Seventh-day Adventist president resigns

Christian Century, Feb 24, 1999

Robert S. Folkenberg resigned as president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church February 8, saying the controversy over allegations about his business relations with a Sacramento, California, man "is distracting from God's work." Folkenberg, 58, has been president of the 10-million-member international church since 1990 and was credited with "visionary" leadership by the same Adventist leaders who later, because of the growing scandal, questioned his ability to continue to lead the denomination.

Questions about Folkenberg's continuing role as president of the denomination--based in Silver Spring, Maryland--arose after church administrators learned that he and the church, as well as others, were subjects of a suit alleging fraudulent business practices. Folkenberg announced his decision at a specially called meeting at the church's headquarters, Seventh-day Adventist officials announced. Folkenberg said he chose to resign to spare his family and church further questions about his leadership. More than 500 staffers at the headquarters attended the special meeting.

Folkenberg's status as president was to be discussed at a meeting of the executive committee of the Adventists' General Conference that was moved up a month to March 1 due to the controversy. An ad hoc panel established by the church with Folkenberg's support had determined that concerns about his business dealings had prompted "a question of confidence concerning [his] continued leadership."

The group concluded that "the nature and gravity of these issues and their cumulative effect is such as to erode confidence in the functions of the president and to introduce doubts about leadership integrity." Ethical concerns about Folkenberg voiced by the group included inappropriate business associations, conflicts of interest and "misuse of the office of the presidency for business advantages," the church said.

The panel of 20 Adventist leaders spent two days in January reviewing the relationship between businessman James E. Moore and Folkenberg. Moore, who is seeking $8 million in a lawsuit against the church and Folkenberg, alleges that the defendants were involved in a fraudulent land deal. Church officials describe Moore as a business entrepreneur who served time in prison for a 1989 grand theft conviction. Lawyers called the suit against the church "without merit" and "frivolous."

Moore could not be reached for comment following Folkenberg's resignation. In earlier comments Moore confirmed that he had spent time in a state correctional camp. But he stands by his charge that Folkenberg and others owe him money. The church has stated that the General Conference has no business dealings with Moore and that its Inter-American Division ended its relationships with him in 1989. Moore, who is not a Seventh-day Adventist, said business relations continued beyond that date.

Dabrowski said the March 1 meeting of the executive committee now will include consideration of Folkenberg's resignation and election of new leadership. The secretary of the executive committee, G. Ralph Thompson, will serve as acting president. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, which has about 900,000 U.S. members, is known especially for its belief that the Advent, or Second Coming, of Jesus Christ will occur soon and its observing of the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week.