Puerto Rico: Adventist scholars Celebrate Creation

Group of Adventist scholars from around the world met for a Celebration of Creation at Antillean Adventist Univeristy in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, in late October, 2012. Image Courtesy of JA Carde Photography

December 12, 2012 – Mayaguez, Puerto Rico….IAD Staff

A group of Seventh-day Adventist scholars and theologians recently met to discuss how to offer programs, publications and forums emphasizing the biblical creation of the earth. The two-day event brought Adventist World Church leaders and Inter-America’s Theological Seminary leaders to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, for a Celebration on Creation with numerous scholars from around the world. The Celebration of Creation is part of the Adventist Church’s renewed emphasis on promoting biblical creation.

“This was such an important gathering because there are many reasons to celebrate the seven 24-hour days of creation,” said Dr. Efrain Velazquez, vice president of the Inter-American Theological Seminary (IATS) and coordinator of the event.

Leaders from IATS, church’s Biblical Research Institute, GeoScience Research Institute, Andrews University, and Loma Linda University, as well as Antillean Adventist University, studied ways to organize forums and meetings as well as provide specialized graduate classes on the subject of the origins of life on earth.

“With the presentations given, it was visible to recognize the importance of the study of creation among Adventist creation scientists who interact with natural scientists,” said Velazquez. The gathering demonstrated the importance of the efforts and dedication of a community of capable and serious scholars, Velazquez explained.

Scholars from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Spain and Puerto Rico gathered for a special Sabbath creation celebration with an audience of 700 at the Antillean Adventist University in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.