Adventist Voices by Spectrum: The Journal of the Adventist Forum

In Episode 1 we introduce a number of key themes in the book, beginning with the ways in which ethnicity and culture shape religious identity and how tribal gods may resurface even after we have chosen a new identity in Christ. Shandelle Henson is an emeritus professor of mathematics and retired professor of ecology at Andrews University, and currently a co-mentor of Education for Ministry through the School of Theology at Sewanee, University of the South. Julius J. Nam is an attorney and an Adventist historian based in Loma Linda, California. Sigve Tonstad is a physician, specialist in internal medicine, New Testament scholar with a PhD from the University of St. Andrews, author of several books, and research professor of biblical interpretation at Loma Linda University.

Welcome to Adventist News & Views, your source for the latest information and insights shaping the Adventist conversation. Hosted by Jacklyn Frias. Here are the highlights of this week: The 2025 Annual Council concludes with global leaders renewing calls for integration, mission focus, and spiritual courage. At Southern Adventist University, students react to the unexpected end of a $3 million DHSI grant, after the U.S. Department of Education discontinued race-based funding for Minority-Serving Institutions. In Part 1 of her reflection series, Ezrica Bennett dives into the spiritual and emotional challenge of loving across political divides. Iceland Adventists issue a rare statement calling for peace, prayer, and humanitarian support amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza. A new book review connects Defy to Adventist values, urging moral courage and the power of principled refusal. This week’s Sabbath School lesson reflects on God’s guidance through the Jordan crossing—reminding us to trust divine leadership in times of uncertainty.

I interviewed Stephen N. Allred, director of government relations for the Church State Council, the religious liberty office of the Pacific Union Conference. Allred is a licensed attorney and ordained minister we discuss the upcoming webinar, Advocacy at the Margins: Observing & Defending in Immigration Court. We also discuss why the Pacific Union includes social justice as part of its religious liberty mission and how the Sabbath commandments and Jesus’s statements about heaven predicate obedience and righteousness with care for social outsiders. Steve served as a pastor in the Northern California Conference for over 14 years, including his time at seminary, and then practiced law for nearly a decade. He has written for several periodicals and is the author of the book Do Justice: The Case for Biblical Social Justice. Steve received a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in 2005 and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2012. This online info session is open to anyone. The goal is to equip participants to attend immigration court as observers, understand courtroom dynamics, and foster a consistent, supportive presence. Attorneys who register can receive CLE credit on how to represent respondents at their initial appearances to ensure cases are not prematurely/summarily dismissed due to lack of representation or procedural missteps. Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Drawing from our SPECTRUM’s presence at the 2025 General Conference Session, Editor-in-Chief Alexander Carpenter and Correspondent Samuel Girven discuss our in-person impressions of new General Conference President Erton Köhler, the fundamentalist focus on vaccination and jewelry, and how the communication landscape of the denomination might transform the meaning of the local church. Yes, change happened in St. Louis, but toward what end?

Dr. Mary Beth Werdel is the director of the Mental Health Counseling and Spiritual Integration and Pastoral Care programs at Fordham University. During this conversation, she shares about the powerful intersections of spirituality, trauma, and healing. Drawing from her background in mental health counseling and her doctoral research on post-traumatic growth, she explores how spiritual and psychological experiences are deeply intertwined in the human journey. Unpacking the concept of post-traumatic growth, the dangers of spiritual bypassing, and the unique challenges trauma presents in caregiving settings. Dr. Werdel highlights the transformative potential that can emerge from suffering, when met with presence, compassion, and informed care. Check out her latest book on post-traumatic growth.

Dr. Stéphane Beaulieu is the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Burman University. In this conversation he shares his remarkable journey from working as a truck driver and high school dropout in Québec to achieving his doctoral degree. He recounts how his conversion to Adventism in his late teens sparked a passion for learning, leading him to pursue pastoral ministry. Now leading the only Adventist religious studies department in Canada, Stéphane discusses the unique vision of Canadian Adventist education, emphasizing contextual ministry, mentorship, and practical experience. He addresses the complexities of training pastors in a secular accreditation environment, the integration of theory and practice, and the challenges of attracting young people to ministry in an era marked by cultural shifts and perceived decline in church relevance. Candid and thoughtful, Stéphane offers a hopeful yet realistic look at the future of church leadership and theology training in Canada.