Adventist Voices by Spectrum: The Journal of the Adventist Forum

In the first of a three-part series, historian Gil Valentine focuses his analysis on the main characters in Ostriches and Canaries: Coping with Change in Adventism, 1966-1979, Oak & Acorn, 2022. For this conversation, Valentine explores the motivations and methods of Robert Pierson, General Conference President from 1966-1979.

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Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity of LGBTQ lives matter. On this episode of Imago Gei we have Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. along with your host Kendra Arsenault, M.Div discussing the book "Repotting Your Life" by Frances Edmonds and asking the question, What is Enough? We also observe the parallels in our own personal journeys of what it has meant to restart life as open, same-gender loving women, and the obstacles that arise when a person makes a fresh start. How do we begin to redefine joy? God? Faith? Salvation? And Friendship? What pots are you bursting out of and in what areas do you need to be replanted. This week is an introduction to our new series called "Redefine" where we find bigger pots to plant a more inclusive God. Our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship international, so if you haven’t already, please sign for their newsletters where you will get the latest updates on LGBTQ news and happenings.

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Juan Perla, MPA, JD, talks about the U. S. Supreme Court amicus brief we submitted last week. A graduate of Andrews University, USC, and the University of California, Berkeley and now a partner at the Curtis law firm, Perla discusses the arguments the brief makes on behalf of minority rights—particularly Seventh-day Adventists and LGBTQ folks who value marriage. The case in question is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis and concerns the free speech clause of the First Amendment and religiously motivated discrimination.

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Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity are what we impart when I see the image of God in each other. This week, host Kendra Arsenault continues her conversation with Pastor Alicia Johnston, the author of her new book, "The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists,"where she addresses queer theology and answers a number of questions about the Bible and what it has to say regarding LGBTQ persons, relationships, origins, and marriage. We are picking up our conversation around how institutions often create standards that are difficult for marginalized communities to obtain to and what a more inclusive community of faith can look like. If you’d like an opportunity to win a free copy of Pastor Alicia Johnston’s new book listen to the end and find out how you can win your free copy today!

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In light of the allegations surrounding Weimar, I interview Sarah McDugal, an Adventist author of several books on abuse including Myths We Believe: Predators We Trust. Sarah is the co-founder of Wilderness to WILD. After 25 years in media production, a series of life experiences led her to pivot into full-time advocacy and resource development for women escaping abuse.

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Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, meaning we are all deserving of dignity because we are all made in the image of God. This week I am excited to be sharing this platform with Pastor Alicia Johnston, the author of the new book, The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists, where she addresses queer theology and answers a number of questions about the Bible and what it has to say regarding LGBTQ persons, relationships, origins, and marriage. If you’d like an opportunity to win a free copy of Pastor Alicia Johnston’s new book "The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists" listen to the end and find out how you can win your free copy today!

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Josh Jamieson and David Ryan Olson talk with me about their brand new music release, “Here to Stay.” Josh is Pastor of Modern Worship on Loma Linda University Church’s Anthem, a worship collective that meets on Sabbath morning on the campus. David is Producer and Mix Engineer for Evergreen Records.

We discuss what makes for good praise music, the state of Adventist music “wars,” and what motivates both of them in their ministries.

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Today I’m tackling a controversial question. However, it’s not so much an answer that we’re going to arrive at, but a journey we’re going to go on. Was EGW an LGBTQ? Now for those of you listening who are not familiar with Adventist history, I apologize. She was a historical figure in the founding of the Adventist church. I’m not unaware of how negatively and even unfavorably just asking this question might be received. But I really believe it’s important to ask questions, even the questions you think you shouldn’t ask. I recently gave this presentation at the Kinship Kampmeeting, and it all started when I Googled a single question, as I often do, “Was Ellen White an LGBTQ?”  For those who may be wary that I’m even asking the question, let me assure you, the results are inconclusive. Culture and language, and expressions of self-identity have drastically changed since the 1840s. So we have to do a bit of time traveling to explore 19th-century same-gendered relationships. While there are no hard claims made at anything, I do investigate a series of private letters that reveal a not-so-public truth. So if you’re interested in going on a journey, buckle up because it’s a wild ride.

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I talk with Chigemezi Wogu, PhD, who recently defended his dissertation on intercultural theology from the Free University Amsterdam. A graduate of Babcock University in Nigeria, Chigemezi discusses the tensions between “pristine” Nigerian Adventism and more recent spirited Pentecostal approaches to Christianity.

An ethnographer and pastor by training, Chigemezi also discusses the role of empathy in academia and in his work in Berlin, Germany, serving two congregations, one multicultural and the other German-speaking.

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This month we are continuing the celebrations of Pride Month, as we uplift LGBTQ stories. Today, I, Kendra Arsenault, engage with Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle to discuss the impact of the overturn of Roe v. Wade on us women along with the impacts this decision has on trans and non-binary lives. We also discuss how this decision is relevant to queer history. This weekend, I am sharing a presentation on same-gender lesbian relationships in the 1800s and discovering how much society has changed as well as how much it hasn’t.

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