In November 2007, the Seventh South-American Biblical-Theological Symposium met in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where in 1999 the second symposium had already assembled. Present were several hundred people including scholars and theologians of the South American Division, administrators, and local pastors and theology students. The event was hosted by the Universidad Adventista de Bolivia which did an outstanding job in organizing the meetings. The topic of the 2007 meeting was Christology. As usual, BRI and several North American scholars were invited to present lectures. In about three days thirteen plenary sessions and approximately 72 seminars were held. There was an excellent spirit of unity and joy.

At the end, a declaration prepared during the symposium was discussed and voted which expressed the belief of those assembled in the incarnate, crucified, resurrected, and living Christ who now serves in the heavenly sanctuary. It reaffirmed the group’s full commitment to the Adventist faith, hope, lifestyle, and mission in the context of a biblical Christology. Statements on Scripture and its interpretation which form the foundation for Christology were followed by statements on the nature and ministry of Christ, the church as body of Christ, and the participants’ determination to live intimately with Christ.

Point 4 of the consensus statement was especially interesting. It affirmed faith in the full divinity and complete humanity of Christ expressing that Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, possessed two natures, a divine nature and a human nature. Jesus was fully God and fully human. He is coeternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He offered Himself on the cross as the once-and-for-all sacrifice to redeem all those who would believe in Him. As a human being Christ was born into a world affected by sin and inherited the weaknesses of humanity “after four thousand years of sin.” He had the same needs that all humans have and experienced their suffering. “However, he did not possess sinful passions nor any propensities towards evil.” While it was possible for Him to sin and while He was tempted in all things, He remained without sin.

The next symposium will be held in Brazil in July 2009.