Introducing the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists (ESDA)

A brand new online Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists (ESDA) was launched on July 1, 2020. This incredibly valuable resource is the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s first online reference work. The ESDA currently contains over 2,200 articles on Adventist history, crucial events and themes, organizations, entities, institutions, beliefs and people, over 4,000 photographs, and a growing collection of videos. Hundreds of new articles and photographs will be added to the encyclopedia in the upcoming weeks and months, with thousands being added in following months and years. The Encyclopedia draws on the expertise of hundreds of authors and editors worldwide, from many cultures and ethnicities. It is a great tool, not only for those seeking to learn more about the Adventist Church, but also for those looking to witness to others. Check out the Encyclopedia at encyclopedia.adventist.org. 

All ESDA articles are signed and include notes and a list of sources. The goal of each ESDA article is to be primary source-based, honest, open, comprehensive, and rigorous, representative of the diversity and richness of Adventism, and fully understandable to both church members and the public. 

We hope that teachers and students will enjoy using the Encyclopedia for research as well as preparing devotional messages for classes and prayer meetings, and sharing about our church’s heritage with parents and friends. One of the goals of this encyclopedia is to strengthen Adventist identity in a fast-growing worldwide movement. Adventist educators can use this resource as a missional tool to reach their students with the Adventist message.

Look for the articles about your school and renowned educators or volunteer to write articles on them if articles have not been written yet. We welcome members from all walks of life with expertise on a given subject, not only scholars specializing in history or theology, to contribute articles to the encyclopedia or to suggest a new topic. Browse the Article list on the ESDA website and consider: What are some other topics that merit inclusion in the encyclopedia? It may be a forgotten person that you think people should know about. It may be the Adventist work in the country or city in which you were born. You may want to suggest an article on a school or ministry, or write about Adventists’ engagement with an issue such as social activism, religious freedom, or the environment. If you want to suggest a new topic or contribute a new article, please check the Get Involved page for the author guidelines and write to us or leave a message through the ESDA website.We wish you much enjoyment in your reading of the new Encyclopedia at encyclopedia.adventist.org.

Author

Dragoslava Santrac

Managing Editor for the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Dr. Santrac holds a PhD in Old Testament (North-West University RSA/Greenwich School of Theology, UK) and an MA in Biblical Languages and Old Testament (Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI). She has taught biblical studies for the past 15 years at Belgrade Theological Seminary (Serbia), The University of the Southern Caribbean (Trinidad), and currently serves as adjunct professor of religion at Washington Adventist University (Takoma Park, MD), USA. She has also served as an editor for the South-East European Union and the Biblical Research Institute (BRI). Dr. Santrac has authored several books and articles on Old Testament Theology, the book of Psalms, and biblical studies.