Genesis 15:6 is central to the gospel. Stendahl saw in Genesis 15:6 proof that both Jews and Gentiles could comprise a single church comprised of those justified by faith. Luther saw in the same passage the foundation of his justification gospel: “Hence our doctrine that we are justified before God solely through His accounting mercy has its foundation in this passage ”：“Abraham believed in the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness."

Is this the same "Krister" Stendahl who championed the idea of soul sleep & LGBT clergy ordination?

What is so puzzling to me, is that the GC has tolerated this in NAD. In the other 11 divisions this would have been dealt with swiftly.

In this episode, John made reference to himself as a type of Elijah. Elijah passed his ministry on to Elisha by tossing him his mantle. John the Baptist passed his ministry to Jesus by baptizing him. Jesus later passed His ministry onto the Apostles at Pentecost. Both Elijah and Elisha raised the dead. Elisha even raised a dead man posthumously. When the dead man's body touched Elisha's bones he came to life. Jesus raised the dead as did both Peter and Paul. The ministry of Elijah and Elisha were were a type. It foreshadowed the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostles. This provides evidence for us to accept both the New Testament and the Old Testament as the inspired Word of God. Types and antitypes tie the two cannons of the Bible together.

Roll out the gay pride welcome mat. That's coming next. The denomination has done little if anything to rein in the rebellion of these conferences. In a recent obituary Pastor Rudy Torres has been lionized as a pioneer for female and homosexual inclusion. No coincidence. Women's ordination is more or less a done deal. Homosexuals are next. Gays hope to hijack the Pathfinders for homosexual advocacy. In the 1990s young men in their early 20s had AIDS. They were infected when they were ~10-12 years old, almost certainly through sodomy. Ellie Nesler murdered the man accused of molesting her son at a church camp. That's the future of Adventism. The church may not be Babylon. It can become worse than that, if there is such a thing.

In clear defiance against GC policy, Oregon has approved to ordain 6 women. This is not a question whether you approve of women's ordination or not. This is an issue of rebellion. There are people in the church who believe we need to push the church into the 21st century.

Powerful Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico’s coast as Nolo takes aim at Hawaii MEXICO CITY (AP) — Residents along Mexico’s west coast stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes, while Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui braced for potentially catastrophic flooding, as separate hurricanes swirled in the Pacific on Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-polo-mexico-nolo-hawaii-a036e08f59c3f3842aaba2ee69bd9d37?

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland almost broke NATO. The winner of it all may be ... Greenland The new defense agreement signed on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday puts an end to the standoff between the United States and one of America’s oldest and closest partners. It also marks a major step forward in Greenland’s push for greater autonomy and a more influential seat at the table. Read more. Why this matters: While the new defense agreement is a bit broader, the United States already had extensive military access under an existing 1951 deal and all the gains laid out in the agreement, ostensibly, have been achieved by asking nicely a year ago. The trans-Atlantic distrust created since the end of 2024 seems a very high price to pay for what may ultimately be a fairly incremental gain. “I cannot stress it enough: This is the first time that we are venturing into a binding agreement as a country,” Naaja Nathanielsen, one of Greenland’s two lawmakers in the Danish parliament and a former government minister in Nuuk, told The Associated Press. “That is a huge step forward in our quest for more self-autonomy.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words Syrian leader lashes out at Israel in UN speech, says Golan is inseparable part of Syria Tech leaders to UN: For the sake of humanity, please control the AI technology we created Zelenskyy, at UN, urges leaders to keep choking Russia’s revenues and impede its war efforts Venezuela’s acting leader, at UN for first address, promises elections at the ‘right moment’

Trump is giving China’s Xi a warm welcome. But criticism is loud on Capitol Hill In speeches, letters, press conferences and hearings, lawmakers from both parties aired criticism of the visit and denounced China's actions on the world stage. Read more. Why this matters: Lawmakers have long found little downside to taking a hawkish tone on China, but the U.S. war with Iran has inflamed tensions. U.S. officials accuse China of propping up Iran's economy and supplying its military with components and intelligence, endangering U.S. service members in the Middle East. Sen. Mitch McConnell and three other Republican senators used Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to press the Trump administration to move ahead with aid and arms sales to Taiwan. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and three other Democratic senators held a press conference to warn against the U.S. weakening export controls for advanced semiconductor chips and equipment. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pentagon investigates after China obtains parts from F-35 stealth fighter jet Trump welcomes Xi with planeside ceremony and extension of trade truce Trump and Xi Jinping head into Washington summit with both leaders thinking time is on their side Photos of the three-day state visit

FACT FOCUS: No, Biden did not revoke the White House press passes of more than 400 journalists President Donald Trump’s decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from the White House grounds is leading to claims that then-President Joe Biden revoked White House access to hundreds of journalists in 2023. But the claims online misrepresent the effect that a stricter White House Press Office policy had on the number of journalists holding long-term passes to the complex. https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-white-house-press-ban-776a6619b5a1363c164522495ed638d0?

Judge blocks Trump’s ban and says CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have White House access restored U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly early Thursday ordered the White House to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the three outlets’ access. It's the latest development in an escalating showdown between President Donald Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Read more. What to know: Trump announced Friday he was banning the outlets, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued the ban was a blatant First Amendment violation because it singled them out for the content of their coverage. In a filing Tuesday, administration lawyers detailed a list of “reporting incidents including those that have threatened national security and spread falsehoods.” These included: CNN reporting on “‘top-secret’ construction details related to the East Wing bunker”; MS NOW reporting “on an alleged leak investigation”; and Politico publishing “a document detailing funding for the White House ballroom containing intricate descriptions of how the Secret Service would invest in security improvements.” Kelly said the outlets had met the legal thresholds to obtain a temporary restraining order, in effect for 14 days, and were likely to succeed in showing that their press passes were revoked without due process. The White House did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.  RELATED COVERAGE ➤ FACT FOCUS: No, Biden did not revoke the White House press passes of more than 400 journalists Trump says his ballroom will house a drone port. The Secret Service already has one next door Iowa judge dismisses Trump’s lawsuit against Des Moines Register and pollster State error in Texas creates huge backlog in voter registration applications as midterm voting nears US citizen injured in Illinois after ICE agents mistook him for fugitive and tried to arrest him Federal cuts have deeply impacted residents of the Washington, DC area, a new survey shows Billionaire’s political contributions make the Epstein files a focus of Ohio’s US Senate race Skyrocketing diesel prices rattle Republicans as midterms approach Talarico works to reach Black voters in his bid to win a US Senate seat as a Democrat in Texas Newsom talks climate with world leaders in New York, accuses Trump of abdicating that responsibility Republicans say Democrats are extremists. These Democrats want to convince voters that’s not true Maine Dems hammer Collins over report of pay-to-play probe. GOP senator calls it ‘completely false’ US diplomats told to say ‘super intelligence’ — not ‘artificial intelligence’ — after Trump’s call

3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban NEW YORK (AP) — Three news organizations banned from the White House for days were back Thursday after a judge handed CNN, MS NOW and Politico a reprieve in an extraordinary showdown between President Donald Trump and outlets whose coverage he dislikes. https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-ban-judge-ruling-cnn-msnow-politico-21605e397fe48f178a4afa037e732c6d? Trump administration turns to Supreme Court as third-country deportations are thrown into question WASHINGTON (AP) — A ruling to halt deportations of people to countries other than their own threw a core immigration policy of the Trump administration into question, at least temporarily, and prompted a desperate appeal to the Supreme Court on Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-deportations-third-country-immigrations-trump-b08e3bdbc3b95c4cb40b7319b0a89cfb?

September 24, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. A judge in Washington ordered that the White House “immediately” restore access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico. And an OpenAI agent hacked Australia’s public health care system. We’ll get to more news below. But first, let’s visit the United Nations. Inside the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations. Dave Sanders for The New York Times The big show The most riveting theatrical performances in New York aren’t on Broadway right now. They’re happening in Turtle Bay, in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, where hundreds of leaders of sovereign nations have gathered this week to debate (and maybe even address?) global issues. It’s been super weird. Just seven months ago, Masoud Pezeshkian was running Iran from an underground bunker, trying to stay alive as American and Israeli missiles rained down. Now he’s moving around New York under the protection of the Secret Service. Yesterday, he accused the United States and Israel of “cowardly" attacks on his country, a day after President Trump mulled from the same lectern about whether to make a deal with Iran or “annihilate” the nation. It was the first time in the U.N.’s 81-year history that a leader whose country is at war with the United States had ever addressed the Assembly. Here was President Javier Milei of Argentina whaling on the U.N. itself, a bunch of “fatally arrogant parasites masquerading as well-intentioned bureaucrats.” Nice to see you, sir. There was U Kyaw Moe Tun of Myanmar, the lonely representative of a government overthrown by a military putsch in 2021. The U.N. still recognizes his ambassadorship, but his own country doesn’t. He didn’t speak. Dramatis personae Volodymyr Zelensky Dave Sanders for The New York Times Let’s look at some of the main players in the show. President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran: Pezeshkian held up pictures of people killed by American and Israeli airstrikes and defiantly vowed that Iran could “not be made to surrender.” He said the country would never accept limits on a nuclear program meant only for peaceful purposes, though he allowed that Iran was “ready for dialogue.” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine: He’s in a tough spot. His country is low on munitions that can intercept Russian drones and missiles, and so is the United States. He warned the General Assembly that without aid, his country might not survive — and that Russia’s “ridiculous and never-ending” war could spread beyond Ukraine. He predicted a harsh winter but pledged, “We will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia, too.” Delcy Rodríguez, interim president of Venezuela: She’s in a tough spot, too. Eight months ago, U.S. Special Forces showed up in Caracas to snatch her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, and lock him up in a Brooklyn jail. Then, the United States claimed a significant portion of Venezuela’s oil reserves. She spoke last night from the cultural capital of the nation that essentially appointed her, vowing to oversee elections and an “orderly legal transition” after years of authoritarian rule by her party. Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada: Over the past year, Carney has emerged as the most prominent global leader to take on Trump. At a news conference at the U.N., he spoke about how nations can protect their mutual interests after a “rupture” in the world order caused by the United States and China. And in a discussion with The Times, he described in close detail how he is systematically reducing Canada’s reliance on the United States. Offstage A number of leaders are absent from the General Assembly. One is Xi Jinping of China, who arrived in Washington last night to see Trump. Their meeting today is expected to overshadow any speeches at the Assembly. On the anticipated docket: tariffs, the sale of weapons to Taiwan and, most of all, artificial intelligence. The race to develop the tech has become a kind of arms race between the two countries. (Some of America’s biggest A.I. magnates, including executives from OpenAI, Google and Nvidia, are expected to be at the state dinner honoring Xi at the White House this evening.) The meeting’s unlikely to be too chilly. We’re a long way from the harsh anti-China rhetoric Trump was using a decade ago, during his first run for the presidency. Trump describes Xi as more of a friend than a competitor. The friendlier stance, my colleague Anton Troianovski reports, reflects a real change in public opinion: No matter their political views, more Americans now see China in a positive light, according to a new Pew Research Center poll: Source: Pew Research Center. Arfa Momin/The New York Times And a Gallup poll earlier this year found that the share of Americans with a favorable view of China was 34 percent, up from 15 percent in 2023. That feeling is more pronounced among younger Americans. Why? The surveys don’t pinpoint a reason, but experts told Anton that fading memories of the Covid pandemic, knowledge of China’s innovations in tech and dissatisfaction with Trump’s trade wars could all be contributing to the altered mood. It also may have something to do with how the United States views itself. Another poll this week recorded a sense of decline in the United States’ global standing: Sixty-two percent of Americans said the country was respected less in the world today than it was 10 years ago. “You see fears of what’s happening to America be refracted through assessments of China,” one scholar told Anton. FREE TO READ In Panama. Federico Rios for The New York Times Opening up: An Indigenous group in northern Panama has mostly avoided outsiders for 500 years. Now many members are backing a major road through their territory. Why? Times exclusive: Democrats hope that Mary Peltola can flip a Senate seat in Alaska, but former aides describe a campaign and congressional office marked by abusive treatment and unusual demands, like feeding her pet chameleon live crickets. Waiting: This New York surgeon changed the world of organ transplants. Then he needed one of his own. Child’s play: A 6-year-old girl in China set a Rubik’s Cube world record. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about luxurious private train cars. THE LATEST NEWS Midterm Elections At a food pantry in Chicago. Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times Tax breaks in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill were supposed to help voters’ economic struggles. But the act’s health care and food stamp cuts are having the opposite effect. 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In the video below, our Ukraine correspondent Siobhán O’Grady describes what it’s like. Click to watch. The New York Times Other Big Stories Hackers said they had stolen thousands of sensitive personnel records from the F.B.I. Government bond yields rose sharply, putting pressure on the Fed to raise interest rates again. Eight sailors who were part of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln strike group attempted suicide during its long deployment, according to the Navy. THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.) “We can’t live like this,” a woman in Richardson, Texas, told The Times. What recent development has infuriated homeowners there? Deliveries from 83-pound Amazon drones that buzz overhead. SpaceX launches, which are rising in frequency. Thrice-a-day door knockers from rival Senate campaigns. Utility bills that doubled thanks to a water- and power-guzzling data center. OPINIONS Texas has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since the 1990s. Times Opinion spoke to 12 Trump voters to see if senatorial hopeful James Talarico could end the Democrats’ drought. A.I. executives should answer questions before Congress about how to prevent research experiments from running amok, a computer science professor argues. The Anniversary Sale ends soon: Morning readers, enjoy our best offer. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your interests with expert coverage of news, culture, business and more. Save now: $1/week for your first year. TODAY’S NUMBER 149.99 — That is the cost, in rubles, of a kilo of bananas at a Russian supermarket this month. In August 2022, it was 79.90. Prices for many grocery items have risen sharply in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. From January 2022 to July 2026, the average price of beef went up 76 percent. The cost of fresh coffee rose 81 percent. See the receipts. 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Its silky, vegetal freshness is a delight against the heat of the chile crisp in the sauce. Noods! NEVER GROW UP Timothy O’Connell/The New York Times Weird Al Yankovic has been charming (heavily male) crowds with parodic pop songs for nearly half a century. As dudes who grew up listening to “Eat It,” “Amish Paradise” and “Smells Like Nirvana” find themselves with sons of their own, Weird Al concerts have become something of a bonding ritual for the boys. “The juvenile comedy in there, it lasts,” one fan dad told The Times at a recent concert on Long Island. “Al doesn’t age.” More on culture Nigella Lawson made her debut as the new host of “The Great British Bake Off.” “I’m in heaven,” she said on the show. The British press feels similarly. Anne Rice’s “Interview With the Vampire” turns 50 this year. To mark the occasion, her son, the novelist Christopher Rice, looks at the dark and moving story behind the story. Read his essay. 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THIS DAY IN HISTORY September 24 1789 The first Supreme Court is established The Judiciary Act of 1789 is passed by Congress and signed by President George Washington, establishing the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court initially had six justices. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT Arts & Entertainment 1968 First episode of “60 Minutes” airs Black History 2016 The National Museum of African American History and Culture opens Crime 1971 A game warden is reported missing Early 20th Century U.S. 1902 Fannie Farmer opens cooking school Inventions & Science 1948 Honda Motor Company is incorporated Sports 1988 Ben Johnson wins gold, temporarily U.S. Presidents 1964 Warren Commission report delivered to President Johnson Vietnam War 1969 Chicago 8 trial opens in Chicago World War II 1948 Mildred Gillars—aka “Axis Sally”—pleads not guilty to treason 1944 Allies begin retreat after massive losses in Operation Market Garden 1941 Japanese officials in Hawaii ordered to gather preliminary data on Pearl Harbor

Kirsten Stendahl, a one-time dean of Harvard Divinity School wrote a couple of articles in the very early 60s.They have been preserved in "Paul Among Jews and Gentiles." Later writers such as James Dunn, N.T. Wright, and E.P. Sanders followed, more or less, in his footsteps. Stendahl laid the egg that others hatched. His main point is that Protestantism has made a serious error in interpreting theology in the same vein as Luther. Luther and Paul had very different "conversion" experiences. As a result, Luther's understanding of Paul is seriously flawed. Due to Luther's outsized influence on Protestantism, the church traveled a wrong path, even to this day. One example of this wrong path is Luther's understanding of the roll of law in the Christian life. Luther held that the roll of the law is to bring guilt down upon people. This guilt drives them to Christ for salvation. This is known as the 2nd use of the law in Reformation theology. Stendahl disagrees with this view based on his understanding of Galatians 3:24,25, RSV: "So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian;" Note that in this translation, decidedly different from the KJV, the roll of the law ended when Christ came. The law served only until the first advent. The KJV says that the law brings us to Christ. Many people understand this to mean that the law continues to work in bringing people to Christ. The RSV indicates that the function of the law ended when Christ came. It doesn't matter in one sense. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would convince people of sin.