Arn, Daniel (1929–1997)

By Daniel Oscar Plenc

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Daniel Oscar Plenc, Th.D. (River Plate Adventist University, Entre Ríos, Argentina), currently works as a theology professor and director of the White Research Center at the River Plate Adventist University. He worked as a district pastor for twelve years. He is married to Lissie Ziegler and has three children.

First Published: January 29, 2020

Daniel L. Arn was a pastor, enthusiastic diffuser of Adventist publications, department director, and Adventist administrator in the territory of the former Austral Union Conference (Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) of the South American Division.1

Daniel was born in Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina, on May 10, 1929. Eduardo Arn and Leonidas Lucién were his parents.2 His parents lived in Santa Fe province, from where they moved to Entre Ríos for their children to be educated at River Plate Academy.

Daniel was an early missionary who began selling Adventist publications when he was a primary school student. As the result of Ner Soto Garrido’s sermon, he decided to dedicate his life to the service of God and get prepared to be a pastor. Before becoming a worker of the church, Daniel helped the director of canvassing in Cuyo Mission (1955–1957) and Central Argentina Conference (1957–1958), in Argentina. He graduated in theology at River Plate Academy in 1958.3

He married María Aída Manuel on May 6, 1957. María was born at home on March 12, 1937, in Pergamino, Buenos Aires province, Argentina; her parents were Salvador Manuel and Dominga Modesta Morán. She studied three years at River Plate Academy and a year at River Plate Adventist Sanitarium. Daniel and María had two children: Rubén Daniel and René Eduardo.

Daniel Arn started his ministry at the age of 29. When he finished his studies, he directed the publication ministry at Uruguay Mission for five years (1959–1964).4 He held the same ministry for two years at Argentina Central Conference (1964–1965). He was ordained to the pastoral ministry in January 1965 and started to direct the publishing ministry at Austral Union Conference (1966–1973).

Willing to have pastoral experience, he asked to be a church pastor to the president of Austral Union Conference, Elbio Pereyra, and was designated as a pastor in San Justo, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Six months later he started an extensive career as a church administrator in different territories. He was the president of the Paraguay Mission (1974–1980) for six years, then president of the North Argentina Mission (1981–1985) and the South Argentina Mission (1985–1986).

In the last years of his ministry Daniel Arn directed the publication ministry at the Austral Union Conference (1986–1991), with the mission of promoting the production of the South America Spanish Publishing House within the churches (a plan established by South American Division). He was convinced that the members of the church who received and read books, flyers and Adventist Reviews would become more active and faithful members and would experience continuous growth in their Christian experience.

Upon his retirement he returned to Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina. However, he did not remain inactive or stay much at home. He and his wife filled their vehicle with publications and promoted them among the churches. Sometimes people who did not belong to the church became interested in the publications. In some cases those materials led them to accept the Adventist message, and Daniel had the privilege to baptize them. There were people who looked for books they had seen in dreams.5 Daniel Arn died on July 8, 1997.

Daniel Arn is remembered for his ministry to the Adventist publications and for his administrative management skills carried out with ethics, austerity, dedication, and Christian spirit.

Sources

La Voz del Colegio [Voice of the Academy] 34. Villa Libertador General San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina: November 1958.

Mayr, Werner. “Daniel Arn: Hijo de pobre con un Padre rico” [Poor Son With a Rich Father]. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review] (February 1996).

Plenc, Daniel Oscar. 25 Historias de misioneros [25 Stories of Missionaries]. Buenos Aires: South America Spanish Publishing House, 2013.

Wasiuk, Oscar N. Reseña histórica de la Iglesia Adventista del 7° Día en el Uruguay [Historical Review of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Uruguay]. 1st ed. Buenos Aires: South America Spanish Publishing House, 1996.

Notes

  1. File of the former Austral Union Conference, available in the archives of the Argentina Union, accessed on April 9, 2018.

  2. See Werner Mayr, “Daniel Arn: Hijo de pobre con un Padre rico” [Poor Son With a Rich Father], La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1996, 30. Daniel Oscar Plenc, 25 Historias de misioneros [25 Stories of Missionaries] (Buenos Aires: South America Spanish Publishing House, 2013), 135–138.

  3. See the review published by the students of River Plate Adventist Academy: La Voz del Colegio [Voice of the Academy] 34 (Villa Libertador General San Martín, Entre Ríos, Argentina: November 1958).

  4. Oscar N. Wasiuk, Reseña histórica de la Iglesia Adventista del 7° Día en el Uruguay [Historical Review of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Uruguay], 1st ed. (Buenos Aires: South America Spanish Publishing House, 1996), 44, 45.

  5. Pastor Arn said: “I am not a book seller. I am going to the churches to make available to the members, even the most modest ones, the spiritual food that we all need to be spiritually healthy.” See Mayr, 30.

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Plenc, Daniel Oscar. "Arn, Daniel (1929–1997)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 29, 2020. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BGDD.

Plenc, Daniel Oscar. "Arn, Daniel (1929–1997)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 29, 2020. Date of access February 11, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BGDD.

Plenc, Daniel Oscar (2020, January 29). Arn, Daniel (1929–1997). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved February 11, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BGDD.