Adventist World Session 2000, Toronto Canada

“Seventh-day Adventists affirm the right of every child to a happy and stable home environment, and the freedom and support to grow up to be the person God intended,” says the latest in a series of official statements released by the Adventist Church during the 57th General Conference World Session.

Church leaders released the statement in a press conference early this morning. “Its not that the church is changing its position–it is simply articulating more clearly its commitment to promote the welfare of children everywhere,” said Bettina Krause, a church spokesperson.

Virginia Smith, children’s ministries director for the Adventist Church, stated that the objective of the statement is to “define a growing awareness that we cannot allow these things [sexual abuse] to happen.” She explained that the church is trying to create a strong stand about the welfare of children at the top level that will filter down to local levels.

According to the statement, the Adventist church will continue to fight poverty, illiteracy, poor health care, exploitation, vulnerability, and violence as they affect the lives of children. Rights of children expressed in the statement include: the right to a loving and stable home where there is safety and freedom from abuse; the right to proper health/medical care; and the right to freedom from discrimination and exploitation.

Smith said that a growing number of local Adventist churches are running daycare programs. She is concerned that these facilities adhere to guidelines that protect children, such as background police checks to ensure that only responsible adults work with children.

In response to a question about the incidence of corporal punishment in Adventist homes and schools, Smith said that the church is hoping to educate adults on acceptable ways to discipline children and teach them “good parenting skills.”

The church plans to make various resources available to pastors at workers’ meetings. “We have articles in church papers that deal with parenting,” Smith added.

The goal of the church, Smith said, is to “build up the family life and the amount of positive interaction children have with parents.”

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Statement on Well-being and Value of Children

Seventh-day Adventists affirm the right of every child to a happy and stable home environment, and the freedom and support to grow up to be the person God intended. In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the fundamental importance of children by voting the “Convention on the Rights of the Child.” In harmony with many of these lofty principles, and considering the value Jesus placed on children when He said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14, NIV), we seek to aid children who suffer from the following destructive influences:

Poverty–Poverty impacts children’s development, robbing them of necessary food, clothing, and shelter, and adversely affecting their health and education.

Illiteracy–Illiteracy makes it difficult for the parents to earn wages or care for their family or for the child to reach his or her potential.

Poor health care–Millions of children have no access to health care because they lack the

proper insurance coverage or they live where medical care is unavailable.

Exploitation and vulnerability–Children are corrupted and exploited when they are used for cheap labor, sweat shops, armed conflict, and the perverted sexual pleasure of adult predators, and are exposed to sexually explicit materials in the mass media and on the Internet.

Violence–Every year many children die violent deaths. The vast majority of individuals who suffer in armed conflicts are women and children. Children bear deep physical and psychological scars, even after the fighting stops.

In response to the above issues and needs, Seventh-day Adventists stand for the following rights of children:

1. The right to a loving and stable home where there is safety and freedom from abuse.
2. The right to adequate food, clothing, and shelter.
3. The right to proper health/medical care.
4. The right to an education that prepares children for a positive role in society by developing their personal potential and giving them earning capacity.
5. The right to a religious and moral education in the home and church.
6. The right to freedom from discrimination and exploitation.
7. The right to personhood, respect, and the development of positive self-esteem.
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This statement was voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM), for release at the time of the General Conference Session in Toronto, Canada, June 29-July 9, 2000.

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