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Special Issue -(95)01
"Watchman,
what of the night?"
"The hour has come, the hour is striking and striking at you,
the hour and the end!" Eze. 7:6 (Moffatt)
ADVENTISTS & CATHOLICS TOGETHER
A "STRATEGIC ALLIANCE" ANTICIPATED
On January 13, 1995 The Denver Post carried an article by the staff Business Writer, Judith Graham headlined - "Hospital alliance explored." The sub-title read - "Provenant, Adventist may become partners." (p. IC) Provenant is Colorado's second largest hospital system and is owned by The Sisters of Charity Health Care Systems, Inc., of Cincinnati, Ohio. This Care System is so closely allied to the Vatican, that any major decision involving full merger would have to be given prior approval by the Pope.
The Adventist partner in the proposed "Strategic Alliance" is Rocky Mountain
Adventist HealthCare (RMAH), a Colorado nonprofit corporation operated by the
Seventh-day Adventist Church. The article in The Denver Post, quoted Elder Charles Sandefur, President of the Conference, and Chairman of the RMAH Board, as stating that this "partnership ... might include consolidating finances, some operations and management." Sandefur said, "This is not just a loose, casual
affiliation we're contemplating. We intend there to be real integration." (p. 3C) The actual "Letter of Intent" states - "It is anticipated that the strategic alliance will culminate with the parties forming a single financial and operating unit to best serve the health care needs of the community." (See Exhibit, pp. 3-5.) The target date for the full accord has been set for May 1, 1995, according to the information supplied by Sandefur to Ms. Graham.
In a "Conference Memo" dated six days after The Denver Post article, Sandefur sought to explain the background and reason for the "Strategic Alliance." After noting that "Adventist hospitals are faced with difficult choices that can be easily misunderstood," he wrote:
(His emphasis will be underscored, as in the Memo, our emphasis will be in bold
type. We believe for our readers to get the full impact of this Memo, it should
be quoted in full)
"Some of you have already read in the paper that last Thursday, the day after our pastors (sic) retreat, Rocky Mountain Adventist Healthcare (Porter, Littleton and
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Avista Hospitals) announced that it is exploring the possibility of some sort
of strategic relationship with the Provenant Health System (St. Anthony's
Central, St. Anthony's North, and Mercy Hospitals) That means for the next 90
days we have committed to seeing if we can work together with Provenant
in ways that can cut costs, improve service to the community and, most
importantly, preserve and enhance the distinctive mission and identity of
our Adventist mission and identity by retaining sole ownership of our current hospitals.
"While there are a wide range of possibilities of what a relationship between the two systems might look like, merging or selling the assets of our hospitals is not an option.
A key motivation of this possible partnership is to preserve in its entirety
Adventist character and ownership. Our healthcare leadership has spent many
hours exploring how best we can accomplish our mission in a turbulent atmosphere of other hospitals, physicians and insurance providers merging or blending into regional systems. If we try to 'go it alone,' many of our hospitals will be among the predicted hundreds that will close in the next few years. At that point, the mission ends and our Adventist presence in the community is weakened. Selling or closing seems an unwise choice, and most for-profit systems are incompatible with our
mission. It seems then that some sort of mutually beneficial relationship with other church-related, not-for-profit systems that share our Christian motivation gives us our most favorable opportunity and future.
"Any talk of 'doing business' with another hospital system can be scary for Seventh-day Adventists. I know, because quite a few saints have phoned me in the last few days expressing their fears and concerns about merging or losing our mission. Let me repeat: 'We are not merging or selling our hospital assets.' Any relationship we might enter into will continue with Adventist hospitals being just that - Adventist hospitals owned by Rocky Mountain Adventist Healthcare. If our mission is ever diluted, it will be because of our lack of commitment not because it is taken away from us.
"Actually, I think the changes in American healthcare gives Seventh-day Adventists new opportunities to place more emphasis on our message of healthful living and prevention. Other health communities have something to learn from us - unless we hide our healthcare candle under a bushel. And rubbing shoulders with other Christian hospitals can expand our witness potential.
"Anyway, for the next 90 days, we have committed ourselves to at least
looking carefully to various forms of integration that will present and
enhance our mission and identity. We are concentrating on an affiliation
or network where each side, Adventist and Catholic, can be assured of
independent ownership and freedom to pursue mission. Terry White and his leadership team need your prayers and interests as they seek ways for our healthcare witness to be lived out in a new healthcare environment."
The "Letter of Intent" for the exploration of an accord between the
Adventists and the Roman Catholic healthcare system was signed on January 11,
1995 by Terry White for the Rocky Mountain Adventist Healthcare board. In a
"Memorandum" issued the next day to the "Members of the Medical Staffs," White
sought to explain the "New developments in affiliation talks." He gave his
understanding of what this intent means. He wrote that RMAH agrees "to enter
into discussions exploring a close working relationship. The discussions
will explore how the two systems might form an integrated financial and management structure - an organization somewhere on a continuum between full merger and a shared governance model." (Emphasis supplied)
Previously the RMAH Board had been in discussions with PRIMERA, composed of
Lutheran and St. Joseph healthcare systems. White indicated that both of these
"would make excellent partners in terms of culture, mission philosophy and
geographic representation." These discussions are now on hold, because "the
Provenant system has an additional advantage of managed care relationships that
is extremely compatible with ours."
White informed the Medical staff that "Provenant is owned by The Sisters of Charity Health Care, Inc., of Cincinnati, Ohio; and that locally the system comprises St. Anthony Hospital Central, St. Anthony North, Mercy Hospital, the Provenant Senior Life Center, and Provenant Gardens of St. Elizabeth."
On the next two and half pages of this "special report," will be reproduced the "Letter of Intent." You should read it carefully, noting certain underscored sentences. Note carefully "Section 8." Observe the word, "obligate," and compare back to "Section 1, as to what is "anticipated."
"Section 10" provides for a "way out" on the part of either party, but note carefully that "if so terminated, ... the expenses incurred by each party in connection with the proposed
Strategic Alliance shall be borne by that party." The expenses noted in "Section 3" to be incurred in the ground work for this Strategic Alliance could not be paid out of the "Petty Cash Box." The final line then is to go through with this "Letter of Intent" or pick up the "tab."
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Questions:
1) Is this proposed "Strategic Alliance" of RMAH with a Roman Catholic system a "pilot program" approved by the North American Division?
2) Do the leaders of the Church no longer believe the Pope to be the Antichrist of Bible prophecy?
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LET'S TALK IT OVER
It was with considerable restraint that I refrained from adding comment as the factual details of the "Strategic Alliance" were being delineated. At several points, I paused and contemplated interjecting a paragraph in brackets. To think that men in responsible leadership positions in the Seventh-day Adventist Church could perceive of entering into "a close working relationship" with representatives of an organization which God declares received its power, its seat and great authority from "that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan" (Rev. 12:9; 13:2), is almost beyond belief. How can anyone who professes to believe in the prophetic revelation which God gave to Jesus "to shew unto His servants" (Rev. 1:1), even remotely perceive that by entering into an "alliance" with any part of Rome, can "enhance" and "preserve" the "Adventist character" and "distinctive mission"?
Do we no longer believe that the One who stood before the woman "to devour her child as soon as it was born" (Rev. 12:4), is the One who "energizes" the "Lawless One," the "mystery of iniquity" - he "in whom all iniquity has fixed its abode." (II Thess. 2:7-9; See note below) To merely cover the anticipated alliance with an arm of Rome by calling it "rubbing
shoulders with other Christian" people who "share our Christian motivation" is to reveal a total lack of understanding of what Jesus Christ Himself taught in the Sermon on the Mount. He stated, "Not everyone that saith, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." He emphatically warned that many would say, "Have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast our devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" (Matt. 7:21-22) The word translated, "mighty works" (dunamis) is the same word used by Matthew to describe the healing works of Jesus. (Matt. 11:20, 13:58) Works of charity, ministry to the sick and infirm in the name of the Lord does not make one a Christian. It is doing the will of God (Matt. 7:21). In fact, Jesus clearly stated that He would profess to them that He never knew them, because they worked "iniquity." This word used by Matthew (anomia) is the same word used by Paul to
describe "the mystery of iniquity."
To perceive of Rome as Christian is not some unique aberration being manifest
in this contemplated accord with an arm of Romanism. C. Mervyn Maxwell, in his
book, God Cares, (Vol. I) after listing eight marks of identity for the "little horn" of Daniel 7, writes:
"Only one entity really fits all eight of these identifying marks - the
Christian church which rose to religiopolitical prominence as the Roman
Empire declined and which enjoyed a special influence over the minds of men between the sixth and the eighteenth centuries." (p. 127; emphasis supplied)
In noting these identifying "marks," Maxwell prefaces this section with what he called "four principles," one of which was - "There is more than one antichrist." (p. 122). He indicated that in listing the eight marks of identity, he is not seeking to define "the
antichrist, but only the little horn." (p. 126-127) Are the two different? Then he assumes that "God purposely presented a one-sided picture of Rome as a terrible beast in order to emphasize His displeasure at persecution." (p. 127) Keep in mind that this non-descript beast of Daniel 7 is "pagan
Rome." And God gave a "one-sided" picture of its character! Is it then little wonder, that of papal Rome, Maxwell could write:
"To call this Christian church the 'Roman Catholic' Church can be misleading
if Protestants assume that the Roman Catholic Church of, say, the sixth century
was one big denomination among others, as it is today. Actually the Roman
Catholic Church was virtually the Christian church in Western Europe for about a thousand years. Because of this early universality, both Protestants and Catholics may regard it as the embodiment of 'our' Christian heritage, for better or for worse."
(ibid., emphasis his) [Who then was the "woman in the wilderness"? (Rev. l2:6,
14)]
If one accepts this "new theology" what then is the problem with forming a "strategic alliance" with an arm of "our Christian heritage"? None! But what is the purpose of prophecy anyway? Did God merely give these "beast" symbols so that evangelists might have something to attract attention in presenting the "everlasting gospel" of the Three Angels' Messages? It is helpful, but prophecy was given to the "servants" of Jesus Christ. (Rev. 1:1) We need to keep in mind that the eschatological discourse of Jesus was given to the Twelve alone on the Mount of Olives. (Matt. 24:3) Why? Because prophecy reveals how God views certain powers and forces which would operate in the earth. Knowing how God views these, permits us to bring our actions in harmony with that revelation. Tragically, this has not been done in the signing of the Letter of Intent between the Provenant and RMAH.
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In the "Conference Memo," Sandefur indicated that "if we try to 'go it alone,' many of our Hospitals will be among the predicted hundreds that will close in the next few years." Is he not aware of what God purposed for ancient Israel? - "the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." (Numbers 23:9) Has God changed His objective for spiritual Israel? Was it not Israel's failure to observe God's intent that ultimately caused their rejection? Was this not expressed in their fear that to accept Jesus as the Christ, a unique relationship, would endanger their future? (John 11:48) If the Church is following the blue-print given, then what is there to fear? Is not God able to care for His own program that He designed? But if we are not following His plan, and this may be the problem in Adventist Health Care today, then we have much of which to be fearful. In such a case, the leadership of the Church may be left to their own devisings, and the inevitable results of the failure to believe the prophetic word of God.
In 1894, Ellen White wrote: "It is the rejection of Bible truth which makes men approach to infidelity. It is a backsliding church that lessens the distance between itself and the Papacy."(Signs,
Feb. 19) Is God trying to tell His concerned people something in this whole affair?
Further, the Messenger of the Lord declared:
"The Papacy is just what prophecy declared that she would be, the apostasy of the latter times. Shall this power, whose record for a thousand years is written in the blood of saints, be now acknowledge as part of the church of Christ?"
(Great Controversy, p. 571)
This "intent" of the leadership of RMAH brings not only those who are seeking to carry out this "Strategic Alliance" to their moment of truth, but every other Adventist who desires to walk in the light of that revealed truth.
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Note: II Thess. 2:8 KJV reads - "Then shall that Wicked be revealed." The
phrase, "that Wicked" in the Greek is, ho anomos. Thayer in his Lexicon translates this phrase as "he in whom all iniquity has fixed its abode." (p. 48) Verse 9 indicates that his "coming is after the working of Satan." Fenton's translation indicates by the "energy" of Satan. Phillips' reads - "The lawless man is produced by the spirit of evil."
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"Now and ever we are to stand as a distinct and peculiar people, free from all worldly policy, unembarrassed
by confederating with those who have not wisdom to discern God's claims so plainly set forth in His law.
All our medical institutions are established as Seventh-day Adventist institutions to represent the various features of gospel medical missionary work and thus prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. ...
"The Lord is testing His people to see who will be loyal to the principles of His truth. ...To bind ourselves up by contracts with those not of our faith
is not in the order of God. We are to treat with kindness and courtesy those who refuse to be loyal to God, but we
are never, never to unite with them in counsel regarding the vital interests of His work." (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 7, pp. 106-108)
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