Perfect for those new to Adventism or long-time Adventists who wanting a better understanding of their church or how to explain their denomination to others.

This pocket dictionary will:

• Provide a clear explanation of Seventh-day Adventist doctrines and their history
• Explore the relationship between Ellen G. White’s writings and the Bible
• Help you understand unfamiliar terminology
• Introduce you to some of the interesting people who shaped our faith family
• Teach you the meaning and background of some of our unique lingo
• Answer your questions about Adventist lifestyle
• Explain even complex theological terms in an easy-to-understand way.

With hundreds of easily-found alphabetical entries and valuable introductory articles, even long-term Adventists can discover better ways to explain some of the important and exceptional elements of our faith.

An Interview with the Author by Dale Galusha:

Those of us who have spent all, or most, of our life in the Adventist Church, are fluent in our own "language"—acronyms, phrases, programs, titles, names, events, and places. . . the list goes on and on. But for someone new to the church all this Adventist jargon can be overwhelming and confusing.

That's why Dr. Michael Campbell, professor of religion at Southwestern Adventist University, has written the Pocket Dictionary for Understanding Adventism. Recently Dr. Campbell shared some thoughts with me about his book.

Are new Adventists the sole intended audience for your new book?

No. Of course, the Pocket Dictionary for Understanding Adventism is meant for those who have recently joined the church. But there is enough depth and richness in the information it provides that even lifelong Adventists will find it helpful and should learn some things about their church they haven't known before. So one could say that from the beginning, I really had a dual audience in mind as I wrote the book.

In a nutshell, how would you describe the book?

It’s a basic primer on all things Adventist. Our church is so rich with meaning, whether one looks at our theological heritage or our lifestyle practices. Add to that the various traditions that we have developed over time and all the details of our organizational structure, and it often becomes difficult for someone not immersed in Adventist culture to understand what is going on or what they hear someone talking about. So this book seeks to provide a sort of tour guide to Adventism—some short orientations along with the basic vocabulary to help someone get started on the Advent path.

What are some ways you see this book being used?

My dream is to see every person who is either receiving Bible studies or who is newly baptized receive this book as part of a discipleship process. The Pocket Dictionary for Understanding Adventism makes a great gift. I’ve had several pastors tell me that they intend to make sure every new member who comes into their church receives a copy.

I also hope the book can be helpful in religion classes, especially basic orientation classes about Adventist beliefs. Many students, even in Adventist schools, aren't as familiar as they could be with the language of Adventism. In my own teaching, I’ve found it very helpful working with students who were attending an Adventist school for the first time and who did not have an Adventist background. In fact, it was students at Southwestern Adventist University asking me questions about the meaning of different Adventist words or phrases that helped inspire the project.

Another way this book could be used would be as the basis for a prayer meeting series reviewing Adventist culture. Such a series could highlight Adventist beliefs, history, and vocabulary, and provide opportunities for interesting discussions. I’d love feedback from such groups since I’m sure there are more terms that could be added to future editions or definitions that could be tweaked and improved based on more specific applications especially in various cultural contexts around the globe.

Last but not least, Adventism has grown into a truly global community. I’ve found examples of well-meaning Adventists misunderstanding core aspects of Adventist belief and lifestyle simply because someone incorrectly translated an English term. Since Adventism arose in an American context where English was spoken, clearly understanding those words is important. It can make a difference. So I hope that the Pocket Dictionary for Understanding Adventism can make a contribution, especially for those who wish to understand important Adventist words and phrases in the English language. This book could actually make for a fun book for an “English as a Second Language” class in settings where people are trying to learn English.