An international group of 12 leading Seventh-day Adventist scholars has written a book billed as an Adventist response to attacks on Jesus from both secular thinkers and liberal theologians.

“The Essential Jesus”, a project of the Adventist Church in the South Pacific, explores historical and biblical truths about the life and work of Jesus Christ. The United States launch of the book took place April 17 at the Adventist Church world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, where more than 200 church leaders from around the world were gathered for an executive committee meeting.

South Pacific church president Laurie Evans described the book as “a proactive, positive response to critics of the biblical Jesus.”

The 300-page book is co-edited by Bryan Ball, former president of the church in the South Pacific, and Bill Johnsson, editor of the Adventist Review. Johnsson, speaking at the United States launch, called The Essential Jesus “perhaps the most important project I have ever worked on.” He said it is vital to stand up to radical reinterpretations of scriptures by academic groups such as the “Jesus Seminar,” which attempt to strip Jesus of His deity and power.

Ball said the book was written by scholars but intended for a general audience—for pastors, church members, and people of other faiths who want to know what Adventists believe about the biblical Jesus.

Adventist Church world president Pastor Jan Paulsen, who authored the book’s preface and contributed a chapter, said it’s time to set the record straight about Jesus. “Jesus is under attack as perhaps never before in the 2,000 or so years since He lived,” wrote Paulsen. “A small group of biblical scholars have seized the opportunities afforded by the modern media to propagate a view of Jesus starkly at odds with that presented in the four Gospels and Christian history.”

Ball explained that the book is intended to “refocus the minds of our church members on the person and work of Jesus;” to demonstrate clearly to other faith groups that Adventists have a true historic and biblical understanding of Jesus; and to provide church members with well-researched and well-written material for sharing with others.

The four-year project saw cooperation between not only scholars from around the world, but also two church publishing houses. Bob Kyte, president of Pacific Press Publishing Association in Nampa, Idaho, said the book represented a “landmark co-publishing effort between Pacific Press and the Signs Publishing Company in Warburton, Australia.”

The book’s 13 chapters are written by Adventist academics, including: Andrea Luxton, vice-president at Canadian University College; Norman Young, senior lecturer at Avondale College, Australia; David Marshall, editor at Stanborough Press, England; and, Raoul Dederen, Emeritus Professor at Andrews Theological Seminary, United States.

The Essential Jesus was launched in Britain on April 29, and will be launched in Australia on May 18. It will be sold through Adventist bookstores worldwide. The book is also featured online at www.adventistbookcenter.com.