On April 6, 2020 Victor Marley, President of the Norwegian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, joined Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Evangelicals to wish a “Happy Easter” to all the churches and people of Norway. Twenty-four leaders from different denominations signed a “common Easter greeting” that was prepared by the Norwegian Christian Council, an organization that is part of the World Council of Churches.
The statement basically said that Easter is “the most important celebration” of the year and that, despite the coronavirus crisis, all churches would celebrate “the resurrection of Easter morning” through online video streaming. The signed document also contained a pledge made by the churches to “be united in solidarity” because, according to the statement, “we need each other.” This news item was published by the Norwegian Christian Council and by the local media. [1] [2]
The signers of the document were:
- Atle Sommerfeldt, President and Bishop of the Norwegian Church
- Øyvind Haraldseid, Secretary General of the Mission Church Norway
- Jarle Skullerud, Synod Chairman of the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church
- Ingull Grefslie, Vicar of the Methodist Church in Norway
- Bernt Eidsvig, Bishop of the Catholic Church
- Øystein Gjerme, leader of the Pentecostal movement in Norway
- Terje Aadne, Secretary General of the Norwegian Baptist Society
- Per Anders Sandgren, pastor of the Swedish Church in Norway
- William Cochrane, Commander of the Salvation Army
- Thomas Åleskjær, pastor of the OKS churches
- Abune Heryakos, priest of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Norway
- Svein Flaten, pastor of the Church of God Vegjaarhei
- Anssi Elenius, priest of the Finnish Church in Norway
- Roald Nikolai Flemestad, Bishop of the Nordic Catholic Church
- Alexandros Loukatos, priest of the Greek Orthodox Church in Norway
- Ingeborg Wørheide, head of the Anglican Church in Norway
- Dragan Jovanov, priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Norway
- Sebastian Wilhelm, pastor of the German-speaking Church in Norway
- Johannes Johansen, priest of the Orthodox Church in Norway – Holy Nikolai Church
- Victor Marley, President of the Norwegian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
- Kåre J. Smith, head of Brunstad Christian Church
- Inga Harðardóttir, parish priest of the Icelandic Church in Norway
- Berit Hagen Agøy, chairman of the Norwegian Christian Council
- Erhard Hermansen, Secretary General of the Christian Council of Norway
So here we have Victor Marley, President of the Norwegian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, signing a pledge of solidarity with the churches mentioned above. This is the same Victor Marley who refuses to show solidarity with fellow Seventh-day Adventists on women’s ordination. While President Victor Marley pledges unity and support to the different churches of the world, he is ashamed to pledge solidarity with faithful Seventh-day Adventist delegates who voted “no” on women’s ordination.
Victor Marley, President of the Norwegian Union Conference, at the 2019 Annual Council. He was given a public reprimand for his non-compliance on women’s ordination. Photo: Adventist News Network.
It is shameful that some would rather seek common ground with Rome than with fellow Seventh-day Adventists. It is disgraceful that a Union President in the Seventh-day Adventist Church feels more comfortable with liberal Protestant churches that ordain women than with conservative Seventh-day Adventists who don’t. While Victor Marley stands in solidarity with Babylon, will he also stand in solidarity with the world church and its 2015 General Conference Session vote on women’s ordination? Don’t count on it.
President Victor Marley is one of six union presidents who were recently given warnings for their non-compliance on women’s ordination. [3] He prefers to be in harmony with the world than to comply with God’s word. The hypocrisy is that while Victor Marley is supporting and encouraging a resistance and rebellion within Adventism, he is pushing for unity and reconciliation with Rome. While Victor Marley is trying to help change Adventism, he does little to bring about change in the liberal, feminist Protestant churches.
Ecumenical Easter Celebration
So now Seventh-day Adventists are pushing “Happy Easter.” Thanks to ecumenism some have also been celebrating the Holy Eucharist, [4] [5] Lenten Suppers [6] and the green eco-religious idolatry. [7] We are replacing our fundamental teachings with man-made theories and speculations. This is what happens when we sign these ecumenical “solidarity” documents. Interfaith solidarity and dialog have become the new mantra in this generation. These terms are being repeated over and over in order to break down church divisions, end hostilities and bring about the healing of the deadly wound (Revelation 13:3).
These interfaith solidarity documents can only be signed when Seventh-day Adventists downplay the three angels messages of Revelation 14:6-12. Unfortunately, ecumenical dialog has replaced true evangelism (Matthew 28:19, 20), the preaching of the final warning message (Matthew 24:14) and the need to emphasize repentance, baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Thanks to ecumenism, we are simply leaving people as they are. Multicultural worship prevents people from becoming part of the remnant church who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
There is no mandate in the Bible to cozy up to other religions or to blur the differences between them. Ancient Israel foolishly tried to do this when they embraced pagan idols, immoral practices and false doctrines:
“And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves” Hosea 13:2.
The sad part is that not even the pagan nations surrounding Israel ever changed their beliefs; it was Israel who made all the concessions.
“For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar (Arabia), and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit” Jeremiah 2:10, 11.
If we continue on the path of ecumenical solidarity with Rome, we will certainly end up as ancient Israel did, if not worse. Instead of imitating the other churches, we should seek to change their hearts with God’s last-day message. We must seek the salvation of lost sinners (Ephesians 2:1-3). All heaven rejoices when people repent. (Luke 15:10) But the ecumenical movement wants to save the environment. They want to transform political structures and attack social inequalities. They want to pass laws, redistribute wealth, create a one-world religious order and do anything that will eclipse the final warning message of Revelation 14:6-12.
“How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses (Babylon)” Jeremiah 5:7.
Sources
[1] https://norgeskristnerad.no/2020/04/06/hap-i-en-urolig-tid/
[2] https://idag.no/pasken-skal-feires/19.33059
[3] http://adventmessenger.org/the-face-of-rebellion-within-adventism/
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