God's Festivals in Scripture and History: Part 1: The Spring Festivals

GOD'S FESTIVALS IN SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY challenges Christians to bring about worship renewal by developing a church calendar patterned after the religious calendar God gave to Israel. Such a calendar would celebrate during the course of the year the redemptive accomplishments of Christs first and second Advents. We cannot preach the whole Bible in one sermon. We cannot celebrate the whole story of redemption in one Sabbath. A church calendar patterned after the calendar of Israel can help to do justice to all the great saving acts of God.

The first volume on THE SPRING FESTIVALS examines Passover and Pentecost historically, typologically and theologically. It shows how the Springs feasts of Israel helps us understand the redemptive accomplishments of Christ's First Advent.

My background is rather unique. I was born and brought up in Rome, Italy, a stone-throw from the Vatican wall. For my college education I went to England where he earned a B. A. degree in Theology at Newbold College. From England I came to America for my graduate studies and earned a M. A. and a B. D. degrees at Andrews University Theological Seminary. Upon completing my seminary training in 1964, I went with my wife, Anna, to Ethiopia where I served for five years as Bible and History teacher.

In 1969 I returned to my native city of Rome to study at the prestigious Pontifical Gregorian University, where I was the first non-Catholic to be admitted in over 450 years of its history. At the Gregoriana I spent the next five years working toward a Doctoratus in Church History. I was awarded a gold medal by Pope Paul VI for attaining the academic distinction of summa cum laude for my class-work and dissertation From Sabbath to Sunday.

After completing my doctorate in 1974, I was invited to teach at Andrews University, a Seventh-day Adventist institution located in Berrien Springs, Michigan. For the past 23 years I have served at Andrews University as Professor of Theology and Church History. To be able to pursue more fully my ministry of research into vital Biblical truths, for the past 26 years I have taught only only from January to May of each year. From June to December I am off-teaching so that I can dedicate myself fully to research timely Biblical truths. The result of this ministry has been the publication of 15 volumes which have helped thousands of people around the world to better understand and experience Biblical truths.