Arts and Humanities Commons^™

“Don’T Get It Twisted!”: James Cone, His Black Theology Of Liberation, And What It Means For 21st Century Adventism, Willie Edward Hucks Ii

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Fifty years ago (1970) saw the publication of James Cone’s seminal second book, A Black Theology of Liberation. Though not the first black to question a Eurocentric spin of the biblical record, Cone is viewed by many blacks as the greatest African-American systematic theologian of the 20th century. Largely dismissed as standing to the far left of mainstream Christian thought, Cone’s writings have experienced a renaissance among the casual followers of his theology due to the twin factors of his 2018 death at age 79, and the 50th anniversary of his first book, written in 1969, Black Theology and Black …

The Social Gospel Movement And Adventism From Late Ninteenth To Early Twentieth Century In The United States, Michelet William

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The Social Gospel is a religious social-reform movement prominent in the United States from about 1870 to 1920. Advocates of the movement interpreted the Kingdom of God as requiring social as well as individual salvation and sought the betterment of industrialized society through application of the biblical principles of charity and justice. The Social Gospel is rooted in American Protestant liberalism, which was largely influenced by the ideologies of the Progressive Era during late nineteenth century. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, while distancing itself from the Social Gospel mainly due to theological reasons, had fought for social issues of its time …

What Was So Attractive In Artemis/Diana Worship, And What Was The Rationale For Christians Not To Follow Pagan Ideology?, Georg Filippou

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The last few decades of archaeological research in Ephesus have revealed new insights into the context of Paul’s writings. In the past many commentators have assumed that the Artemis cult was sex-saturated at the time of Paul, and therefore interpreted the biblical texts from that perspective. However, more recent scholarship has suggested the opposite. Mystery religions elevated the status of women. In the creation narrative of Artemis, the woman was born first. In refraining from everything that is part of a marriage, women could reach salvation. It is therefore not surprising that Paul addressed issues connected to women (creation, marriage, …

Ethical Implications Of The Academic Battle Between Evolutionists And Interventionists In The Search For Truth About Origins, Mihai Bijacu

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

In the outgoing discussion over the very hot topic of the evolution - creation controversy, the two sides have often forgotten that the ultimate goal is to find out the truth about origins and not to defeat the opponent. This paper explores four types of misconducts when dealing with origins (ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, misrepresenting challenges and passing opinions as facts) and suggests ways of dealing with them in order to foster a sound environment for arguments on both sides to be heard faithfully and to promote the search for truth.

A Covenant Interpretive Hypothesis For The Sacrifice Of Isaac: Unbinding With The Test Answer Key, Arlyn S. Drew

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Abraham’s test of the sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22 hangs on God’s words. God’s last speech in the test functions as a divine interpretation of Abraham’s test actions (“because you have done this thing“ v. 16) for the covenant blessings (vv. 16-18) sequentially evoke all of Abraham’s seven covenant revelations except for the sixth (Abraham’s intercession in Gen 18). Since the covenant lessons are used as the divine norm for evaluating Abraham, one logical interpretative hypothesis for the test is a covenant-crisis challenge designed to elicit a comprehensive covenant response from the divinely trained Abraham. This covenant interpretation satisfies …

Missionary Bridges Toward Postmodernism, Bogdan Platon

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The poster will observe the postmodern spirituality and will describe some possible bridges of connection between Christian mission and postmodern worldview. This will help to develop a better Christian mission with more effective relationships with Postmodern people.

Is There A Hidden Test Answer Key In The Aqedah? A Literary Structural Study., Arlyn S. Drew

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The Aqedah (“Binding of Isaac”) or the Sacrifice of Isaac of Genesis 22:1–19 is framed as a divine test (v. 1). Scholars recognize the “structure matches exactly what a test is made up of.” Yet, paradox and tension mark Abraham’s trial. Why does God test Abraham by requiring the horrific sacrifice of Isaac then reverse himself? Since literary structure reveals the vision of the narrator, Jacques Doukhan’s chiastic structure (vv. 1–12) convincingly delineates the plot tension and dialogues. But verses 13–19 also correlate with parts of the chiasm and covenant revelations assuming the shape of a metaphorical key. If the …

Recognition Assembly, Jiří Moskala

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Highlighted Projects

Denis Fortin One in Christ: Biblical Concepts for a Doctrine of Church Unity

Denis Fortin, Abner F. Hernández, and Davide Sciarabba, eds. ¿Por qué creemos en E. G. White y el don profético?: Una perspectiva histórica y bíblica

Denis Fortin and Jerry Moon, eds. Enciclopédia Ellen G. White

Richard M. Davidson and Edgard A. Horna, eds. “Me invocarás, y yo te responderé”: Estudios selectos en el Salterio

Ranko Stefanovic The Book of Revelation

Bruce L. Bauer, ed. Finding Freedom in Jesus: A Deliverance Ministry Manual

Gorden R. Doss Introduction to Adventist Mission

Joseph Kidder Out of Babylon

Joseph …

Ellen White And Subordination Within The Trinity, Nathaniel Robert Gibbs

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been engaged in a debate about the role of women in ministry, especially as it concerns ordination. While engaging in this debate, some have used the doctrine of Trinity to support their understanding of the different roles in gender. Specifically, the subordination of Jesus to the Father as evidence of a correlation with the subordination of women to men. In order to find support for the way some believe ministry should be practiced, they have turned to the writings of Ellen White. They have attempted to support a subordinationism within the Trinity with her writings. …

1 Timothy 3: Who Can Be An Officer? An Exegetical And Historical Study, Jose N. Briones

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Who is able to hold the offices of the church, deacons and elders, within the Seventh-day Adventist Church? The question of gender roles and the church’s understanding of who is sanctioned by the Scriptures to aspire to that office is a revolving matter today. The topic has been around in discussion for about 40 years now without a final answer within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Therefore, it is the aim of this paper to focus on the consistency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with its own statements and policies, and the text of 1 Timothy 3. Moreover, it will propose …

Fine-Tuning The Hermeneutical Spiral, Arlyn S. Drew

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

A hermeneutical spiral model illustrates the temporal process of inductive and deductive reasoning for interpretation. The Hermeneutical Spiral by Osborne describes a conical spiral that stretches from the ancient text to the modern world of the listener. Unfortunately, this model implies a trade-off of biblical authority for increasing relevance as it moves away from Scripture. To avoid this problem a viable hermeneutical model must allow Scripture to norm the whole process (Sola Scriptura). In addition, the worlds of meaning unpacked from the text (Tota Scriptura), the worlds of meaning of the interpreter (Prima Scriptura), and the fusion of those worlds …

Experiences Of Youth And Young Adults’ Engagement In Sabbath School, Jharony Fernandez-Gibbs, Deslynne Roberts

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Sabbath School has been an established program for spiritual growth, faith development and relationship building for congregants of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA), yet youth and young adults experience different levels of engagement in Sabbath School. Concerns from the North American Division Youth Ministry Department report an increased lack of engagement from youth and young adults attending Sabbath School programs. Similarly, many young adults question whether Sabbath School is essential in their walk with God. Consequently, a recent survey conducted on the campus of Andrews University obtained insight from youth and young adults about their Sabbath School experience. Emerging results …

Hierarchy Or Mutuality In The Trinity? A Case Study On The Relationship Of The Son And The Holy Spirit In The New Testament, Matthew L. Tinkham Jr.

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Statement of the Problem: Over the last forty years, the Trinity has become a central topic of debate among evangelical theologians in all disciplines due to the popularization of a newer conception of the Trinity—referred to by many as eternal, functional subordination (EFS), but will hereafter be called “neo-subordinationism.” Neo-subordinationism affirms that the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son and Spirit—are fully equal ontologically, but denies equality in terms of roles, functions, and authority. It asserts that there is a unilateral-hierarchical ordering pattern that is essential to the triune God in which the Son is exclusively subordinated in function and …

Is There Anything Wrong With The Slogan “My Body My Choice” When It Comes To Abortion?, Jean Amost Cadet

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Early evidence of induced abortion goes back to the 1500s BC. Aristotle’s work, later, described both chemical and mechanical methods to induce it, and ancient Rome also practiced it as a means of population control. Throughout history, there have also been primarily two opposing views regarding a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy early: one, called pro-choice, which supports abortion for diverse reasons; and the other, pro-life, which opposes that practice, because to them, it is an attack on the most defenseless and helpless class of individuals, the unborn. The pro-choice group often refers to the slogan “My Body, My …

Pauline Pneumatology: Where Is The Spirit In Colossians?, Matthew L. Tinkham Jr.

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Many scholars have noted a significant difference between the theology of the undisputed Pauline writings and that of Colossians, namely the abundance of pneumatology in the former and its apparent absence in the latter. If Colossians is a Pauline epistle, where is the Spirit? This study seeks to answer this question by conducting an exegetical and intertextual analysis of pneumatological language and concepts in the undisputed Pauline writings and Colossians. This analysis leads the study to conclude that, while pneumatology features less prominently in Colossians than in the undisputed Pauline writings, it still is present in four explicit and seven …

Students And Documents: Mindsets And Outcomes, Terry Dwain Robertson

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The library contains documents in a variety of formats. As a matter of course, students access these documents as a normal feature of “getting” an education. This poster illustrates three mindsets students adopt as they engage with library documents.

1. Learning -- readers absorb the content into their knowledge base trusting the reliability and authority of the creator of the work. The mindset of the reader is passive. 2. Information Seeking -- readers have a question for which they are seeking an answer, and are assuming that someone who knows the answer has documented it where they can find it. …

The Nature Of “Cut Off” In The Book Of Leviticus: An Exegetical And Intertextual Study, Jose Briones

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it seeks to find the most general meaning of the word כרָּתַ (“cut off”) in the book of Leviticus by syntactical and exegetical analysis of Torah examples. Second, it will apply that meaning to inter-textual references with an emphasis on Daniel 9:26 concerning the Messiah. The article will conclude with an alternate views analysis and weigh which one is most consistent with the Messiah’s cutting off. The research concludes by showing the importance of כרָּתַ in the Old and New Testaments especially in correlation with Christ’s cutting off ( כרָּתַ ). The …

Objective Research? In The Seminary?, Terry Dwain Robertson

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

Common understandings of “objective” research include values such as “factual” and “interpretive neutrality”. There is a growing consensus that the person doing the research, counts as much as if not more in the interpretive outcomes than the “facts” alone, and that “interpretive neutrality” is not possible. The poster explores an alternative framing of “objective research” as the grounded, intentional and savvy analysis of an “object” in conversation with a community of peers/experts for the purpose of creating knowledge. Following Ferraris’ ontology, three classes of “objects” exist. 1. Natural objects: exist whether or not a person notices them. Example: table, tree. …

Gutierrez And Marx: Christian Ethics From The Roots Of Marxism, Omar Montilla

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The study of theology in the last century faced constant calls for relevance and connection with human struggles. Many responses thought to make theology more significant in relation to politics and ethics. Liberation theology is one of such responses focused on the social struggle of Central and South American countries, influencing also several countries and sectors of society around the world. The writings of Carl Marx became involved in many of the social movements in the twentieth century. It was used by liberation theology in their search for

relevance and understanding of the struggles of society. Marxist ideal is that …

Interpretations Of Spiritual House In 1 Peter 2:4–10 And Their Implications On The Indwelling Of Divine Presence, Cory Wetterlin

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The person-to-person paradigm of divine presence within the OT, the time of the first advent of Jesus in the NT, and after the second advent of the Jesus in the New Jerusalem poses a question of divine presence for the waiting period in between Jesus ascension and Second Advent. In what way is the Holy Spirit present with the Christian church during this time of waiting? The question for this research is in what way, if at all, does the concept of the spiritual house of 1 Peter address the issue of divine presence? The way in which this research …

The Interplay Between Forms Of Revelation: Implications For Theological Methodology, Andrew Tompkins

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The interplay between forms of revelation has been a matter of much discussion in theological discourse for many centuries. While this paper is not particularly concerned with the final say on the doctrine of revelation it is concerned with revelation and its relation to theological method. In other words, what is the significance of the various modes or forms that revelation takes in connection with the way theology is approached and done? The thesis of this paper is that God is not limited to one form of revelation, but rather that each revelatory form can and does inform the others …

The Church And Sexual-Identity, And Gender-Variance Issues, Peter Swanson

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

An overview of issues related to gender variance and gender identity formation is presented. Implications for church leaders, pastors, and congregations are discussed.