In Memoriam – Darko Pirija (9 May 1967 – 28 September 2023)

It has now been a full year since Pastor Darko Pirija, our dear colleague, professor, and academic registrar of the Adriatic Union College, passed away too early, leaving us all in deep sorrow. Although, by God’s grace, we continue our work with enthusiasm, the void left by Darko is keenly felt in the life and work of our College and campus at Maruševec. As a long-serving lecturer, dean, and academic registrar of the College, he left a profound mark on the development of this key Adventist educational institution within the Adriatic Union Conference.

Darko Pirija was born on 9 May 1967 into the family of Ivan and Ankica Pirija. Growing up in a pastoral family, together with his brother Miro, Darko experienced life in ministry early on as his family served in many churches across the Croatian Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He attended the Adventist Secondary School Maruševec, where he deepened his love for God and learned about Him. This led him, upon graduation, to pursue further studies at the theological seminary in Maruševec, the Adriatic Union College, after which he went on to Newbold College in England, where he spent several years studying, working, and living, ultimately earning a Master’s degree in Theology, with a specialisation in the New Testament.

After completing his studies, he returned to Croatia, where he began teaching New Testament subjects at the Adriatic Union College, as well as holding Religious Education and English classes at the Adventist Secondary School Maruševec. Alongside this, he completed his pastoral internship in Zagreb and continued to serve churches in the Maruševec area. For a time, he served as the pastor of the local church in Čakovec. He was ordained to the ministry in 2006. From that time until the end of his life, he faithfully served as the academic registrar of the Adriatic Union College and a lecturer of numerous theological subjects at the same institution.

Darko was a professor to many generations of theology students, who are now pastors, church administrators, theologians, and biblical scholars in various countries around the world. Through his ministry as a pastor, lecturer, author, translator, and editor of theological literature (including the College’s academic journal Biblical Perspectives), he made an invaluable contribution to the development of theological thought in Croatia and beyond.

As a passionate lover of theology, he was both the organiser and a regular participant in theological symposia in Europe and America, such as ETTC, AAR, and SBL, and was well-liked by colleagues from all over the world. As a member of numerous theological societies, such as EASTRS, Society of Adventist Philosophers, ATS, and ASRS, Darko was tireless not only in networking but also in mentoring and counselling younger colleagues.

Despite suffering from a severe longtime illness, he continued serving with all his heart, doing what he loved most until nearly his last day. As one of his students, now also a member of the College staff, said, “Though he battled a painful illness for many years, I never once saw him irritable or harsh in his dealings with others. He was always gentle, kind, approachable, and ready to share advice and the life wisdom he had gained, often sprinkled with intelligent humour and his characteristic benevolent laugh. In short, Darko was a man who, no matter how much life bent him, always lifted others up.”

We would be inconsolable if we did not await the same Day in which Darko believed and prepared others for. But, “we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Until that moment, though we can never replace Darko, we will honour his legacy best by serving with all our hearts and continuing to develop this College, into which Darko invested his entire life.

 

This tribute was written by Neven Klačmer and Matija Kovačević.

EUROPEAN THEOLOGY THEACHERS CONVENTION 2025: CALL FOR PAPERS

Event: ETTC 2025

Dates: March 19-23, 2025

Host: Sagunto Adventist College, Valencia, Spain


Conference Theme

Re-Envisioning Church in a Digital Age: Theological, Missiological, and Educational Reflections

 

 

As the rapid digital and technological revolution continues to reshape our world, the church faces both challenges and opportunities in navigating this transformation. This call for papers invites educators, scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders to explore how theological, missiological, and educational perspectives can inform and guide the church’s response to the evolving digital context. We seek contributions that critically examine the implications of digital technology for ecclesial identity, community dynamics, mission strategies, and educational practices. By engaging with contemporary cultural and theological trends, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of how the church can thrive in a digital age while remaining rooted in its core beliefs and values.


Call for Papers

We invite submissions for papers (presentations and posters) in the following areas of research:

A. Theological Reflections

  • Redefining ecclesial identity and community in the digital age.
  • Theology of presence and embodiment in online worship.
  • How online platforms facilitate new forms of relationality in church communities.
  • Ethical challenges of integrating digital technology into church leadership and discipleship.
  • Redefining local and global expressions of the church in a digitally connected world.
  • Impact of digital transformation on theological methods and research frameworks.
  • Exploring new SDA emphases and identity in a digital context.
  • Theological insights into AI, transhumanism, and their implications for human identity.

B. Missiological Reflections

  • Advancing mission through online and hybrid church models.
  • Adapting structures for mission in digital spaces.
  • Enhancing inclusion and accessibility for marginalised individuals in digital worship.
  • Engaging mission in post-text, post-truth, and post-Christian cultures through digital platforms.

C. Educational Reflections

  • Integrating new technologies into Adventist curricula.
  • The role of AI in shaping Adventist educational content and methods.
  • Examining the future of educational institutions in a digital age.
  • Impact of homeschooling and fundamentalism on Adventist education.

*Suggested topics are welcome, but additional subjects related to the theme will be considered.


Presentation Formats

  • Presentations: 30-minute presentations (approx. 3,500 words) with time for questions and discussion.
  • Posters: Presented at a specific time during the meeting with time for Q&A.

Submit Proposals:

Submission Deadline: December 31, 2024
Notifications: January 2025


Program Overview

March 19 (Wednesday)
08:00 – 13:00: Arrival and registration
13:00 – 14:00: Lunch
14:00 – 18:00: Cultural Visit to Valencia (Las Fallas Feast)
19:00 – 20:00: Dinner
20:30: Opening ETTC
21:30: Rest

March 20 (Thursday)
07:30 – 08:30: Breakfast
09:00 – 13:30: Plenaries and Workshops
13:30 – 14:30: Lunch
15:00 – 19:00: Plenaries and Workshops
19:00 – 20:00: Dinner
20:30: Closing Reflection
21:30: Rest

March 21 (Friday)
07:30 – 08:30: Breakfast
09:00 – 13:30: Plenaries and Workshops
13:30 – 14:30: Lunch
15:00 – 18:00: Visit to Sagunto / Sabbath Preparation
19:00 – 20:00: Dinner
20:30: Closing Reflection
21:30: Rest

March 22 (Sabbath)
07:30 – 08:30: Breakfast
09:00 – 11:00: Plenaries
11:30 – 12:30: Sermon
13:30 – 14:30: Lunch
16:00 – 18:00: Group Discussions (OT, NT, ST, PT, etc.)
18:00 – 19:00: Declaration of the Convention
19:00 – 20:00: Dinner
20:30 – 21:30: Concert and Closing of ETTC
22:00: Rest

March 23 (Sunday)
07:30 – 08:30: Breakfast
08:30: Departure
(Optional) 9:00 – 13:00: Visit to Caves of St. José


Registration

Registration opens in October 2024.


For inquiries, please contact: ettc2025@campusadventista.es

For further details, visit the official event website hosted by Sagunto Adventist College: https://campusadventista.es/ettc2025/

Spes Christiana volume 34 issue 1, June 2023

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Spes Christiana 34.1

Table of Contents Download

Editorial

Laurence Turner & Paul B. Petersen
First Published June 2023; pp. 3–4
Download

 

Breaking Down the Gender Walls of Antiquity

Darius Jankiewicz
doi: 10.17613/1wa2-by28
First Published June 2023; pp. 5–26

Download (only available to paying members):

Survivors Sing:
Reflections on Remnant Theology for Contemporary Adventists

Kendra Haloviak Valentine
doi 10.17613/29cn-w423
First Published June 2023; pp. 28–48

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Who in the World was the Priest-King Melchizedek?
From Old Testament Obscurity to Second Temple Period to Eschatological Prominence.
Part 1: Melchizedek in the Old Testament

Jan A. Sigvartsen
doi 10.17613/r74b-hy29
First Published June 2023; pp. 49–90

Download (only available to paying members):

 

Independence, Civil War, and the Beginnings of Indigenization of Seventh-day Adventism in Nigeria from the 1940s to 1990s

Chigemezi Nnadozie Wogu
doi 10.17613/3mf5-sw85
First Published June 2023; pp. 91–116

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“God Wrought Marvelously for His Penitent People”:
Ellen White and the Apocryphal Esther

Laurence A. Turner
doi 10.17613/8wyr-9s24
First Published June 2023; pp. 117–142

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Fealty or Fidelity?
Toward an Adventist Ethics of Politics

John Okpechi
doi 10.17613/4gt2-dg06
First Published June 2023; pp. 143–170

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Book Reviews

Child of the Apocalypse
Donald Edward Casebolt.
Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2021. 120 pp.
Download