Revised SDA Encyclopedia to Be Online
By AT News Team, July 10, 2015: On July 9, 2015 the office of Archives, Statistics, and Research (ASTR) at the General Conference (GC) announced to the delegates their plan to update the current SDA Encyclopedia, which was first produced in 1966 and last updated in 1996.
The task is scheduled to be completed within the next five years and is slated to be revealed in both an online version and a print edition at the next GC session in 2020.
ASTR is inviting every division, union, conference, and institution to join the research project for this endeavor. They have established six goals for the encyclopedia:
1. Supply reliable and authoritative information on Adventist history, crucial events and themes, organizations, entities, institutions, and people.
2. Strengthen identity in a fast-growing worldwide movement, heightening awareness of distinctive doctrinal and prophetic beliefs.
3. Provide a reference work for those new to our faith, mature in the faith, and not of our faith, to learn about all aspects of Adventism.
4. Bring out the role of the denominational organization in fulfilling the church’s mission.
5. Highlight the missional challenges still remaining in order to “reach the world” with the gospel and prophetic truth.
6. Reflect the nature of the world church today, both in subject matter and in those who write articles for the encyclopedia.