Adventists and "The Passion of the Christ" Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 25.02.2004 | Media "The Passion of the Christ," a US$30-million motion picture telling the story of the last 12 hours of the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth, has already provoked a worldwide discussion about those events and their significance. The film, co-written, produced, funded and directed by actor Mel Gibson, opens in North America on Feb. 25, with a release in Britain one month later. Other worldwide screenings are expected to follow. The movie has stirred controversy over the way it depicts the Jew
Haiti: Worship Services Continue Amid Political Violence Miami, Florida, USA | 25.02.2004 | International While there are news reports that rebels in Haiti threaten to overtake the capital city of Port-of-Prince, Seventh-day Adventist members continue to worship. With a membership of more than 260,000 adult baptized Adventists, Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, said although communication in some areas has been scarce, he is in touch with church leaders in Haiti. "There are no casualties among members, and our properties have been spared thus far," said Leito. "Com
New Speaker for Adventist Television “It Is Written International” Thousand Oaks, California/USA | 22.02.2004 | Media Pastor Shawn Boonstra has accepted an invitation from the It Is Written executive committee to become It Is Written International Television’s (IIW) new associate speaker to share ministry responsibilities with Speaker/Director Mark Finley. As associate speaker, Boonstra will appear regularly on the weekly television program and will participate in evangelistic meetings, camp meetings, pastors’ seminars, international appointments and Partnership fundraising meetings. Finley was recently
Pierre Lanarès, a Jurist and Champion of Religious Liberty, died aged 92 Berne/Switzerland | 18.02.2004 | International Pierre Lanarès, a jurist and champion of religious liberty, died in Clapiers, Southern France, on February 2, 2004, aged 92. Born 1912 in Madagascar, he worked for more than 44 years in different positions in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: in Madagascar, France and Switzerland. Pierre Lanarès studied Law in Paris, got his Ph.D in Geneva, and graduated from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Faculty at Collonges-sous-Salève, France. He worked as a pastor, school principal, church leader,
Adventist Church Representative Condemns Death Penalty For Conversion Geneva/Switzerland | 18.02.2004 | International According to a statement made at the 59th Session of the Commission on Human Rights on March 15, 2003, by the Seventh-day Adventist Church's United Nations Liaison Office, ‘enforcing the death penalty for changing one's religion or belief is the most extreme form of religious intolerance’. [img id=56 align=right]In 2004, the Adventist Church expect to raise the issue again at the Human Rights Commission's 60th Session. They are also seeking the support of member organizations of the Committe
