The Adventist commitment to deep biblical study was on full display as students from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) and Mountain View College (MVC) emerged among the top contestants in the first-ever Biblical Languages Cup 2025. Organized by the German Bible Society and the Philippine Bible Society (PBS), the event assessed participants' knowledge of Biblical Hebrew and Greek by means of demanding rounds in vocabulary, morphology, and translation.
The Philippine Bible Society (PBS) is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian organization dedicated to making the Bible accessible, understandable, and meaningful to people in the Philippines. PBS is part of the United Bible Societies (UBS), a global fellowship of Bible societies committed to translating, publishing, and distributing the Holy Scriptures in various languages.
Ronel Kian S. Cablinda of AIIAS came second and Holden Zidreh E. Cadiz came third among many applicants from different seminaries. Fourth and fifth place went to Gidson Franz T. Clifford and Luzell E. Omadle of MVC, therefore confirming the great presence of the Adventist Church in theological research. Brian Candelaria of Asian Theological Seminary won first place honors.
Contestants attributed their achievements to God’s continuous guidance and wisdom, recognizing His role in their success. They also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in a friendly and enriching gathering with fellow believers from other Christian denominations. Events like this, they noted, create a space where doctrinal differences are set aside, fostering unity through a shared love for Scripture. Many participants highlighted how the experience not only deepened their understanding of Biblical Hebrew and Greek but also made learning the Word of God both enjoyable and meaningful.
The Adventist Church has long stressed how important it is to understand the Bible in its original languages. This gives pastors, evangelists, and scholars the tools they need to correctly explain and preach the message. AIIAS, known for its rigorous biblical studies program, has been instrumental in preparing Adventist theologians for worldwide mission work, while MVC continues to cultivate strong biblical literacy among its students.
To further strengthen their biblical language studies, contestants and participating institutions received Scripture materials from PBS and scholarly books from the German Bible Society under the Scholarly Editions Grant. These materials will help one to immerse themselves more with the Scriptures, therefore improving both personal study and pastoral preparation.
The achievement of Adventist students in the Biblical Languages Cup underlines the Church's continuous dedication to excellence in Biblical scholarship, therefore guaranteeing that the next generation of Adventist leaders is ready to share God's Word with accuracy and conviction.