Christians must share their faith in a way that respects individuals and is sensitive to different cultures, said a group of scholars, pastors, and students meeting at a Seventh-day Adventist university at Collonges-sous-Salève, France, April 26 to 28. The symposium, organized by the Adventist School of Theology at Saleve Adventist University, was entitled “Proselytism or Mission?,” and brought together participants and speakers from France, United States, Netherlands, and Switzerland.

John Graz, public affairs and religious liberty director for the world church and one of the presenters, said the issue of sensitive evangelism is crucial, and he outlined a “Code of Good Conduct” for evangelism. “In disseminating material and sharing our faith it is essential that we respect others and be sensitive to their cultural or religious values,” he said. “Without this, evangelism may seem more like aggression.”

“Attacking others is the wrong way to share the Gospel, and gives a wrong vision of Christianity,” said Roland Minnerath, a speaker at the conference and theological professor at the University of Strasbourg, France.

Bernard Sauvagnat, dean of the Adventist School of Theology at Collonges, said the focus of the event was timely. “Since September 11 last year, everyone is aware that we live in a world where ‘the war of gods is in process,’ to borrow a phrase from social scientist Max Weber, or the ‘clash of civilizations,’ in the words of Samuel Huntington. And we must know, as Christians and as Seventh-day Adventists, where we are in the conflict, so that we act in the proper way, preaching the good news and not fighting uselessly against people.”

Sauvagnat said the faculty plans to organize an international colloquium every year to deal with topics that are of interest both to the Adventist Church and to other non-Adventist schools of theology. “It is also an opportunity to publish a volume of lectures of the guest speakers,” he explained. “This publication helps our school to be better known and to bring its point of view to the academic world.”

The Adventist Church has a strong commitment to evangelism and is one of the fastest-growing Christian churches in the world, with an average of 1 million people joining the denomination each year. In July 2000, Adventists issued an official church statement on proselytism, affirming the biblical responsibility to share Christianity, but condemning unethical means of persuasion, such as force or material inducements. The statement can be read at www.adventist.org/beliefs/main_stat50.html.