Society of Adventist Biblical Scholars in Europe to Launch at Theology Conference
By AT News Team, March 25, 2015: The European Theology Teachers Conference began today at Newbold College, the Seventh-day Adventist school near London, England. “We aim at launching during this meeting the Society of Adventist Biblical Scholars in Europe, with the intent of being the voice of scholarly theological Adventism in Europe and beyond,” event coordinator Jean-Claude Verrecchia told Adventist Today. Verrecchia is a principal lecturer in New Testament, hermeneutics and Second Temple literature at Newbold College.
Sixty-three people from sixteen countries have gathered at the conference to wrestle with the role of theological education in shaping the future of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “Since the last General Conference Session in 2010, ‘revival’ and ‘reformation’ have become crucial words in the church vocabulary, two leading principles which should sustain its thinking and mission at any level,” states the event’s website. “Revival and reformation cannot be a mere repetition of the past. The challenge of this conference is to explore and discuss new ways of teaching theology that would help the church in its specific European context, to develop and to grow.”
Given this context, the conference motto is “Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda,” which means “a reformed church always reforming,” a phrase used by Christian reformers, Verrecchia told Adventist Today.
The academic papers presented by attendees will be published by the end of 2015 by the Newbold Academic Press.
I wish the Conference God’s richest blessing as they gather at Newbold. You have in your hands, under the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the privilege of helping to shape the future of the church in Europe. That is quite a challenge in our secular climate. And further blessings as you launch the Society of Adventist Biblical scholars in Europe. It is the privilege and responsibility of the church in every part of the world to help influence the thinking and the life of the church.
A group of theologians meeting? That sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry. Show me a theologian who is a soul-winner and I’ll show you a very rare person. Yet we keep looking to these people who aren’t growing the church to tell us what we need to know about God and to train our future leaders so they will be able to grow the church! I hope they’re attending at their own expense.
I find this comment quite prejudicial and, in fact, offensive. May I suggest
– a careful reconsideration of 1 Corinthians 12
– reading the actual papers these theologians struggle with
– dreaming up the consequences of pastors not properly trained
Surely, you wouldn’t demean scholars of your own profession in such a way. And if you would know about the payscale of European theology teachers, you wouldn’t dare making the suggestion that they “attend at their own expense”. Thanks.
Theologians are the ones who are supposed to tell the teachers and pastors what doctrines they should be teaching in the classroom and in the weekly congregational meeting
For those who look to them to what are the correct interpretations, God help them and us.
But if their work is not teaching and motivating people to grow the church, what is the value of their work? NONE. To some degree we would be better off without them.
As far as I can tell, a blissful ignorance is not a solution.
So…let’s not put any serious effort into understanding WHAT to teach people or WHY to grow the church. Let’s just DO it! Is that pretty much your position? There are many non-SDA churches that grow very rapidly, but you probably don’t attend those. Why not? Is it–heaven forbid!–because of THEOLOGY?
I happened to read the opening presentation of this conference – incidentally, not by a theologian, but by ethicist and philosopher Michael Pearson, who has served Newbold College for more than 42 years. Among the many remarkable sentences, Pearson quoted a Sheffield theology professor as saying: “we must stop teaching Biblical Studies, theology, languages, etc and start teaching students.” It is in this vein that the theme of the conference ‘Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda’ was addressed. How can theology teachers prepare future generations of pastors to be relevant in today’s European society, which happens to be quite different from an American, African or Asian experience.
I am very much looking forward to the publication of the papers presented at this important conference.
This sounds like a very encouraging development.
William, i disagree with your position of this notable change in this study by the Europeans. They know the past curriculum has
not provided the Spiritual power to persuade
growth of Christianity, that which you are vitally aware of, and their new approach hopefully, will bring Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, for the souls of humanity, to receive God the Holy Spirit to their heart of hearts. Convicting, repentance, knowledge, understanding, truth, and wisdom unto Salvation,
“Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda,” which means “a reformed church always reforming,” is also the motto of the Presbyterian church in the USA where I studied for my D.Min (SFTS). The church needs action and reflection (praxis) and this is why we have prophets (theologians), kings (administrators) and the rest (those that evangelise and win souls for the Kingdom). The prophets spend most of their time reflecting and sharing their findings, the kings make sure the machinery is well oiled and cared for, and the rest (evangelists, missionaries and members) are privileged to spend most of their time taking the Good News of a soon coming Saviour to a dying world.
I am thankful that the Adventist church respects scholarship. I was struck by this description of John Wycliffe, the “morning star of the Reformation”.
“Wycliffe received a liberal education, and with him the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his remarkable talents and sound scholarship. In his thirst for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every branch of learning. He was educated in the scholastic philosophy, in the canons of the church, and in the civil law, especially that of his own country. In his after-labors the value of this early training was apparent. A thorough acquaintance with the speculative philosophy of his time enabled him to expose its errors; and by his study of national and ecclesiastical law he was prepared to engage in the great struggle for civil and religious liberty. While he could wield the weapons drawn from the word of God, he had acquired the intellectual discipline of the schools, and he understood the tactics of the schoolmen. The power of his genius and the extent and thoroughness of his knowledge commanded the respect of both friends and foes. His adherents saw with satisfaction that their champion stood foremost among the leading minds of the nation; and his enemies were prevented from casting contempt upon the cause of reform by exposing the ignorance or weakness of its support” (E G White,The Great Controversy, p. 80).
We trust that our European biblical and theological professors will produce more men and women of the calibre of John Wycliffe for the final thrust of the Reformation.
I am grateful that the Adventist church shows respect for scholarship. I was struck by this comment on the “morning star of the Reformation”:
“Wycliffe received a liberal education, and with him the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his remarkable talents and sound scholarship. In his thirst for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every branch of learning. He was educated in the scholastic philosophy, in the canons of the church, and in the civil law, especially that of his own country. In his after-labors the VALUE OF THIS EARLY TRAINING WAS APPARENT. A THOROUGH ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY OF HIS TIME ENABLED HIM TO EXPOSE ITS ERRORS; AND BY HIS STUDY OF NATIONAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL LAW HE WAS PREPARED TO ENGAGE IN THE GREAT STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL ANBD RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. WHILE HE COULD WIELD THE WEAPONS DRAWN FROM THE WORD OF GOD, HE HAD ACQUIRED HE INTELLECTUAL DISCIPLINE OF THE SCHOOLS, AND HE UNDERSTOOD THE TACTICS OF THE SCHOOLMEN. THE POWER OF HIS GENIUS AND THE EXTENT AND THOROUGHNESS OF HIS KNOWLEDGE COMMANDED THE RESPECT OF BOTH FRIENDS AND FOES. HIS ADHERENTS SAW WITH SATISFACTION THAT THEIR CHAMPION STOOD FOREMOST AMONG THE LEADING MINDS OF THE NATION; AND HIS ENEMIES WERE PREVENTED FROM CASTING CONTEMPT UPON THE CAUSE OF REFORM BY EXPOSING THE IGNORANCE OR WEAKNESS OF ITS SUPPORTER (E G WHITE, THE GREAT CONTROVERSY, P. 80). (Sorry for the capitals)
Blessings to the Adventist scholars who under the influence of the Holy Spirit endeavour to shape the church in Europe.
Just what kind of church does Mr. Noel envision that would be “better off” without any theologians? Paul made it clear that a variety of gifts is essential if there is to be a functioning body. It has been theologians who have helped to shape the theological skeleton that holds this body together. That they are not all, in the narrow sense, “soul winners,” does not diminish their on-going contribution. Without certain noisy theologians, some church administrators would still have their heads buried in the sand on the women’s ordination issue. Give us a break! Kudos to the Europeans.
I am glad for kingdom of God.