Mark Carr, “Ethics in the Sanctuary: What is ethical in the congregational setting?

Описание: 7 March 2026 |

Seventh-day Adventists might occasionally experience a gut-level, ethics-oriented reaction to things proclaimed from the pulpit, or the way the church presents God (or itself) to others. For instance,

Is it ethically appropriate to obfuscate when asked what denomination is sponsoring evangelistic meetings? Should we incentivize attendance by giving away gifts or money? If we deceive “interests” for their own good, feeling that it is God’s will for them to join the our church, isn’t that okay since they’ll be better off in the end?
What about those altar calls that warn (while the choir is singing softly) that if you don’t come forward now, you might never get another chance? Is it ethical to imply that people can only be saved as members of our church?
Christianity often makes the implicit promises that prayer will “work,” and that if we’re faithful, God will keep us safe, well, and happy. Some pastors let people think that giving faithful tithes and offerings will be somehow protective, too. Is it ethical to pressure people to give money they can’t afford? How do we explain when bad things happen to faithful people?
Adventists make implicit (though vague) promises about the future. Is it ethical to frighten people, ostensibly for their own good? Some of our theology turns them against another religious group, telling them that Roman Catholics or “apostate Protestants” are planning on persecuting us. Is that ethical?
And of course, there are instances of immorality by pastors or church leaders—taking advantage of others for sex or money. Virtually everyone agrees that’s wrong—but not a few pastors have been moved on to another church after such things happen.
This class will host a wide-ranging discussion of what is ethical in the church setting—and what isn’t.

Teacher:
Mark F. Carr, MDiv., PhD., is the Senior Director of Ethics for the Sisters of Providence Health in Alaska. He formerly pastored several Seventh-day Adventist churches in Alaska prior to receiving his PhD in Religious Ethics at the University of Virginia. He devoted sixteen years to Loma Linda University’s School of Religion, where he led the MA program in biomedical and clinical ethics, as well as being the theological co-director for the Center for Christian Bioethics. After a short time at Kettering College in Ohio, he returned to his beloved Alaska, where he enjoys his job, family, flying, fishing, and fat tire bike riding in the winter.