Proposal Accepted for ‘Oxford Handbook of Seventh-day Adventism’

More than two years ago, a project was conceptualized that would cover Seventh-day Adventism in the Oxford Handbookseries. Recently, a proposal for this project was accepted by Oxford University Press (OUP). The project will be led by faculty from several institutions, with primary involvement from two Adventist universities in the United States: Andrews University and Southwestern Adventist University.

The completed book will contain approximately 40 chapters written by well-recognized Seventh-day Adventist and non-Adventist scholars who have a demonstrable track record of peer-reviewed publications. The chapters will be organized into seven overarching sections that will address various topics, including the history of Adventism, Adventist theology, organization, and approach to culture, ethics, and politics. Each chapter will provide scholarly and historical overviews for the topics as well as footnotes and a “Further Suggested Readings” section.

“We believe this is a very significant academic project for the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” said Michael W. Campbell, professor of religion at Southwestern Adventist University and a member of the editorial team. “This will be the first one-volume authoritative reference work relating to the church published by a major academic publisher. As such, this work will appear in academic libraries around the world. It will be the starting point for scholars, students, and others, perhaps unfamiliar with Adventism, to learn about the Adventist Church.”

Denis Kaiser, assistant professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University and also a member of the editorial team, said, “In the last decade, Seventh-day Adventists frequently appeared in the news. Such media appearances highlight aspects of Adventism but are unable to meet the need for a well-rounded, thorough, and nuanced work on the Adventist community. We are excited that Oxford University Press sees value in this project. We are further glad we could win 40 authors from around the world. Writing from a variety of perspectives, they will certainly offer an enriching kaleidoscope into the history, beliefs, convictions, activities, and cultures within Seventh-day Adventism.”

Additional members of the editorial team are Christie Chui-Shan Chow, faculty at the City Seminary of New York and educational missionary to China; Nicholas P. Miller, professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University; and David F. Holland, professor of New England church history at Harvard University. 

“The ‘Oxford Handbook of Seventh-day Adventism’ provides a unique opportunity to establish an authoritative reference work on the Seventh-day Adventist Church that is intended for the general public,” said Ella Simmons, general vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “In recent years, Adventist scholars have made significant contributions to religious literature that create a comprehensive and balanced knowledge base about the diverse worldwide Adventist community.”

It is projected that the chapters will be completed by summer 2020, with a finished manuscript submitted to Oxford University Press by summer 2021.