More than 1,200 people attended the dedication of the new campus of the Romanian Theological Seminary on November 18.  Situated on a 16-acre property outside Bucharest, the college offers four programs:  theology, management, social work, and literature.  The institute, which has a total enrollment of 545, attracts students not only from Romania, but also from the Republic of Moldova, the Ukraine, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, and the United States.

The Adventist Church’s theology education program in Romania has a checkered history. The church began training pastors there in 1924 and, in 1931, opened the Missionary School, near Brasov.  During the Second World War, the Romanian government closed the school and banned the Adventist Church.  After the war, the school reopened, only to be confiscated by the Communist authorities in 1949.  Two years later, the school opened again in Bucharest and continued to function under severe restrictions.

Construction on the current facility began in 1993, with funds from offerings given by Adventist Church members around the world, and from a private donor. With most of the facility finished, the school began to operate on the campus in November 1997.

Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist Church worldwide, Ulrich Frikart, president of the church in the Euro-Africa region, and Adrian Bocaneanu, president of the church in Romania, led in the dedication ceremony.  Also present was Dr. Traian-Radu Negrei, personal adviser to the president of Romania for religious affairs.  The event was featured on the national television and in several major newspapers.

The Adventist Church in Romania has a baptized membership of 74,000 and 1,064 churches. 

Photos are available to accompany this story.  To view, go to www.adventist.org . To download higher resolution photos follow the link at the end of the online article.