Title: Prague: Adventists and Evangelicals Meet in Dialogue
August 15, 2006
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland
Prague: Adventists and Evangelicals Meet in Dialogue
Prague/Czech Republic (APD) Representatives of the worldwide
Seventh-day Adventist Church and the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)
met in dialogue August 8-11, 2006 on the campus of the International
Baptist Theological Seminary, located in Prague, Czech Republic. Although
informal contacts had occurred during the past 50 years, this was the first
official meeting of the two groups.
The purposes of the dialogue were: To gain a clearer understanding of the
theological positions of each body; To clarify matters of misunderstanding;
To discuss frankly areas of agreement and disagreement on a Biblical
basis; and to explore possible areas of cooperation.
Representing the Evangelical Alliance were: Dr. Rolf Hille (Tuebingen/
Germany), chairman of the Theological Commission, WEA; Dr. Juerg
Buchegger; Pastor James Kautt; Dr. Herbert Klement; Dr. Ian Randall,
joined by theological expert Dr. Reinhard Hempelmann. The
Seventh-day Adventist representatives were: Dr. John Graz (Silver Spring,
MD/USA), Secretary of the Council on Interchurch / Interfaith
Relations; Dr. Niels-Erik Andreasen; Dr. Bert B. Beach; Dr. Kwabena Donkor;
Dr. Eugene Hsu; Dr. William Johnsson; Dr. Teresa Reeve; and Dr. Angel
Rodriguez. Drs. Hille and Graz co-chaired the discussions.
The dialogue proceeded via several papers and presentations that
described the respective profiles of Adventists and the Alliance.
Representatives discussed the platform of beliefs held in common by
Evangelicals: the Holy Scriptures, the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ,
justification by faith, the new birth, the unity of the Spirit, and the
Resurrection. They also considered Adventist presentations on the
interpretation of Scripture; Gospel, Law, and the Sabbath; and relations
with other churches.
Representatives participated together in daily worship and fellowship.
The dialogue revealed a large measure of common ground as
agreement was found between the beliefs of the Evangelical Alliance
Statement of Faith and the Adventist Statement of Fundamental Beliefs;
further, the two groups shared a spirit of devotion and piety, a strong
belief in the inspiration and authority of Scripture, and a common
concern for united Christian witness in an age of increasing secularism and
religious pluralism.
The meeting concluded by planning for a second round of discussions to be
held August 6-10, 2007, on the campus of Andrews University, Berrien Springs,
Michigan, USA. Topics to be covered include the role and authority of
Ellen White, a co-founder and counsellor to the church; Adventists'
approach to Biblical apocalyptic, including the teaching of the pre-Advent
judgment and the Remnant; and trends among Evangelicals worldwide.
The Evangelical World Alliance represents some 420 million evangelical
Christians in 127 countries drawn from many denominations. The
Seventh-day Adventist Church, a Christian World Communion, has
more than 30 million members and adepts in 204 countries.
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