Andrews University Agenda

Andrews University Agenda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/ News and Events at Andrews University en-us Copyright 2024, Andrews University Mon, 6 May 2024 17:55:00 +0000 Mon, 6 May 2024 17:55:00 +0000 webmaster@andrews.edu webmaster@andrews.edu Conference on Adventist Identity http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/61538 You are invited to attend the upcoming Conference on Adventist Identity titled, "Being the Remnant: Adventist Identity in History and Theology," presented at Andrews University from Oct. 13–15, 2022, either in person or via livestream on YouTube. Full program is below. Registration Please register using the registration link below. There is no charge to you. You will be sent a detailed program outline and description of each session. The use of your email will be only to forward information and links for this conference and associated publications and future conferences on Adventist identity. <a href="https://forms.gle/HD8WyqMJCvrw8u7d7">https://forms.gle/HD8WyqMJCvrw8u7d7</a> Livestream Link All who register will be sent the livestream link the week of the conference via email. Paper Access The presentations at the conference will normally be a 15-minute summary of the full paper written by the presenters. The full papers will be available for access on a cloud drive so they can be read in advance of the conference. All who register will be sent the link and access code to the full papers for the conference, most of which will be available after Oct. 1. Book Intent Please note that it is the intent of the organizers to produce a book using the papers of this and future Adventist Identity conferences. As such, you may make use of the papers for education purposes and as a resource within your own research but may not publish any portion of any of these papers except properly documented quotations within a document. --- Schedule (Session topics and presentation titles will be sent to conference registrants) <div> Thursday October 13: All in Seminary Chapel Session #1  5.30-7.30pm    Session #2  8-9.30 pm   Friday October 14: All in Seminary Chapel    Session #3 8.30-10am    Session #4 10.30 am-12noon    LUNCH 12-1.30 pm    Session #5: 1.30-3pm    Session #6: 3.15-4.45pm    Session #7  5-6pm     SUPPER 6-7.30 pm    Session #8   7.30-9.30pm     Sabbath October 15: All in Seminary Chapel    Session #9   9-11am    Session #10   11.45 am in Pioneer MemorialChurch </div> LUNCH 1-2.30 pm Session #11   3.30-5pm Session #12  5.30-7 pm Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:59:55 +0000 Care for Cuba Study Tour 2020 http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/54693 Say hello to our 2020 Cuba Study Tour Group! Let us pray that this group becomes the hands and feet of Jesus! Want to get involved? Check out <a href="http://careforcuba.org">careforcuba.org</a> to find ways to help reach the Cuban people! Thu, 31 Oct 2019 18:07:26 +0000 Grief and Loss Colloquium http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/54321 BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich.—The Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University is pleased to announce David and Beverly Sedlacek as its colloquium speakers Sunday, Sept. 22, at the Theological Seminary, S340. The Sedlaceks’ topic will be “Grief and Loss: A Universal Need.” The times have changed. We not only face “normal” death events of loved ones and church members but traumatic events with large-scale death and the resulting trauma. Such realities must now be anticipated. Preparation to be of help to others even while grieving ourselves is essential, and the colloquium will prepare attendees to use a set of skills that will facilitate this demand. The Sedlaceks are a dynamic duo. Currently, David Sedlacek, PhD, LMSW, CFLE, is professor of Family Ministry and Discipleship at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Beverly Sedlacek, DNP, MSN, RN, has a private practice wherein she employs biblical principles to help clients walk through a healing journey. They have co-authored the book (and the accompanying workbook) “Cleansing the Sanctuary of the Heart: Tools for Emotional Healing.” They are the founders of HIS Rest Ministries and work with clients, conduct retreats and speak at conferences around the world. This free event will be held Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–3 p.m. in the Seminary building room S340. Due to the relevance of this topic to the entire community, attendees are encouraged to arrive early for a choice seat. Thu, 19 Sep 2019 19:33:04 +0000 Transforming Worldview Symposium http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/54088 You know your symposium is a grand success when people are still discussing its subject long after the event has ended.     On October 18-20, 2018, the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (under the leadership of Ante JeroncicÂ and Ji&rcaron;í Moskala) held a worldview symposium. This important event was sponsored by the Adventist Theological Society and Biblical Research Institute—the theme being “Transforming Worldview: Biblical Faithfulness in a Pluralistic Age.” In addition to the promised academic exploration of the “significance of worldview formation for Adventist identity, theology, and mission,” attendees were led to examine their own worldview and its impact on their spirituality and ministry. The symposium’s keynote speaker, Kevin J. Vanhoozer (research professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Theological Seminary, Deerfield, Illinois) presented a topic entitled “Being Biblical in a Pluralistic Academy.” He used this presentation to establish the primacy of the Scriptures over every other resource be it academic or otherwise. He punctuated his assertion by reminding his hearers of what was to be Israel’s God-given response to pluralism. Moses’s counsel in Deuteronomy 4:5-6 reveals not just the primacy but the singular nature of the lenswith which God provided His people: “See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people’” (NIV). Dr. Vanhoozer further declared that “if faith’s influence is failing today, it may be because we (as Christians) have failed at connecting the Bible to this age. Living biblically is not just following principles but living what God the Father is doing through the Son and Spirit to redeem creation.” This thought-provoking statement led a number of seminarians to a self-examination of their witnessing influence toward others. The critical question for the weekend lay in determining the length and breadth of biblical thinking and living. Is the biblical worldview to be the sole, primary, or a secondary contributing factor that guides our perspectives, practices, ministries, policies, and rules of life? One of the most impacting and often repeated statements came from Kwabena Donkor’s Sabbath sermon,“Worldview, Deception, and Christ.”In sharing the Colossian church’s struggle with divergent worldviews, Dr. Donkor (associate director, Biblical Research Institute) stressed the fact that such struggles remain in Christ’s church today. As an example, he noted that in his country, Ghana, “we struggle with a certain ontology that embodies a hierarchy of beings in a certain order: God, angels, spirits, ancestors, male, female. This is the African ontology. And this has significant implications for how we live our lives … and impacts us spiritually.” The collective gasps, “hmm’s” and “wow’s” emitting from the congregation indicated that he made a very critical point and it was received.His revelation brilliantly highlighted the issue of dual allegiances and the relevance of this issue to those who are in the business of soul winning. WORLDVIEW: THE CONCEPT Essential to the symposium was the revelation of the dynamic nature of the term “worldview.” Each presenter highlighted a specific nuance of the concept and some redefined it altogether. Bruce Bauer(director, Doctor of Missiology program, Andrews University) began with a more traditional view of the concept establishing that “worldview is the totality of the culturally structured images and assumptions (including value and commitment or allegiance assumptions) by which a people both perceive and respond to reality.” For Larry Lichtenwalter (president, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, and director, Adventist Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies at Middle East University, Beirut, Lebanon),“The essence of a worldview lies deep in the inner recesses of the human self. It is situated within one’s self. It involves the mind but is more a matter of the heart than of the mind. It touches the soul. It is an ethical and spiritual orientation.” Encouraging attendees to see two aspects of the concept, John C. Peckham (professor of Theology and Christian Philosophy, Andrews University) noted: “Worldview in the minimal sense might refer to some core beliefs that shape one’s perspective of reality and worldview in the maximal sense may refer to the totality of one's experiences that shape one’s overall perspective of reality.” Martin Hanna (associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Andrews University) took hold of a surgeon’s knife and dissected the term for his hearers explaining that “aworldview facilitates science-theology dialogue by the way it answers questions of epistemology (How do we know?), ontology (What do we know?), and axiology (How should we respond to our knowledge?).” WORLDVIEW: THE IMPLICATIONS With the necessary definitions in place, attendees were taken on thought-provoking journeys that revealed profound implications. Speaking in relation to the Christian university, Dr. Vanhoozer in his keynote address asserted that “the biblical story of the triune God’s self-communication to creation ought to be the ground and grammar of the social imaginary that serves as the unifying framework of the Christian university.” Elaborating further, he put forth the idea that “every Christian scholar ought to follow Plantinga’s advice to Christian philosophers to let faith rather than secular concerns set your discipline’s agenda or dictate its methods.” When it comes to Bible study, exegesis and theology formation, Ed Zinke (retired associate director of Biblical Research Institute) made it clear that “we cannot come to Scripture through any other philosophical system than Scripture itself if we are to understand the biblical worldview. Neither is it appropriate to synthesize Scripture with other worldviews, if we are truly to come to a biblical understanding of our world. Our concept of God, Scripture, faith, epistemology, etc., must all come from Scripture. We must accept the power of Scripture, God’s Word, above that of all other human philosophies or disciplines.” LarryLichtenwalter and Boubakar Sanou (assistant professor of World Mission, Andrews University) offered perspectives relating to mission. Dr. Lichtenwalter’s work with Muslims has led to the understanding that “in order to effectively engage Muslims on the level of either their internal narrative or their exterior practice, Adventists must first grasp the implications of their own distinctive biblically informed worldview and faith in relation to that of Islam. Only then can they more fully understand the implications of Islamic worldview and the nature of Islam within their Great Controversy metanarrative. Only then can they better intuit the existential impact which Islamic worldview has on the heart, soul and everyday life of a Muslim.” Using the Bible as his primary source, Dr. Sanou reminded attendees that “Scripture narrates the various missionary endeavors undertaken by God to redeem humanity. Because humans are all influenced and limited by the assumptions of their worldview, God takes into consideration various aspects of their less-than-perfect contextual frame of reference in the process of revealing his Word so that they can understand His revelations and meaningfully relate to Him. With this precedent, biblical scholars who care about the spiritual transformation and growth of their audiences must be acquainted not only with the principles and methods for interpreting Scripture, but also with the principles and methods for interpreting the context of their audiences.” In the final presentation of the symposium, Dr. Bauerpresented the topic,“The Importance of Worldview Change in the Conversion Process.” His paper revealed sobering realities regarding our conversion numbers. He pointed out that “too often Adventists only stress the importance of converting a person’s belief system and changing their behavior to reflect Seventh-day Adventist lifestyle and behavior in the conversion process and neglect dealing with the deep cultural values and assumptions. This lack often contributes to syncretism and dual allegiance.” His presentation shed light on the danger of “neglecting worldview change in the conversion process and offer[ed] several missiological suggestions for remedying this situation.” With such eye-opening realities, an obvious question begged to be asked, and Dr. Moskala asked it when he moderated the panel discussion: “How do you transform a person’s worldview?” In answer to that very necessary question, Dr. Sanou offered the following wisdom: “Weknow God is out there where we have not yet been. Since He is there … we should pray and ask God to reveal to us where He is already at work in other people’s lives. And then it is our job to only join God, on God’s terms.” This sentiment was shared by the panelists, who in their own way, surmised that worldview transformation is, ultimately, God’s very necessary work. To find out more about the symposium and its presenters, contact Ante JeronÄÂÂÂÂÂÂiÄÂÂÂÂÂÂ, associate Professor of Ethics and Theology, Andrews University. by Esther Green, Graduate Assistant, Seminary Dean's office   Fri, 30 Aug 2019 16:22:49 +0000 End It Now Summit [NAD] http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/54043 enditnow is a global initiative to raise awareness and advocate for the end of domestic/partner violence around the world. enditnow aims to mobilize Seventh-day Adventists around the world and invites other community groups to join in to resolve this worldwide issue. Every seminary student is expected to attend. Consequently, the 2:30 p.m.–5:20 p.m. Seminary classes scheduled for September 4 will be cancelled. NOTE: Seminary 6:30 p.m. classes will begin at 7 p.m. REGISTER HERE: <a href="http://www.enditnownorthamerica.org/registration">enditnownorthamerica.org/registration</a> Thu, 29 Aug 2019 14:58:53 +0000 Seminary Colloquium: David R. Williams http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/52575 The Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University is pleased to announce David R. Williams, PhD, MPH, as its colloquium speaker the morning of March 29 in the Seminary Chapel. Williams’ topic will be “Inter-Cultural Understandings for a Multi-Cultural Age.” Currently, Williams is the Norman Professor of Public Health and chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is also a professor of African and African American studies and sociology at Harvard University. Previously, he served on the faculty of Yale University (six years) and the University of Michigan (14 years). Ranked by Reuters (2014) as one of the world’s most influential scientific minds, Williams is an alumnus of Andrews University, Loma Linda University and the University of the Southern Caribbean and is an internationally recognized authority on social influences on health as well as other sociocultural issues of importance. Andrews University is proud of all its graduates and their accomplishments and is gladdened by the significant contributions Williams has made in the areas of sociology, health, academia and religion. Due to speaker popularity and the relevance of this topic to the entire community, attendees are encouraged to arrive early for a choice seat. This free event will be held, Friday, March 29, at the Seminary Chapel from 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Thu, 21 Mar 2019 13:31:33 +0000 Last Push! Care for Cuba: Equip Cuban Pastors http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/40710 Our missionaries are leaving in just over a month!  Very few pastors and Bible workers in Cuba have the needed technology, transportation, and ministry resources to reach these people and finish the gospel work. Would you help? Yes, you can help by giving to one or more of the projects listed on our website like bikes, donkeys, Bibles, computers or projectors. Visit CareforCuba.org to donate online or bring your donation (checks payable to Andrews University) to the Master of Divinity office. Your donation is 100% tax deductible! Time is running out. Adopt a project today! On behalf of the Cuban pastors and Bible workers, thank you! Watch our short video clip at: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyJ2BnsKGG4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyJ2BnsKGG4</a>.  <o:p></o:p> Tue, 01 Mar 2016 08:27:47 +0000 Last Push! Care for Cuba: Equip Cuban Pastors http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/40694 Our missionaries are leaving in just over a month!  Very few pastors and Bible workers in Cuba have the needed technology, transportation, and ministry resources to reach these people and finish the gospel work. Would you help? Yes, you can help by giving to one or more of the projects listed on our website like bikes, donkeys, Bibles, computers or projectors. Visit CareforCuba.org to donate online or bring your donation (checks payable to Andrews University) to the Master of Divinity office. Your donation is 100% tax deductible! Time is running out. Adopt a project today! On behalf of the Cuban pastors and Bible workers, thank you! Watch our short video clip at: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyJ2BnsKGG4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyJ2BnsKGG4</a>.  <o:p></o:p> Fri, 26 Feb 2016 08:41:33 +0000