Anti-Semitic incidents have recently become more frequent in Germany and other countries in Europe. The Union presidents of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany have published a statement in which they distance themselves from this "in the strongest possible terms".
"We continue to recognise that hatred and hostility in many variations have taken a public place in our society. We live in a media age in which the spread of inhuman ideologies is easier than ever before," said the two Adventist church presidents, Johannes Naether (North German Union, NDV, based in Hannover) and Werner Dullinger (South German Union, SDV, based in Ostfildern), in the statement. The statement continues: "When fellow human beings are devalued because of their origin, religion, gender, or for other reasons, we raise our voices against this."
The statement refers to the "golden rule" from Jesus' sermon on the mount, which expresses his attitude and applies in our dealings with one another: "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them!" (Matthew 7:12). There is, therefore, no place for anti-Semitism and misanthropy in Christian life. "The great ethnic and cultural diversity is part of our self-image as a global church."
According to the Christian view of humanity, every person, regardless of their characteristics, is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), whose life and integrity must be respected and protected. "Translating this image of man into the present is a task that we share with all those who are committed to humanity."
The statement concludes by emphasising the desire for peace and the obligation to be ambassadors of Christ's love in a world that urgently needs both. In addition, reference is made to the previous statement against anti-Semitism by Adventists from German-speaking countries, which was adopted in 2012 and can be read at the following shortlink: https://t.ly/1agwk
The text of the statement can be found at the following link: https://adventisten.de/uber-uns/presse
To read the original article, please go here.
