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A Seventh-day Adventist brief perspective
Domestic violence is damaging. It results in long-term, distorted perceptions of self, family and God. Seventh-day Adventists believe to remain indifferent and unresponsive to reports of domestic violence is to condone, perpetuate and potentially extend such behaviour.
How is the Adventist Church addressing domestic violence?
The Bible says you can identify Christians by the quality of their relationships. It is in the spirit of Christ to love and accept, to seek and affirm.
Adventists are responding to this challenge by:
1. Providing support, counselling and mediation services to victims of domestic violence
2. Addressing the spiritual questions of victims, seeking to understand the reasons for abuse
3. Challenging commonly held religious and cultural beliefs that victims and perpetrators may use to justify or cover up domestic violence
4. Educating church members about how to maintain healthy relationships and about the factors contributing to domestic violence
5. Providing a ministry of reconciliation to perpetrators as changed attitudes and behaviour open new beginnings for them.
The Bible writer Paul refers to the church as "the household of faith" because it should function as an extended family, offering acceptance, understanding and comfort, especially to those who are hurting.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church released a full statement on family violence in 1996.
