Our Appeal

During the Covid crisis, many church members were convicted to abstain from Covid vaccines. When seeking exemptions from vaccination requirements, many requests were denied when employers or other authorities found official statements from our church leadership supporting vaccination, including the statement that “claims of religious liberty are not used appropriately in objecting to… mandates.”

To Seventh-day Adventists, health care choices do have clear religious implications, since our bodies are the “temple of God” and we are to offer our bodies as “living sacrifices” in our “true and proper worship” (1 Cor. 6:19 and Rom. 12:1).

It is in the spirit of reconciliation with the aim of bringing healing to the body of Christ that this appeal is made.

We, The Undersigned, Request That:

1. The church remove all statements about vaccines, including the 2015 and the October 2021 statements, whether by administrative committee or through a vote by the General Conference in session, showing compassion to those who have been harmed by these statements.

2. In place of those statements a clarifying statement should be made that the church does not support any mandates which can infringe on liberty of conscience, contrary to religious liberty principles found in scripture.

3. In a church body with diverse convictions, any official statement on any topic, including but not limited to public health issues, should be carefully considered as to its potential impact on church members worldwide. Since such statements publicly represent all members, they should be subjected to the same process required for the adoption of a fundamental belief, including a vote by the General Conference in session. Most importantly, they must rely solely upon the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.

We urge all believers to pursue revival and reformation through heart-felt confessions and active Christian service. We recognize that there is no formal mechanism to bring appeals of this nature before the church’s administrative bodies. Therefore, we call upon all who sign this appeal to act in a Christlike manner, always exhibiting brotherly love towards each other.  

May this appeal, as well as the responses of those who receive it, bring us closer together in unity, preparing us for the latter rain and the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Signatories

President: Lela Lewis, MD, MPH, Phoenix, Arizona
Vice President For Religious Liberty: Jonathan Zirkle, JD, Loma Linda, California
General Vice President: Scott Ritsema, Lakeview, Michigan
Vice President for Medical Affairs: Andrew Chung, MD, Clear Lake, California
Chief Operating Officer: George Gilbert, MHA , Phoenix, Arizona
Director of Media and Communications: Chris Chung, Avon Park, Florida
Chief Financial Officer: Alan Maycock, Phoenix, Arizona
Associate Director of Finance: Barbara Czajka, MBA, Phoenix, Arizona

This statement has been written with the counsel and support of other Adventists who share the concerns of the Liberty and Health Alliance. That their names are listed below means only that those individuals are publicly affirming their support of this document, and that such support may not necessarily reflect the position or views of any entity or organization with which they otherwise may be professionally affiliated.