Andrews University Autumn Conference 2021

The annual Andrews Autumn Conference on Religion & Science is a function of Andrews University and the Midwest Religion and Science Society (MRSS), an organization representing a variety of faith backgrounds including Seventh-day Adventist, Anabaptist, Church of the Brethren, and Catholic. The forum takes place in the Biology Ampitheater on Friday & Saturday, November 12-13, 2021.

The theme is "The Andrews Way of Doing Archaeology." Excavations in Hisban Jordan were started in 1968 by Siegfried H. Horn. He later founded the Horn Archaeological Museum, which now houses one of the largest cuneiform collections in the United States. The guidelines under which he worked have been established as the “Andrews Way” of doing archaeology—guidelines still followed by workers in biblical archaeology:

  1. Be forthright with findings. Do not minimize problems or stretch interpretations of data to explain things away.
  2. Do not make claims beyond what the data can support.
  3. Be quick and complete in publishing results.
  4. Engage and work within mainstream scholarship.
  5. Include a diversity of people and specialists.
  6. Take the history of the Bible seriously, but do not place upon archaeology the burden of “proving” the Bible.

Although these guidelines were established for Biblical Archaeology, they are applicable to other disciples and their relation to biblical faith. 

The 2021 speakers include Andrews professors Øystein LaBianca, and Randall W. Younker, as well as Darrell J. Rohl (Assistant Professor, Calvin University), Christopher Jenkins (PhD Student, Yale University), Carina Prestes (PhD Student, Andrews University), and Kevin Burton (Director, Center for Adventist Research). The conference is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Institute of Archaeology and Siegfried H. Horn Museum, Theological Center for Interdisciplinary Dialogue, and the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship

Breakfast and supper will be provided for all participants. Please contact us for lunch or accommodation reservations.  Reach us at research@andrews.edu.

 

The Schedule of events: 

Friday, November 12, 2021

7:00 pm         Welcome, Gary Burdick & Martin Hanna
                         Plenary presentation, Øystein LaBianca, PhD
                                          Senior Research Faculty, Andrews University
                                         "Cast Your Nets on the Other Side:“ Reflections on Faith, Science and the Andrews Way
 
                         Special Video Presentation: The Wisdom of Peers: The Madaba Plains Project After Fifty Years
 

Sabbath, November 13, 2021

8:00 am         Breakfast 

9:00 am         Devotional, Kevin Burton

9:20 am         Welcome, Andrea Luxton 

9:30 am         Plenary presentation, Randy Younker, PhD
                                         Professor of Archaeology and History of Antiquity
                                         Director, PhD (Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology) Program;
                                         Director, Institute of Archaeology
                                        “The Andrews Way”: Its impact on  non-Adventist Scholarship
 
10:15 am      Break/Refreshments 
 
10:30 am      Second presentation, Darrell Rohl, PhD
                                         Assistant Professor, Calvin College
                                         Archaeology and Christian Faith: Comparing Adventist and Reformed Perspectives
 
11:00 am      Third presentation, Christopher Jenkins
                                         PhD Student, Yale University
                                         Framing the bigger picture: A graduate student's reflections on doing archaeology the "Andrews way".
   
11:30 am      Fourth presentation, Carina Prestes
                                         PhD Student, Andrews University
                                         Archaeology, Women, and Early Christianity

12:30 pm      Lunch, Terrace Café (Cards or Prepayment required) 

2:00 pm       Panel discussion I

3:00 pm       Panel discussion II with audience questions
 

4:00 pm       Closing worship: Seminary Chorus

4:30 pm       Horn Museum open house

5:00 pm       Supper (Institute of Archaeology and Siegfried H. Horn Museum)

For previous years, please see the archive on Digital Commons.