February 1, 2021

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Friday Night Discovery | Staying Above the Fray | Share Him Like Pastors | . . .

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Friday Night Discovery

I usually don’t send out e-mails to my faculty friends on Friday night. After all, it’s the Sabbath, but I had set aside the November 2020 issue of Adventist Review for my Sabbath evening reading tonight. In making my way through the issue I discovered a one-page news commentary (p. 18), by Liona Archer and Jason Hines, entitled “Three Lessons: Living, Loving, and Learning as Rivals.” The short piece offers three positive lessons from the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg concerning (1) her friendship with a colleague holding diametrically different views; (2) the mutual sacrifices made in her long and remarkable marriage to Martin Ginsburg; and (3) her contribution to securing equal rights and respect for women. My summary doesn’t do the well-written article justice with its kind application to the place of women in the Adventist Church. Kudos to Jason and Liona, and to Bill Knott, editor of Adventist Review.  

Ernest J. Bursey 
Florida

“Three Lessons: Living, Loving, and Learning as Rivals,” in November 2020, by Liona Archer and Jason Hines. Of Ruth B. Ginsberg they wrote that her legal career was distinguished by “her sustained advocacy for the rights of women.” This was also true for men. Her first case presented the rights of a man not married, who was taking care of his invalid mother and who employed a woman caregiver to assist him. The IRS did not favor his claim to deductions on his taxes of that of the woman caregiver he hired. She won the argument with the help of her husband, a tax lawyer. “The Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18, KJV).

Robert Rouillard
Washington

Staying Above the Fray

Partyism, the devotion to a specific political party, is running rampant and is leading large groups of people to gullibly believe whatever their political leaders say, no matter how far from the truth or how close to false conspiracy theories their words may be. So it is not too hard to see how, in the last days, large groups of people will gullibly wonder after religious leaders who will promote false positions that are far from plain biblical truth.

Erin Stone
California

Share Him Like Pastors

I’m thankful and blessed for all the well-written articles in the magazine. Education has driven many of us away from the title “Pastor.” Where have all the pastors gone? But here in Adventist Review, we write about and share the Lord as pastors!

Willy Aronsen
Norway

Part of a master plan

How delighted I was to read Ronny Nalin’s story! He spoke of his father’s influence and being raised by parents who loved the Lord. I had the privilege of seeing some of that firsthand. My friend, Annie, and I were two of those Ronny mentioned who visited the Padua Adventist Church from Vicenza, Italy about once a month. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Annie and I enjoyed the hospitality of the Nalin family at least one Sabbath afternoon. Ronnie’s father was always full of joy that was contagious. At that time, in the early 90’s, Ronnie was a teenager. It was inspiring to read his story and his spiritual growth in a country where it’s not easy to live out one’s faith. I praise the Lord for how He has led Ronnie to become the new director of the Geoscience Research Institute.

Tina Thomsen
Washington

Comments from AdventistReview.org

COVID-19 Vaccines: Addressing Concerns, Offering Counsel

First, the half-life of mRNA in cells is only a few minutes, as the cell chops it up and recycles it for other protein production. Second, while the foreign protein does trigger a response of CD8+ killer cells, the first few cells to be destroyed release chemical messengers called interferons, which cause the surrounding cells to recognize that mRNA sequence and destroy it, preventing viral replication. The mRNA vaccine works the same as attenuated live virus vaccine works (you still get mRNA entering the cells), but since it isn’t the entire virus, it won’t produce more viruses and is thus far safer than an attenuated virus vaccine.—Jonathan Bleeker

Well-written, balanced, politically and legally correct article. However, since the Adventist Review covers the entire church, it would be beneficial to address other brands of vaccines besides Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. There are many countries where the aforementioned brands of vaccines won’t be available, because of political, financial, and other reasons. —Maxim Safonov

In order to make wise decisions, one must have two sides of information from the plaintiff and the defendant so that the judge may execute a wise judgment. That’s why God gave human beings the freedom to choose between life and death. He advocated for us to choose life, though that free gift is ours indeed.—Selma T. Glasgow

Inter-American Division President Released After Four Days of Captivity

We celebrate God’s protection of His servant, Pastor Henry, and pray for his recuperation from such a terrible ordeal.—France Chambers

The Magi and the Drummer boy

Consider the moral of this story, which is to ask, “What can I give?” The fictional drummer boy, who (like Jesus) was born into poverty, had nothing to “gift” to a king except his talent. Unlike the unwise servant in Matthew 25, the little drummer boy wisely chose not to hide his talent, but instead presented it as a love offering to the Gifter.—M. Ross Nearon

Unto You a Savior

Thank God for the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ to save us from the condemnation of sin.—D. A. Kylilleh

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