info@villaaurora.it +39-055-412014 Ihe president of the Union of Italian Missions of the Adventist Christian Church, Pastor Gianluigi Lippolis, in the fall of 1929, appealed to the leaders of the organization to establish in Italy a training school for pastors who up to that time were going to Collonges Sous-Salève, Haute-Savoie, France, for their training.
Ten years later, on July 10, 1939, at the meeting of the Division Steering Committee held in Bern, the opening of a school with a four-year course of study in Florence was authorized. Pastor Joseph Cupertino, who had returned from Ethiopia for health reasons and was unable to return to mission land due to the outbreak of war, was assigned to take over the leadership of the fledgling institution.
On Oct. 15, 1940, the first year of the training course for Italian pastors was inaugurated at the headquarters at 17 Via Trieste, Florence. There were 12 pupils enrolled, and the teaching staff was as follows: Director and lecturer: Giuseppe Cupertino; Lecturers: Elia and Alice Bertalot, Mario Vincentelli, Maddalena Arbore.
When the war ended, the number of students increased, and in February 1947, the property of “Villa Aurora” (a 13th-century mansion) was purchased,
the current homeofthe Adventist Institute for Biblical Culture. In October 1947, the academic year began with 48 people enrolled in the training course and with 7 teachers and 8 staff engaged in the Institute’s various operating activities.
From 1958 to 1997, middle school and high school courses were added to the theological training courses to attain the baccalaureate degree.
Thanks to the agreement signed between the state and The Union of Seventh-day Adventist Christian Churches, which was transformed into Law No. 22 of November 1988. 516, the Adventist Institute for Biblical Culture, acquires legal personality as a civilly recognized Adventist church body. Thanks to the Understanding as amended by Law June 8, 2009, no. 67. degrees in Theology awarded by the Institute’s Faculty of Theology are recognized by the state.
Since 1992, the language department has come to life, offering courses in Italian language, art and culture for foreigners.
From 2002 to 2018, the institute hosted a master’s program in international development run by the
Andrews University
.
