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The 60th General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church is set for San Antonio, Texas, July 2–11. A major agenda item is whether or not to allow women to be ordained into the ministry. How did the SDA church get to this point? And, more importantly, what is God’s word on women serving as priests, clergy and ministers?

The Battle of Waterloo, which took place ten miles south of Brussels, was arguably one of the most important and historic of all European battles. It ended the French imperialistic ambitions that had convulsed much of Europe in armed conflict over the preceding 20 years and paved the way for Britain’s emerging global dominance as the foremost maritime nation and commercial superpower.

Many consider that the single most significant legal document in history is Magna Carta. Consequently, there will be much fanfare on June 15, 2015, the 800th anniversary since its ratification in 1215 by King John and his dissatisfied barons. But, amidst all the celebrations and media coverage, have we forgotten a vitally important point of even greater significance?

Brutal Actions by ISIS: A United Nations envoy on sexual violence recently stated that “Teenage girls abducted by Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria are being sold in slave markets ‘for as little as a pack of cigarettes’” (The Guardian, June 8, 2015).

War between China and America? A recent London newspaper declared, “US-China war ‘inevitable’ unless Washington drops demands over South China Sea” (The Telegraph, May 26, 2015). China’s Communist Party has stated, “If the United States’ bottom line is that China has to halt its activities, then a US-China war is inevitable in the South China Sea” (ibid.).