As the global Christian community reflects on Pentecost in 2025, a time often associated with evangelism, Seventh-day Adventist scholars are stepping into that role by sharing their faith and heritage with the broader academic world.

Pentecost 2025 is an initiative by the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists to inspire members to boldly share their faith, reflecting the spirit of the early church and emphasizing revival, witness, and mission across the Division and beyond.

Over the past 15 years, a growing number of Adventist historians have participated in the annual meetings of the American Society of Church History (ASCH), one of the most respected academic gatherings for scholars of religion. Their presence has helped shed light on who Adventists are and how their faith has shaped both American and global religious history.

Michael Campbell, who directs Archives, Statistics, and Research for the Adventist Church in North America, recalls the first Adventist-focused session he organized in 2015. “Since then, more than a dozen Adventist academics have presented papers at these meetings,” he said.

This year’s ASCH conference, held January 3–6, 2025, in Chicago, centered on the theme of “Legends.” Eight Adventist scholars contributed research, including two dedicated panel sessions—one exploring the life and influence of Ellen White, a founder of the Adventist Church, and another examining how the Adventist experience is perceived by those outside the faith.

Heidi Olson Campbell, a PhD candidate at Baylor University, presented on the complex history of anti-Trinitarian movements during the Reformation. Nathan Hilton, of Harvard University’s Afro-Latin American Research Institute, explored intersections between Afro-Caribbean religion and Protestant belief in his paper on the death of John Wesley Manns. Michael W. Campbell also participated, responding to the recent book Turning Points in American Church History (Baker Academic, 2024). On Saturday evening, the Adventist Church’s North American research team hosted a dinner to connect Adventist scholars and encourage collaboration.

Historic Panel Discussions on Adventism

For the first time in ASCH history, two full panel sessions were dedicated to Adventist topics. The first, “Adventism from the Outside: Demythologizing Adventist Legends,” looked at how non-Adventist scholars view the faith tradition.

Highlights included:

• Kevin Burton (Andrews University) examined how early Adventists aligned with the abolitionist movement.

• Jeffrey Rosario (Loma Linda University) discussed how some prominent atheists recognized the Adventist Church’s warnings against religious oppression and government overreach.

• Shawn Brace analyzed the tension between the Adventist Church’s public rejection of creeds and its clear internal beliefs.

The second panel, “The Legend of Ellen White: An American Woman Religious Leader,” placed Ellen White in the broader context of influential women in American religious life.

Presenters included:

• Denis Kaiser (Andrews University), who explained that Ellen White’s experiences of divine inspiration didn’t fit neatly into modern theories and were often misunderstood.

• Michael W. Campbell, who highlighted her global vision and commitment to making her writings accessible in multiple languages during her lifetime.

• David Holland (Harvard University), who noted that White’s lack of scandal and the small size of the Adventist Church may explain the limited scholarly attention she has received compared to other religious figures.

Both sessions were well-attended, marking the strongest Adventist presence yet at ASCH and signaling a turning point for academic engagement with Adventist history and theology.

Seeing the Broader Picture Through an Adventist Lens

John Corrigan, a respected scholar from Florida State University, compared the current rise in Adventist studies to the growing academic interest in Mormonism during the 1980s. He suggested that Adventist scholarship is reaching a similar moment—one where its growing body of work could reshape how American religious history is understood.

“When people began seriously studying Mormonism using historical archives, it changed how that faith was viewed in the broader story of American religion,” Corrigan said. “Now, I can see things differently when I use an Adventist lens.”

As interest in Adventist scholarship expands, it’s not just about understanding one denomination—it’s about rethinking the whole religious landscape, both in the U.S. and globally. For Adventist scholars and church members, this kind of academic engagement is not only a form of intellectual contribution, but also a meaningful way to share their faith with the world.

The original article was published on the North American Division news site.