1990 General Conference Session on Women's Ordination
Summary: The recommendation to not approve the ordination of women came through the 1989 Annual Council of Church leaders. By a margin of 75 percent to 25 percent, session members voted not to ordain women as pastors.
Official Church Language Follows:
Ordination of Women to the Gospel Ministry
55th General Conference Session, Indianapolis, IN — July 11, 1990, 9:15 a.m.
Voted: To accept the following report and recommendations of the Role of Women Commission as recommended by the 1989 Annual Council:
- While the commission does not have a consensus as to whether or not the Scriptures and the writings of Ellen G. White explicitly advocate or deny the ordination of women to pastoral ministry, it concludes unanimously that these sources affirm a significant, wide-ranging, and continuing ministry for women, which is being expressed and will be evidenced in the varied and expanding gifts according to the infilling of the Holy Spirit
- Further, in view of the widespread lack of support for the ordination of women to the gospel ministry in the world church and in view of the possible risk of disunity, dissension, and diversion from the mission of the church, we do not approve ordination of women to the gospel ministry"
In favor of the recommendation: 1,173
In opposition to the recommendation: 377
(Source: Adventist Review, July 13, 1990, p. 15)
1995 General Conference Action on Woman's Ordination
Summary: The recommendation to give each division the right to authorize the ordination of individuals within its territory came from the North American Division through the 1994 Annual Council. It was rejected by a margin of 66 percent to 34 percent.
Official Church Language Follows:
North American Division Request — Ordination
56th General Conference Session, Utrecht, Netherlands — July 5, 1995, 2:00 p.m.
Voted: To refer to the 1995 General Conference Session the North American Division request that the General Conference in Session adopt provisions on ordination as outlined below:
"The General Conference vests in each division the right to authorize the ordination of individuals within its territory in harmony with established policies. In addition, where circumstances do not render it inadvisable, a division may authorize the ordination of qualified individuals without regard to gender. In divisions where the division executive committees take specific actions approving the ordination of women to the gospel ministry, women may be ordained to serve in those divisions."
In favor of the recommendation: 673
In opposition to the recommendation: 1,481
(Source: Adventist Review, July 11, 1995, p. 30)