The name of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination indicates its two
main distinctive characteristics: Sabbath observance on the seventh day
(i.e., Saturday) and an expectation that the end of the world is
drawing near. Other distinguishing characteristics include adherence to the
teachings of Ellen G. White (who is regarded as a prophe), and various
dietary observances rooted in Jewish law. The Adventist movement has its roots in the 19th-century "Millerite
movement," which centered on the belief that Jesus would return on
October 22, 1844. William Miller (1782-1849) was a farmer who settled
in upstate New York after the war of 1812. He was originally a Deist,
but after much private Bible study, Miller converted to Christianity
and became a Baptist. He was convinced that the Bible contained coded
information about the end of the world and the Second Coming of Jesus.
In 1836, he published the book Evidences from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ about the Year 1843.
Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs
Adventism. Belief in an imminent, pre-millennial,
universally visible second advent, preceded by a time of trouble when
the righteous will be persecuted and a false second coming where Satan
impersonates the Messiah.
Ellen G. White. Teaching that the "Spirit of
Prophecy," an identifying mark of the remnant church, was manifested in
the ministry of Ellen G. White, whom Adventists recognize as the Lord's
messenger.
State of the dead. Seventh-day Adventists believe that death is a sleep during which the "dead know nothing". This view maintains that the person has no conscious form of existence until the resurrection, either at the second coming of Jesus or after the millennium. Because of this view, Seventh-day Adventists do not believe hell currently exists and believe further that the wicked will be destroyed at the end of time.
Seventh-day Adventists oppose the formulation of credal statements and prefer to view the fundamental beliefs as descriptors rather than prescriptors. However, divergence from the published position is frowned upon.
Seventh-day Adventists observe a 24-hour sunset-to-sunset Sabbath commencing Friday evening. Justification for this belief is garnered from the creation account in Genesis in which God rested on the seventh day, an approach later immortalized in the Ten Commandments. Seventh-day Adventists maintain that there is no biblical mandate for the change from the "true Sabbath" to Sunday observance, which is to say that Sunday-keeping is merely a "tradition of men."
Church services follow an evangelical format, with emphasis placed on the sermon. During the week prayer meetings may be conducted and children often attend Adventist schools.
Seventh-day Adventists practice adult baptism by full immersion in a similar manner to the Baptists. Infants are dedicated rather than baptized, as it is argued that baptism requires consent and moral responsibility.
Seventh-day Adventists practice communion four times a year, reflecting their Methodist roots. The communion is an open service (available to members and non-members) and includes a foot-washing ceremony (commonly referred to as the Ordinance of Humility) and consumption of the Lord's Supper.
Seventh-day Adventists do not eat pork or other unclean meat as identified in the book of Leviticus and many avoid all meat for health reasons. Seventh-day Adventists present a health message that recommends vegetarianism and condones abstinence from pork, shellfish, and other foods proscribed as "unclean" in Leviticus. Alcohol and tobacco are also prohibited.
Missionary outreach of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is aimed at both unbelievers and other Christian churches.
The official Seventh-day Adventist position on abortion is that it is permissable only in exceptional circumstances that present serious moral or medical dilemmas, such as significant threats to the pregnant woman's life, serious jeopardy to her health, severe congenital defects carefully diagnosed in the fetus, and pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. While the general tone toward abortion is negative, the individual Adventist may take any position on the political spectrum. Abortions are performed in Adventist hospitals.
Seventh-day Adventists generally condemn homosexuality. The church does not perform gay marriages or holy unions, and gay men cannot be ordained. Homosexuality of a spouse is given as one of the rare acceptable reasons for divorce. The official statement on sexuality states that sexual acts outside of heterosexual marriage are forbidden. However, individual Adventists may take a much more liberal position.
