Pioneer missionary Benny Tavodi and popular evangelist George Burnside are among the many individuals from the South Pacific Division (SPD) whose biographies feature in the new Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists (ESDA), which launches this week.

ESDA is an exciting global project for several years in the making. Of the 8500 entries documenting the history and life of the Adventist Church around the world, 611 are from the SPD, with a further 19 currently being edited. The benefit of the digital format is that ESDA can be continually updated and expanded.

Scholars, teachers, and authors from every division have contributed to the project, including 140 writers from the SPD, and this is the first time some of the stories have been told.

In his role as ESDA regional editor, former Division president Dr. Barry Oliver has been busy coordinating local writers and entries for the project. There are articles on each union, conference, mission, and institution, as well as on significant people and events from the South Pacific.

“No project ever attempted by the church has had this breadth of input,” Oliver says. “We are a global church and it is entirely appropriate that our encyclopedia should be produced by the contributions of writers from right around the globe. Some authors live in remote locations such as Choiseul Island in the Solomon Islands. Some live at Avondale University College. They come from every continent except Antarctica as far as I know.”

Some of the stories have left a lasting impression on Oliver. 

“The amazing courage, commitment, and, dare I say it, intestinal fortitude of people I had not heard of blew me away,” he says. “It is not a coincidence that our church is the global, growing church that it is today. And when one realizes that it all is within the providence and blessing of God, it is moving to say the least. The stories of people and places are so good that they can be used for serious research or enjoyable reading. Like me, I am sure you will be amazed at what you learn.”

Importantly, Oliver hasn’t shied away from including some of the more colorful and controversial characters and events from our past. “It’s not all sanitized history,” he admits.

And this is just the beginning—much of the story is still to be told. As Oliver points, out, this is a good start but more needs to be done. 

“And it can be done because for the first time, we have a resource that is online,” he says. “Not only can each article be expanded, supplemented, and, if necessary, corrected, but we can add articles on people and places that have been important in our church.”

According to Oliver, there are three things we can take away from the encyclopedia: Information, identity, and inspiration.

“Every effort has been made to thoroughly research each topic and the facts are supported with endnotes and sources of information,” he explains. “The ESDA also answers questions like where did the Seventh-day Adventist Church come from? How did we get to be the church we are today? Why are we here? And what does our past say about our future? The stories of people and places and an understanding of the scope and purpose of our operations are inspiring, heart-warming, and in some cases challenging.”

SPD president Pastor Glenn Townend said the ESDA will be an incredibly valuable resource for those interested in the history and development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“Reading the encyclopedia will not only inform with researched history, but it will also inspire you to continue to serve in the footsteps of those who have sacrificed much to create the dynamic Church that we have today in the South Pacific,” Pastor Townend said. “There is much interesting history for sermons, study papers, talks, and more.”

The ESDA was originally due to be launched at the now-postponed 2020 General Conference Session. Instead, the launch will take place on the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s official YouTube channel at 3 p.m. on July 1. Members around the world are invited to tune into the launch. (Note: the difference in time zones will mean that the launch will be at 5 a.m. on July 2 AEST.)

For more information and to access the Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia go to encyclopedia.adventist.org.

This article was originally published on the website of Adventist Record