07 February 2013 Bracknell, United Kingdom [Kirsty Watkins, Newbold] Newbold College of Higher Education will host its second annual all-day Bible Conference on Saturday 9 March, 2013, with the theme ‘Hearing the Prophetic Voice!’ Early bird registration for the conference closes on 16 February, and places are still available.
The conference will feature Aulikki Nakhola (Principal Lecturer in Old Testament and Biblical Languages), Michael Pearson (Principal Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics), Radisa Antic (Principal Lecturer in Systematic Theology), Gifford Rhamie (Lecturer in Pastoral and New Testament Studies) and Bjorn Ottesen (Lecturer in Pastoral Studies) from Newbold’s Department of Theological Studies, each speaking on a variation of the conference theme.
Disturbing the peace: Ellen White, the prophecies and the people
Michael Pearson has lectured in many parts of the world on contemporary moral issues. His doctoral research included a study of the responses of Ellen White to various problems facing the Church in her lifetime.
“Prophets disturb people. They are never universally loved in their own time. Ellen White was no exception. Church leaders sometimes felt threatened. Fanatics misunderstood her. Ordinary folk were sometimes dismayed, sometimes profoundly grateful. This is another side of the story of the charismatic leader of the Adventist Church… And incidentally, almost a hundred years after her death, attitudes to her messages have changed very little. But perhaps they should.”
What is prophecy?
Aulikki Nakhola has worked previously as a pastor in her native Finland and as a lecturer in Ghana, Uganda, the United States, and several British universities and colleges. Her main interested is in biblical interpretations and her publications include a book and several articles.
“Do we need to know the future – or just to remember how God has led us in the past? And why did God need prophets, when Israel already had the priesthood to guide them? And why do some prophets speak in plain language about armies with spears and arrows coming to conquer, while others paint mysterious images of lions with eagle’s wings? Prophecy is the most essential and most interesting aspect of our biblical past for us to understand!”
Transformed through His promise of the second coming
In addition to his role as Principal Lecturer in Systematic Theology, Radisa Antic is also the Director of the Ellen White Research Centre Europe. He empathises with those who describe and experience ‘spiritual pain’ as they await the second coming of Jesus Christ. He is passionate about addressing the promise of Christ’s second coming as a key theological issue.
“The name of our church, ‘Seventh-day Adventists,’ points to the meaningful beginning of human history (‘seventh-day’) and to the meaningful end (‘Adventists’). If human history has a meaningful beginning and a meaningful end, it therefore, means that the present existence of human beings may also be meaningful. By believing this, do we belong to the group of ‘fools’ of this world and what are the evidences on which we base our firm belief in the promised future of the planet earth?”
The prophetic voice: a lived reality
Gifford Rhamie is the Director of Field Education at Newbold, where he assists students in thinking through a balance between giving appropriate pastoral responses and providing prophetic leadership to the challenging demands of our Church community and beyond.
“I wish to explore what social and political contexts in today’s society call for a prophetic voice to be heard. I believe prophetic truth, which is honest, pure and loving – and justice is what love looks like in public – can speak not only to the pockets of individual lives, but to the street corners of civic and national responsibility. The church, which keeps God’s prophetic voice alive, is often best placed to hold governments, institutions, communities and individuals to account especially in terms of the way they function and live their lives along side each other. Our prophetic voice will give witness to God’s word that, ‘the hour of His judgement has come’ (Rev 14.6-14).”
Rediscovering prophetic roots
Bjorn Ottesen (MDiv) has worked as a pastor in Seventh-day Adventist churches in Norway, Sweden and Denmark for 17 years, and as president of the Swedish Union and Danish Union for the last 11 years.
“The guidance that came through Ellen G White’s ministry was a strong influence in forming the early Adventist movement. Two examples would be her emphasis on health ministries and education as a part of God’s redemptive plan. Bible interpretations made by the pioneers together with the counsel from Ellen G White brought practical answers to the questions of those times. As both society and the church has changed, how do we relate to the prophetic guidance and how do we apply it? Can the counsels from that time give guidance to the Church today? This presentation gives examples of how the church in its ministry and message can be faithful to the prophetic guidance, while doing a different ministry for a new time.”
The Bible Conference will be held on the campus of Newbold College of Higher Education in Binfield, and will commence with registration from 8:30am and conclude with supper at 17:30. Full registration is £75 and includes a complimentary copy of the NRSV Bible, lunch, supper and refreshments. The early bird rate of £50 closes 16 February 2013. For more information, or to register, call +44 (0)1344 407420 or visit www.newbold.ac.uk/bible-conference. [tedNEWS]
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