His lecture explored themes such as orality, holy space, priesthood, the role of the Temple, rituals, sacrifices and other facets of Old Testament faith. He had the full attention of his audience as he explained the history, content, and practical application of Hebrews to contemporary spirituality \u2013 some of it particularly relevant to Seventh-day Adventist teachings about the sanctuary. As one of his hearers commented: \u2018Jean-Claude always tells you all the academic stuff \u2013 and then he hits you with the gospel!<\/p>\n
The hidden purpose of the event became obvious when Dr Tihomir Lazi\u0107, Principal Lecturer in Systematic Theology at NCHE, walked to the lectern from the back of the hall for a \u2018surprise\u2019 presentation!<\/p>\n
Lazi\u0107 began with a curriculum vitae of Verrecchia for the audience, naming a few highlights of his career. He used a couple of metaphors to describe him \u2013 the first particularly appropriate for a theologian who is an accomplished musician, proficient in both piano and organ. Lazi\u0107 described Verrecchia as a “virtuoso of sacred interpretation”. To use another metaphor, Verrecchia has devoted his life, said Lazi\u0107, to “wrestling with the biblical text \u2013 reading, translating and interpreting its meaning, tracing its transmission and reception through the centuries and exploring its contemporary relevance.”<\/p>\n
Verrecchia\u2019s career spans pastoral work in various parts of France, followed by decades of teaching and research. He taught in Cameroon and at the French Seventh-day Adventist Seminary in Collonges, where he served as Rector, Dean of the Faculty, and Lecturer in New Testament. From 2005 to his retirement in 2018, he served as a Principal Lecturer in New Testament Studies, Hermeneutics, and Second Temple Literature at Newbold College.<\/p>\n
Verrecchia has also been actively involved in Adventist theological education and biblical research. He played a key role in the establishment and activities of the group EASTRS (European Adventist Society of Theology and Religious Studies), including organising conferences and contributing to their magazine, Spes Christiana<\/em>, which aims to foster scholarly theological dialogue and education within the Adventist community and beyond. His work emphasises the importance of continual reformation and adaptation, encapsulated in the motto Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda<\/em> (“a reformed church always reforming”).<\/p>\n Working with Biblical scholars in other traditions has been a constant in his career. For many years, he has been a respected leader and contributor to the work of the French Bible Society. He is one of the co-editors of the highly esteemed French study Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond. This work and his Itin\u00e9raires: Balises pour explorer la Bible<\/em>\u00a0(Beacons on the Journey to explore the Bible) both make the Bible more accessible to French speakers who want to bridge the gap between ancient texts and modern readers. In 2011, he founded \u2018Bible et Culture\u2019<\/em>\u00a0 an interdenominational association that organises conferences and spiritual events open to all denominations.<\/p>\n The \u2018seminar\u2019 event continued when on behalf of his colleagues in The Centre for Ministry and Mission at NCHE, Lazi\u0107 presented Verrecchia with a copy of a Festschrift in his honour \u2014a compilation of 23 insightful essays exploring text, translation, and transformation, edited by Lazi\u0107 and published in 2025 by Newbold Academic Press to mark Verrecchia\u2019s distinguished academic career.<\/p>\n In his response, Verrecchia confessed that when NCHE invited him to bring his wife, Cathrine, for this occasion, he had wondered if something special was going to happen! He was also aware that \u2018someone\u2019 had been \u2018untidying\u2019 his office at home as she looked for the material to write the biographical sketch, which forms the first chapter of the Festschrift. Obviously, a man not easily surprised! But, he said, to his colleagues and former students who had gathered, “Thank you very much. I love you all. You know that!”<\/p>\n Typically, the afternoon session ended with a question-and-answer session. Verrecchia spent 40 minutes answering questions about his presentation and other aspects of his work with the Bible. At the beginning, he offered a typical Verrecchia observation directed at the students in the audience: \u2018I hate parrots,\u2019 he said! “We have too many parrots in our church…just repeating and repeating endlessly….The church needs more than parrots…the world must be led by people who read.” When it comes to reading the Bible, Dr Jean-Claude Verrecchia has devoted his life to showing us how to do it \u2013 and for this, many people are grateful!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can watch the Verrecchia Festschrift Lecture here<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Laszlo-Galluz.jpg\")
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