Samuele Bacchiocchi

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Samuele R. Bacchiocchi (Rome, Italy, 29th January 1938)^[1] is a Seventh-day Adventist author and theologian, best known for his work on the Sabbath in Christianity, particularly in the historical work From Sabbath to Sunday, based on his doctoral thesis from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He is also known for his conservative principles on areas such as music, dress standards, alcohol and the ordination of women. He is one of the best known Adventist scholars outside of the Adventist church.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Impact 3 Beliefs 4 Controversy 5 Publications 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Biography

Bacchiocchi was born in Rome, Italy.

He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology from Newbold College in England, which was followed by a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity at Andrews University in Michigan, United States; finishing in 1964. Bacchiocchi moved with his wife Anna to Ethiopia, where he lectured in Bible and history.

In 1969 they returned to Rome where Bacchiocchi studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was the first non-Catholic to be admitted since its beginning in the 16th century.^[2] He completed a Doctoratus in Church History in 1974 on the subject of the decline of Sabbath observance in the early Christian church, based on his research in the Vatican libraries. He was awarded a gold medal by Pope Paul VI for the distinction of summa cum laude (Latin for "with highest praise").

Bacchiocchi taught in the religion department of Andrews University from 1974 till his retirement in 2000. He served as professor of theology and church history. He regularly presents at seminars worldwide, and has written many books and articles on biblical topics, although he has been criticized by some Adventists for straying beyond his area of expertise - the Sabbath.^{[citation needed]}

He has recently (as of May 2007) reported liver and colon cancer.^[3]

[edit] Impact

In 1977 Bacchiocchi published From Sabbath to Sunday, documenting the historical transition from the Saturday Sabbath to Sunday in the early Christian church, and also the decline of standards for the day. It had quite an impact in the academic community and was well received by many.

Prior to his work, Seventh-day Adventists had overly focused on the role played by either the Pope, or by Roman Emperor Constantine I in the transition from Sabbath to Sunday, with Constantine's law declaring Sunday as a day of rest for those not involved in farming work. Subsequent to Bacchiocchi's work, Adventists have emphasized that the move from Sabbath to Sunday was a gradual process, beginning early and still unfinished centuries after Christ, and have relatively downplayed the level of Constantine's impact.

Bacchiocchi has also been influential in the Worldwide Church of God (and its offshoots), which supported Sabbath-keeping until 1995, and also other Sabbath keeping groups.

[edit] Beliefs

Bacchiocchi supports conservative lifestyle habits, such as avoidance of alcohol and rock music. He is a recognized authority on the Sabbath, a practice he supports.

In one newsletter he suggested expanding the traditional Adventist belief that the antichrist is the papacy to include also Islam,^[4] which he reported "generated a lot of hate mail".^[5]

[edit] Controversy

There was some controversy regarding some of Bacchiocchi's claims regarding his awards received during his study at the Pontifical Gregorian University. It was resolved to Bacchiocchi's satisfaction after a February 23, 2007 letter he received from the president of the university. Both parties agree that Bacchiocchi received a summa cum laude and a Pope's Gold Medal for the Licentia, but only a magna cum laude for the Doctoratus. Bacchiocchi claimed the difference between the Licentia and the Doctoratus is small and would not be understood by most English speakers.

A June 11, 2004 official letter from Barbara Bergami, then General Secretary of the Pontifical Gregorian University, to Bishop James A. Murray of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo in Michigan, which covers the area where Bacchiocchi lives, contained several concerns:

"It has recently come to our attention that Dr. Bacchiocchi is presenting himself and his degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University in a less than accurate way."

It claimed Bacchiocchi:

1. Did not receive a summa
2. Did not receive the Pope's Gold Medal
3. He was only allowed to publish one chapter of his dissertation. He used the official symbol of the Gregorian University Press, even though the book was published by Biblical Perspectives
4. Bacchiocchi had once claimed an Imprimatur, which is not given to non-Catholics^[6]

In February 23, 2007, Bacchiocchi received an official letter from Gianfranco Ghirlanda, the Rector (President) of the university.

"In her letter to Bishop Murray (of Kalamazoo), Dr. Bergami does not say that you never received a summa cum laude or a gold medal of Pope Paul VI, in as much as the letter was limited to the doctorate as its immediate object... In fact, you received the summa cum laude for the Licentiate, having earned the overall grade of 9.6, and for that distinction you received the gold medal with the figure of Pope Paul VI...

With regard to the publication of the doctoral thesis, I do wish to correct what is stated in the letter to Bishop Murray (‘He was not allowed to publish his dissertation in whole’). Both the Director of the thesis, Prof. Vincenzo Monachino, and the second reader, Prof. Martinez-Fazio, certified that the thesis could be published, without being submitted to a second review, in part (Chapters IV, V, or VII) or in its entirety, indicating at the same time a series of obligatory corrections in their written judgement... I apologize for this mistake, in the name of the University"^[7]

Bacchiocchi defends himself as follows,

"The reason I failed to explain that I received the summa cum laude and the gold medal for the Licentia, is twofold. First, the Licentia is an essential part of the doctoral program. It represents the completion of all the doctoral class work and the defence of an abridged version of the doctoral dissertation. This gives seminarians the license or authorization to teach in Catholic seminaries. Second, very few people in the English-speaking world, would understand the distinction between the Licentia and the Doctoratus. The fact is that I received the academic distinctions of magna or summa cum laude for all the three phases of the doctoral program."^[8]

From Bacchiocchi's perspective,

"Though some allegations still remain unresolved, in the spirit of Christian forgiveness I consider the case closed."^[9]

See

• Endtime Issues Newsletter No. 167
• Detailed document (PDF) ~50 pages

[edit] Publications

Bacchiocchi has a publishing arm called Biblical Perspectives, through which he has published 16 books^[10] of his own, and also a book by Graeme Bradford. He is the primary author of the Endtime Issues email newsletter. Typically four or five chapters of each of his books are freely available online. Bacchiocchi has listed a number of favourable scholarly scholarly reviews on his website. List of books:

Sabbath:

• From Sabbath to Sunday: A Historical Investigation of the Rise of Sunday Observance in Early Christianity (4 of 11 chapters online)
• Divine Rest for Human Restlessness: A Theological Study of the Good News of the Sabbath for Today (4 of 8 chapters online)
• The Sabbath in the New Testament: Answers to Questions (4 of 13 chapters online)
• The Sabbath Under Crossfire: A Biblical analysis of Recent Sabbath/Sunday Developments (4 chapters, plus chapter 7; of 7)

Other:

• Immortality or Resurrection? A Biblical Study on Human Nature and Destiny
• The Advent Hope for Human Hopelessness. A Theological Study of the Meaning of the Second Advent for Today
• Wine in the Bible: A Biblical Study on the Use of Alcoholic Beverages
• The Christian & Rock Music: A Study on Biblical Principles of Music
• Women in the Church: A Biblical Study on the Role of Women in the Church
• Christian Dress and Adornment
• The Passion of Christ: In Scripture and History
• The Marriage Covenant: A Biblical Study on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
• Hal Lindsey’s Prophetic Jigsaw Puzzle: Five Predictions that Failed!
• God’s Festivals in Scripture and History. Volume I: The Spring Festivals
• God’s Festivals in Scripture and History. Volume 2: The Fall Festivals
• The Time of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection

Other authors:

• Biblical Perspectives has also published More Than A Prophet by Graeme Bradford, which is fully and freely available online at SDAnet

[edit] See also

• Sabbath in Seventh-day Adventism
• Sabbath in Christianity
• Seventh-day Adventist theology

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Biblical Perspectives, Bacchiocchi's personal website
• Articles by Bacchiocchi cataloged in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI)