Contrary to the beliefs set by his Seventh-day Adventist Church, Republican presidential hopeful Dr. Ben Carson has no problem with women being ordained as pastors.
"I don't see any reason why women can't be ordained," he said, adding that it was a "huge mistake" for Adventist leaders to vote against female ordination.
According to Christian News, Carson was talking about the 60th General Conference Session held in San Antonio last January, where Adventists voted 1,381 to 977 to dismiss the question, "Is it acceptable for division executive committees, as they may deem it appropriate in their territories, to make provision for the ordination of women to the gospel ministry?"
Recently, Republican rival Donald Trump seemed to denigrate the Seventh-day Adventist Church. "I love Iowa. And, look, I don't have to say it, I'm Presbyterian," Trump said. "Can you believe it? Nobody believes I'm Presbyterian. I'm Presbyterian. I'm Presbyterian. I'm Presbyterian. Boy, that's down the middle of the road folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about. I just don't know about."
In his defence, Carson said he explored different churches while he was studying at Yale University because he went through a period of frustration with his church. He attended Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, and Lutheran services for a brief period of time, but in the end, he went back to Seventh-day Adventist Church.
"I concluded it was the right church, just the wrong people. The church was very segregated," Carson said. "You know, if you have the love of God in your heart, it seems like you wouldn't do that. That has changed fairly significantly since that time."
Aside from ordaining women, there are other things that Carson disagrees with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Founder Ellen G. White has rejected Roman Catholicism, but Carson does not agree with her.
"I love Catholics," Carson proudly said. "My best friend is Catholic. I have several honorary degrees from Catholic universities."
