Visitors of various denominations listen as the Seventh-Day Advent religion is explained at the Nashville First Seventh-Day Adventist Church Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. The Seventh-day Adventist faith has been placed in the spotlight after Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, who was raised in the religion, began his campaign. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nashville First Seventh-Day Adventist Church Pastor Melvin Santos, left, and his wife, Juliet Santos, who is also the church’s health and medical ministries director, speak to a group of visitors about the denomination’s faith Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. The Seventh-day Adventist faith has been placed in the spotlight because of Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, who was raised in the religion. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Pastor Peter Kulakov, a Russian immigrant who is the new pastor at Ooltewah Seventh Day Adventist Church, poses for a portrait in the church’s sanctuary in Ooltewah, Tenn.NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Tennessee-based Seventh-day Adventist pastor said a leadership group’s visit to his church on Tuesday was an opportunity to clear up misconceptions about the denomination, which has been placed in the national spotlight because of Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson.
The retired neurosurgeon is a practicing Adventist whose faith has drawn attention now that he is viewed as a front-runner for the Republican nomination. He was recently criticized by GOP rival Donald Trump, who appeared to be trying to paint Carson as part of a faith outside the mainstream.
Deann Bradford is director of the leadership group that visited Nashville First Seventh-day Adventist Church. She didn’t give a specific reason for selecting the church, except that it was among several “houses of worship” the group chose to learn more about.
Bradford described the group as “emerging leaders” who are participating in a yearlong program to learn more about their community.
“We were looking for diversity,” Bradford said. “This is our first year to ever visit here … we learned a lot.”