On February 7 to 9, scholars from various disciplines, universities and religions converged at Andrews University to discuss "2,000 Years of Christianity in Africa and the Diaspora," part of the university's Black History Month celebration.

The seminar's two keynote speakers were Charles Bradford, former North American Division president and author of Sabbath Roots: The African Connection, and Craig Keener, author of 14 books and professor at Palmer Theological Seminary. The seminar also featured lectures by a number of religious and historical scholars.

On Friday evening, Keener lectured on "Defending Black Faith," devoting most of his presentation to Paul's treatment of race relations. Keener pointed out repeated calls in the Book of Romans for unity in Christ between Jews and Gentiles, saying "Christianity is not an exclusively white religion, but is for all people."

On Sabbath morning, Pioneer Memorial Church was packed for the main service. In his sermon, entitled "No Child Left Behind," Bradford called attention to the explosive growth of Christianity in Africa during the last two centuries, and particularly the prevalence of Sabbath-keeping in Ethiopia. "There will be an abundant entrance into the Kingdom," said Bradford.

"It is refreshing to see the Seventh-day Adventist Church begin the process of corrective historiography to counter the centuries of errors, distortions, omissions and falsehoods attributed to the continent of Africa and its inhabitants," said Andrews University chaplain Timothy Nixon. "The Africans, the first people of the earth, are the primary characters of Scripture. May we never again believe or teach the notion of a heathen or Godless Africa."

Robert Moncrieff, student news writer, University Relations