The Great Controversy

Abstract

Satan plays an incredibly important role for Seventh-day Adventists in Madagascar. Everything that happened in the past, that is happening at the moment and that will happen in the future is a manifestation of the struggle for power between God¹ and Satan. In the Adventist literature, this fight is known as “The Great Controversy.” Although only few church members in Maroantsetra and Sahameloka are familiar with this expression, they are all clearly aware of its message and interpret human history, the present state of the world and the misfortunes, big and small, which strike them in daily life, in light of it. Nothing happens by chance; everything is either a manifestation of God’s love and protection or else the work of Satan, interchangeably referred to as Satana or Devoly.