Almost four hundred Seventh-day Adventist theologians, college and university professors, and church administrators from around the world convened in Rome, Italy from June 11–21, 2018 to participate in the Fourth International Bible Conference. The theme of the gathering was eschatology which belongs to the very ethos of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Our church was not only conceived in the womb of great eschatological hope but our biblical understanding of prophecy and end-time events gives our mission purpose and urgency and shapes our theological identity and hope.
The event was organized by the Biblical Research Institute, which exists to “promote the study and practice of Adventist theology and lifestyle as understood by the world church,” by providing research-based theological resources and by “facilitating dialogue within the Adventist theological community.”
As part of his introductory remarks, Ted Wilson, President of the Adventist Church, greeted the scholars, sharing his deep interest in the subject. “The thing that drives me, animates me, keeps me moving toward the goal is Jesus’ soon coming,” said Wilson. “I believe that this is going to be an extraordinary time, focusing on an extraordinary topic.”
During the Bible Conference more than one hundred theological presentations were made in ten days. Attendees chose amongst seminars exploring the theme of eschatology from biblical, theological, historical, prophetic, scientific, ethical, and missiological perspectives. The plenary presentations, papers, and panel discussions presented gave an opportunity to study the Word of God more deeply, to address current questions and to tackle challenges the Church faces on this subject. The event fostered the exploration of biblical ideas and encouraged dialogue within the Adventist theological community. Getting acquainted with one another and learning from each other was an enriching and life-changing experience. However, just as important was the fellowship and worship shared with brothers and sisters from around the world. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit important places connected to the ancient city of Rome, which helped to better understand the prophetic significance of Rome in history and that “kings and kingdoms shall pass away,” but the kingdom of God will last forever.
At the conclusion of the ten-day event attendees voted a consensus statement, reaffirming the Adventist understanding of biblical prophecy, end-time events, and the missiological implications for the church. The text of the consensus statement is included in this newsletter.