Adventist Church in North America expresses condolences for the tragic shooting in Charleston, South Carolina
The division's president, Dan Jackson, calls for open and honest discussion on the realities of racial division in the U.S.
June 18, 2015
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Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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NAD Staff
The president of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church in North America, Daniel R. Jackson, issued the following
statement on June 18, 2015 in response to shooting death of nine people
at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston,
South, Carolina:
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America
is heartbroken by the senseless killing of the Reverend Clementa Pickney
and eight other worshipers during Wednesday evening service in their
church. We are saddened by the heartache it has caused their family, the
members of the Emanuel AME Church, and the Charleston community. We
extend our deepest condolences and continue to pray for the victims and
their families.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church condemns not only
the killing of any person, but also the hatred, based on a person's
race, that apparently motivated this shooting. We believe that God loves
all of His children equally, regardless of race, gender, religion, or
lifestyle, and we are called to do the same.
We again call for open, honest, and civil
conversation about the realities of the racial divide that continues to
plague this country. This conversation must focus on the rights and
equality of every member of our communities.
We stand with the people of Charleston and indeed
across North America that strive to be agents of peace, love, and grace
in their communities.
To bring a lasting change we, as a church, must
always treat all people with the love and compassion that Jesus modeled
for us. While last night in Charleston, hate took the lives of nine
innocent people, we know that in the end love will win.
“We once again pray for the day when all of God’s
children will treat each other without suspicion, bias and hatred. As
the Apostle Paul reminds us: ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are
all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28, NKJV)’”
Fonte - http://news.adventist.org/all-news/news/go/2015-06-18
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