This year’s Ellen White Symposium (October 6, 10am–2:30pm) will focus on how Ellen White and other Adventist pioneers confronted social issues of their day and what modern Adventists can learn from their willingness to engage in those issues.
The third symposium, held as part of Adventist Heritage Month in October since 2022, will end the series which started by examining the relationship between Ellen White’s writings and the Bible.
The second symposium covered other theological topics such as Ellen White’s understanding of salvation and the relevance of her writings to contemporary Adventism.
“The purpose we hoped for the symposia was to show our Adventist audience that what our pioneers were dealing with is still relevant today,” said Dr Darius Jankiewicz, South Pacific Division field secretary. “First we focused on interpretation and doctrinal issues, secondly salvation and more broadly, relevance for today. This year’s symposium is more about applying our faith to real life. We want to show today’s audience that we have a worthy tradition to follow.”
The symposia have been the result of close collaboration between four entities—the SPD Field Secretariat, the Ellen White Research Centre, the Adventist Heritage Centre and Adventist Media.
This year’s symposium is addressing an issue that Dr Jankiewicz hopes will be interesting and relevant to younger generations of Adventism, who often feel disconnected from Ellen White and her writings.
“It’s been quite a long time since our church started and the story of our pioneers is sometimes seen as irrelevant. This year’s symposium will show that our pioneers were deeply involved in the societal issues of their day. They were not isolating themselves from greater society,” said Dr Jankiewicz.
“We want to show that Ellen White and the other pioneers were rather radical for their time. They held strong positions on slavery, and other social issues, such as temperance, that were facing their society. They based their positions on the Bible and give us a blue print to follow,” added Pastor Mark Pearce, director of the Ellen White Research Centre at Avondale University.
According to Dr Jankiewicz, the online programs have already made an impact across the SPD and around the world. “Wherever I go across the Pacific, people talk about what they’ve seen, what they’ve learned and what they appreciate. People [around the world] are planning to use the video productions and re-enactments of Ellen White in Australia. Others want to collaborate. They have had an impact across the Division, giving our members a greater knowledge of and appreciation for Ellen White.”
Fulton Adventist University College has used the presentations in their theology classes and plan to tune in this year, as does Pacific Adventist University, hosting a viewing site for students.
To watch the symposium, or to view previous sessions visit the website.
