Seminary Releases Statement on Church Headship

Result of an August 21 faculty vote

by Becky St. Clair

On Thursday, August 21, the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary voted and released a major statement on headship in the church. This document is based on careful study of the scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy. It represents a consensus of the Seminary faculty who created this document as a service to the worldwide church.

“I am excited to offer to the church this biblical-theological study that uplifts the unique headship of Christ in the church,” says Jiří Moskala, dean of the Seminary. “It is my hope that it will significantly contribute to the current debates on leadership.”

The statement’s preamble says, “While there exists legitimate leadership in the church, no other human being may rightfully claim a headship role in the church. As head of the church, Christ provides the ultimate manifestation of God’s love, demonstrating and vindicating God’s moral government of love, and thus defeating the counterfeit government of the usurping ‘ruler of this world.’”

The seven-page document includes detailed discourse on God’s moral government of love, the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan, the unique and non-transferable headship of Christ, and a section on affirmations and denials compiled by the faculty of the Seminary.

“I am grateful for the faculty that is dedicated and committed to the church and its mission,” says Moskala, “as they worked diligently and prayerfully to produce this statement. I pray that this document will prove to be a unifying influence in the church.”

To read the full statement, visit andrews.edu/sem.