Seventh-day Adventist Church

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The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance on Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian and Jewish calendar, as the Sabbath, and with its emphasis on the coming Second Coming. (coming) of Jesus Christ. The denomination grew out of the Millerite movement in the United States during the mid-19th century and was officially established in 1863. Among its founders was Ellen G. White, whose vast writings were still upheld by the church.

Much of the theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is consistent with the general Protestant Christian doctrine, such as the Trinity and the infallibility of Scripture. Typical teachings include the unconscious of the dead and the doctrine of investigative judgment. The Church is known for its emphasis on diet and health, his "thorough" understanding of the person, the promotion of religious freedom, and his conservative lifestyle and principles.

The world church is governed by the General Conference, with smaller territories administered by local divisions, conferences and conferences. It currently has a worldwide baptized membership of over 20 million people, and 25 million followers. In May 2007, it was the 12th largest religious body in the world, and the sixth largest international religious body. Ethnically and culturally diverse, and maintain missionary presence in over 215 countries and territories. The Church operates more than 7,500 schools including more than 100 post-secondary institutions, many hospitals and publishing houses around the world, as well as humanitarian aid organizations known as Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

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History
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is the largest of several Adventist groups that emerged from the 1840s Millerite movement in northern New York, a phase of the Second Awakening. William Miller predicts on the basis of Daniel 8: 14-16 and the "year-time principle" that Jesus Christ will return to Earth between the spring of 1843 and the spring of 1844. In the summer of 1844, Miller's followers became convinced that Jesus would back on October 22, 1844, understood as the biblical Day of Atonement for that year. Miller's failed prediction is known as the "Big Disappointment".
Hiram Edson and the other Millerics believe that Miller's calculations are correct, but his interpretation of Daniel 8:14 is flawed when he thinks Christ will come to cleanse the world. These Adventists come to believe that Daniel 8:14 foretold the entrance of Christ into the Holy of Holies in the heavenly sanctuary rather than His Second Coming. Over the next few decades the understanding of the sanctuary in heaven evolved into the doctrine of investigative judgment, an eschatological process that began in 1844, in which everyone will be judged to verify their worthiness for salvation and God's justice will be confirmed before the universe. The Adventist Group continues to believe that the Second Coming of Christ will continue, but they refuse to set a further date for the event, quoting Revelation 10: 6, "that there should be no more time."
Development of Sabbatarianism
When the early Adventist movement consolidated its beliefs, the question of rest day and biblical worship was raised. The main proponent of Sabbath keepers among early Adventists was Joseph Bates. Bates was introduced to the doctrine of the Sabbath through a treaty written by Millerite priest Thomas M. Preble, who in turn was influenced by Rachel Oakes Preston, a young Seventh Day Baptist. This message gradually accepted and formed the first edition of the present church publications (now Adventist Review ), which appeared in July 1849.
Organization and recognition
For about 20 years, the Adventist movement consists of a small group of people who come from many churches and whose primary means of relationship and interaction are through the periodic James White The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald . They embrace the doctrines of the Sabbath, the interpretation of the heavenly sanctuary of Daniel 8:14, the conditional immortality, and the hope of a return before the birth of Christ. Among his most prominent figures are Joseph Bates, James White, and Ellen G. White. Ellen White came to occupy a very central role; his many visions and his spiritual leadership convinced his Seventh-day Adventist friends that he had the gift of prophecy.
The Church was officially founded in Battle Creek, Michigan, on May 21, 1863, with a membership of 3,500. The religious group headquarters were then moved from Battle Creek to Takoma Park, Maryland, where they stayed until 1989. The General Conference headquarters then moved to its current location in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Denominations in the 1870s turned to missionary work and revival, tripling their membership to 16,000 in 1880 and establishing presence outside North America during the late 19th century. The rapid growth continued, with 75,000 members in 1901. Currently the denomination operates two colleges, medical schools, a dozen academies, 27 hospitals, and 13 publishing houses. In 1945, the church reported 210,000 members in the US and Canada, and 360,000 elsewhere; the budget is $ 29 million and enrollment in church schools is 140,000.
Church beliefs and doctrines were first published in 1872 in Battle Creek Michigan as a brief statement called "A Synopsis of Our Faith". The Church faces challenges because it forms its core beliefs and doctrines primarily because some of the early Adventist leaders came from churches holding some form of Arianism (Ellen G. White is not one of them). This, along with some theological views of other movements, resulted in consensus among conservative evangelical Protestants to regard it as a heresy. White's teachings and writings ultimately proved to be influential in shifting the church from the semi-Arian root to Trinitarianism. Adventists, for the most part, praised him for bringing the Adventist church into a more comprehensive awareness of GodHead during the 1890s. The Adventist Church adopted Trinitarian theology in the early 20th century and began dialogue with other Protestant groups toward the middle of the century, finally gaining wide recognition as a Protestant church. Christianity Today recognizes the Adventist church as "the fifth largest Christian fellowship in the world" in its January 22, 2015 edition.
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Confidence
The official teaching of Seventh-day Adventist denominations is expressed in 28 Fundamental Beliefs. This belief statement was originally adopted by the General Conference in 1980, with additional confidence (number 11) added in 2005. Acceptance of either of the two baptismal promises of the church is a prerequisite for membership.
The Adventist doctrine resembles a trinitarian Protestant theology, with premillennial and Arminian emphasis. Adventists uphold such teachings as Bible infallibility, substitutionary redemption, resurrection of the dead and justification by faith alone, and are therefore often considered evangelicals. They believe in baptism by immersion and creation in six literal days. The modern Creationist movement begins with Adventist George McCready Price, inspired by Ellen White's vision.
There is a generally recognized "special" doctrine that distinguishes Adventism from other Christian worlds, though not all of these teachings are entirely unique to Adventism:

Law (fundamental belief 19): The Law of God "manifested in the Ten Commandments," which continues to bind Christians.

Sabbaths (fundamental conviction 20): Sabbaths should be observed on the seventh day of the week, in particular, from Friday evening to Saturday evening.

The Second Coming and End Times (fundamental beliefs 25-28): Jesus Christ will return to earth after "the tribulation period", where the Sabbath will be a test of the world. The Second Coming will be followed by a thousand years of saints in heaven. Adventist eschatology is based on the historical interpretation of prophetic prophecies.

The holistic human nature (fundamental beliefs 7, 26): Humans are unity of the body, mind, and spirit. They have no eternal soul and no consciousness after death (commonly referred to as "sleeping souls"). (See also: Christian anthropology)

Conditional Eternity (fundamental beliefs 27): The bad guys will not suffer the eternal torment in hell, but instead will be destroyed permanently. (See: Conditional Eternity, Annihilationism)

Great Controversy (fundamental conviction 8): Humanity is involved in "great controversy" between Jesus Christ and Satan. This is an explanation of the common Christian belief that evil began in heaven when an angel (Lucifer) rebelled against the Law of God.

Heavenly sanctuary (fundamental conviction 24): At his ascension, Jesus Christ began the redemption service in heavenly heaven. In 1844, he began clearing the celestial sanctuary as the fulfillment of the Redemption Day.

Investigation of Judgment (fundamental conviction 24): An assessment of religious Christians began in 1844, where log books were inspected for all the universe. The investigative judgment will assert who will receive salvation, and justify God in the eyes of the universe only in relation to mankind.

Remaining (fundamental conviction 13): There will be end-of-life remnants that keep the commandments of God and have "the testimony of Jesus". This remnant proclaimed the "three angelic messages" from Revelation 14: 6-12 to the world.
Spiritual Prophecy (fundamental conviction 18): The service of Ellen G. White is often referred to as the "Spirit of Prophecy" and his writings are considered "a source of truth that is continuous and authoritative", although ultimately subject to the Bible. (See: Ellen White Inspiration .)

Theological spectrum
Like the religious movement, the theological spectrum is in Advent which can be compared to the fundamentalist-moderate-liberal spectrum in the wider Christian church and in other religions. Different groups, movements, or subcultures within the church present different views of beliefs and lifestyles.
The conservative end of the theological spectrum is represented by the historical Adventists, characterized by their resistance to the theological tendencies in the denomination, which began in the 1950s. They objected to theological compromise with evangelicalism, and sought to defend traditional Adventist teachings such as the post-fall human nature of Jesus Christ, investigative judgment, and character perfectionism. Historical adventism is represented by several scholars, also seen at the grassroots level of the church and often promoted through independent ministries.
The most liberal element in the church is usually known as progressive Advent (Progressive Adventists generally do not identify with liberal Christians). They tend to disagree with the traditional view of the inspiration of Ellen White, the Sabbath, the Creation of the seven days, the doctrine of the rest and assessment of the investigation. The progressive movement is supported by several scholars and finds expression in the body such as the Adventist Forum Association and in journals like Spectrum and Today's Advent.
Theological organizations
The Biblical Research Institute is the official church theological research center. The Church has two professional organizations for denominational-affiliated Adventist theologians. The Adventist Society for Religious Studies (ASRS) was established to foster communities among Adventist theologians who attended the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the American Academy of Religion. In 2006 ASRS chose to continue their meetings in the future alongside SBL. During the 1980s, the Adventist Theological Society was formed to provide a forum for conservative theologians to meet and be held in conjunction with the Evangelical Theological Society.
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Cultures and practices

Sabbath Activity
Parts of Friday may be spent on preparation for the Sabbath; for example, preparing food and tidying up the house. Adventists can gather for Friday night worship to welcome on the Sabbath, a practice often known as Vespers.
Adventists abstain from secular work on Saturdays. They will usually also refrain from purely secular recreational forms, such as competitive sports and watching non-religious programs on television. However, walking in nature, family oriented activities, charity work and other compassionate activities are encouraged. Saturday afternoon activities vary widely depending on cultural, ethnic and social background. In some churches, members and visitors will participate in lunch (or "pickup") and AYS (Adventist Youth Service).
Services of worship
The main weekly worship service takes place on Saturdays, usually starting with Sabbath School which is a structured time for learning small groups in church. Adventists use the officially produced "School of Sabbath School", which deals with certain biblical texts or doctrines every quarter. Special meetings are given to children and teenagers in different age groups during this time (analogous to Sunday school in other churches).
After a short break, the community rejoins together for a church service that follows a typical evangelical format, with sermons as the main feature. Company chants, Scripture readings, prayers and offerings, including tithing (or collection of money), are other standard features. The instruments and forms of worship music vary widely throughout churches around the world. Some churches in North America have contemporary Christian music styles, while other churches enjoy traditional hymns including those found in Adventist Hymnal. Worship is known to be generally under control.
Holy Communion
Adventist Churches usually commune four times a year. It begins with a foot washing ceremony, known as the "Ordinance of Humility," based on John the 13th Gospel report. The Ordinance of Humility is intended to symbolize Christ's washing of the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper and to remind the participants the need to serve one another by humble. Participants split by gender into separate rooms to perform these rituals, though some congregations allowed married couples to do the ordinances of each other and families were often encouraged to participate together. Once completed, the participants return to the main sanctuary for the consumption of the Lord's Supper, which consists of unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice.
Health and diet
Since the 1860s when the church began, wholeness and health have become the emphasis of the Adventist church. Adventists are known for presenting a "health message" advocating vegetarianism and expecting compliance with halal law, especially the halal food described in Leviticus 11, which means not eating pork, shellfish and other animals that are prohibited as "unclean". The Church forbids its members from consuming alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs (compare Christianity and alcohol). In addition, some Adventists avoid coffee, tea, cola, and other drinks containing caffeine.
Adventist Church pioneers have much to do with the general acceptance of breakfast cereals into the Western diet, and the "commercial concept of modern cereals" from Adventists. John Harvey Kellogg was one of the earliest founders of the Adventist health work. The development of breakfast cereals as health food led to the birth of Kellogg's by his brother William. Both in Australia and New Zealand, the Church-owned Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company is a leading manufacturer of health and vegetarian products, the most prominent Weet-Bix.
Research funded by the US National Institutes of Health shows that the average Adventist in California lives 4 to 10 years longer than the average Californian. The study, as cited by the November 2005 cover story of National Geographic, affirms that Adventists live longer because they do not smoke or drink alcohol, have weekly rest days, and maintain a healthy low-fat vegetarian diet beans and nuts. The integration of the Adventist social network has also been presented as an explanation for extending their life. Since Dan Buettner's 2005 National Geographic story of Advent's longevity, his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Longer Life of Oldest People , named Loma Linda , California "Blue Zone" because of the great concentration of Seventh-day Adventists. He cites the Adventist emphasis on health, diet, and Sabbath maintenance as a key factor for Advent's longevity.
An estimated 35% of Adventists practice vegetarianism or veganism, according to a worldwide worldwide survey of local church leaders.
The Adventist net lifestyle was recognized by the US military in 1954 when 2,200 Adventists volunteered for Operation Whitecoat to be the subject of human trials for a variety of illnesses whose effects are still unknown:
The scientists' first task is to find people who are willing to get infected by pathogens that can make them very sick. They find them in Seventh-day Adventist faith followers. Although willing to serve their country when it was drafted, Adventists refused to carry weapons. As a result many of them become medical personnel. Now the US offers recruitment opportunities to help in different ways: volunteering for biological tests as a way of fulfilling their military obligations. When contacted in late 1954, the Adventist hierarchy readily approved of this plan. For Camp Detrick's scientists, church members are model experimental populations, as most of them are in excellent health and they do not drink, smoke, or use caffeine. From a volunteer perspective, tests give them a way to fulfill their patriotic duties while remaining true to their beliefs.

Wedding
The Adventist understanding of marriage is a legally binding lifetime commitment of a man and a woman. The Church Manual refers to the origin of the institution of marriage in Eden and points to the union between Adam and Eve as a pattern for all future marriages.
Adventists argue that marriage is a divine institution established by God Himself before the fall. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24). They argue that God celebrates the first marriage and the institution as its origin of the Creator of the universe and is one of God's first human gifts, and it is "one of the two institutions that, after the fall, Adam brought him outside the gates of Heaven."
Old and New Testament texts are interpreted by some Adventists to teach that wives should submit to their husbands in marriage.
Adventists argue that heterosexual marriage is the only biblically ordained foundation for sexual intimacy. Adventists do not engage in same-sex marriage, and individuals who are openly homosexual (but not "practicing") can not be ordained but can hold church posts and membership. The current church policy states that openly homosexual people (and "practicing") should be welcomed into the church's service and treated with the love and kindness given to every human being.
Ethics and sexuality
The official Adventist position on abortion is that "abortion for reasons of birth control, selection of sex, or comfort is not accepted." Sometimes, however, women may face exceptional circumstances that present serious moral or medical dilemmas, such as significant threats to the life or health of pregnant women, severe congenital defects in the fetus, and pregnancy due to rape or incest; in these cases, individuals are counseled to make their own decisions.
Adventists believe and encourage abstinence for men and women before marriage. The Church does not agree with extra-marital cohabitation. Adventists believe that scripture does not make accommodation for homosexual activity or relations and official positions against it.
The Adventist Church has issued official statements in relation to other ethical issues such as euthanasia (against active but permissive euthanasia from passive withdrawal of medical support to enable death to occur), birth control (supporting it for married couples if used correctly, but against abortion as control birth and premarital sex in any case) and human cloning (against it while technology is unsafe and will result in a birth defect or abortion).
Dress and entertainment
Adventists traditionally have a conservative social attitude about clothing and entertainment. These attitudes are reflected in one of the fundamental beliefs of the church:
In order for the Spirit to re-create in us the character of our Lord, we only engage ourselves in things that will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our entertainment and entertainment must meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our clothes should be simple, simple, and neat, suitable for those whose true beauty is not made up of outer jewelry but in the eternal ornaments of a gentle and calm spirit.
Therefore, many Adventists oppose such practices as body piercing and tattoos and refrain from the use of jewelry, including items such as earrings and bracelets. Some also opposed the wedding band exhibition, although banning ring controls was not a General Conference position. Conservative Adventarians avoid certain recreational activities that are perceived as negative spiritual influences, including dancing, rock music, and secular theater. However, major research conducted since 1989 onwards found that the majority of North American church youths reject some of these standards.
Although it seems unbelievable, I am grateful that when I grew up in the church [in the 1950s and 1960s] I was taught not to go to the movies, dance, listen to popular music, read novels, wear jewelry, play cards, bowls, play billiards , or even fascinated by professional sports.
Adventists often cite the writings of Ellen White, especially her books, Counsels on Diet and Foods, Advice for Parents, Teachers and Students , and Education as a source of inspiration for Christian deportation. The Adventist Church has formally opposed the practice of gambling.
Missionary work with youth
The Adventist Youth Church Department runs special clubs for children and teenagers around the world.
"Adventurers" (grades 1-4), "Eager Beaver" (Kindergarten), and "Little Lambs" (pre-K) clubs are programs for younger children feeding into the Pathfinder program.
Pathfinders is a club for grades 5 to 10 (up to 12 in Florida Conference) boys and girls. It's similar to and partly based on the Scouting movement. Pathfinders exposes young people to activities such as camping, community service, personal guidance, and skill-based education, and training them for leadership in the church. The annual "Camporees" are held at individual Conferences, where the Pathfinders from the regions come together and participate in events similar to Scout Jamboree.
After a person enters 9th grade, he is qualified to join the Youth Leadership Training in Pathfinders. In the 11th grade, usually after becoming a member of the club, they may become a member of the Pathfinder or Adventurer staff and begin the "Main Guide" program (similar to Scout Master) that develops leaders for Adventurers and Pathfinders.
Youth camps
The Seventh-day Adventist Church operates youth camps throughout North America and many other parts of the world. Each camp varies in the activities they offer but most have archery, swimming, horses, arts and crafts, nature, high-rope challenge courses, and many other public camping activities. In addition to regular camps, there are also special camps, or RAD camps, which vary in their activities such as a week of nature nuggets, surfing, water/wakeboarding, rock climbing, golf, skateboarding, rafting, mountain biking, cycling , basketball, and more.
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Organization

Structure and governance

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is governed by a form of representation that resembles a church organization's presbyterian system. The four levels of organization are in the world church.

The local church is the foundation of the organizational structure and is the public face of the denomination. Every baptized Adventist is a member of the local church and has voting power in the church.
Just above the local church is a "local conference" or "local mission". A local conference/mission is a church organization within a state, province or territory (or part thereof) that designates ministers, owns church land and organizes the distribution of tithes and payments to ministers.
Above local conferences are "union conferences" or "union missions" that embody a number of local conferences/missions within a larger area.
The highest level of government in church structures is the General Conference consisting of 13 "Divisions", each assigned to various geographical locations. The General Conference is a church authority and has final decisions on issues of alleged and administrative matters. The General Conference is chaired by the President's office. The General Conference headquarters are in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

Each organization is governed by a general "session" that occurs at a certain interval. This is usually when an administrative decision is made. The President of the Conference, for example, is elected at the General Conference Session every five years. Delegates to sessions are designated by the organization at a lower level. For example, each local church designates a delegate to a conference session.

Tithes collected from church members are not used directly by local churches, but are passed on to local conferences/missions which then distribute finance to various service needs. In a geographical area, ministers receive a fee equal to the size of their church.

The Church Guidelines provide provision for each level of government to create the education, health care, publications and other institutions seen in the call of the Great Commission.

Church officials and pastors

Pastors ordained in Adventist churches are known as pastors or priests. Ministers are not elected or employed by local churches, but are designated by local conferences, who assign them responsibility for a church or church group. Ordination is a formal recognition given to pastors and elders after usually serving several years. In most parts of the world, women may not be given an "ordained" title, although some are employed in ministry, and may be "assigned" or "assigned to get assignments". However, starting in 2012, some unions adopted a policy of allowing member conferences to be ordained regardless of gender.

A number of lay offices are in the local church, including the ordained elder and deaconed positions. Elders and deacons are appointed by voting from local church business meetings or elected committees. Elders serve primarily administrative and pastoral roles, but must also be able to provide religious leadership (especially in the absence of an ordained minister). The role of the deacon is to help smooth the functioning of the local church and to preserve the church property.

Female ordination

Although the church does not have a written policy that prohibits female ordination, it has traditionally only ordained men. In recent years female ordination has become a hot debate material, especially in North America and Europe. In Adventist churches, candidates for ordination are selected by local conferences (which typically administer around 50-150 local congregations) and are approved by the union (which serves about 6-12 conferences). The General Conference, the world church headquarters, claims the right to declare world qualifications for ordination, including gender requirements. The General Conference never states that women's ordination is against the Bible, but the General Conference has requested that no local conferences be ordained women until all parts of the world church accept the practice.

Membership

The main precondition for membership in the Adventist church is baptism by immersion. This, according to the church manual, should occur only after the candidate has done the proper instruction on what the church believes.

As of December 31, 2016, the church has 20,008,779 baptized members. Between 2005 and 2015, about half a million people a year have joined the Adventist church, through baptism and the profession of faith. The Church is one of the fastest growing organizations in the world, primarily from increasing membership in developing countries. Today, less than 7% of world membership is in the United States, with large numbers in Africa as well as Central and South America. Depending on how the data is measured, it is reported that church membership reached 1 million between 1955 and 1961, and grew to five million in 1986. At the turn of the 21st century the church has more than 10 million members, growing to over 14 million people. million in 2005, 16 million in 2009 and 19 million by 2015. It is reported that currently more than 25 million people worship weekly in Adventist churches around the world. The Church operates in 202 of 230 countries and territories recognized by the United Nations, making it "perhaps the broadest Protestant denomination".

G. Jeffrey MacDonald, an award-winning religious reporter, and author of Thieves in the Temple, reports that the SDA church is the fastest growing church in the United States. "The newly released data show Seventh Day Adventists grew by 2.5% in North America, a fast clip for this part of the world, where Southern Baptists and mainline denominations, as well as other church groups, are declining."

The Church has been described as "something of a big family", enjoying a close, "two-degree social network" apart.

The church institution

The Biblical Research Institute is the center of theological research of the church.

Ellen G. White Estate was founded in 1915 on Ellen White's death, as determined in his will. His goal was to act as guardian of his writings, and in 2006 he had 15 board members. Ellen G. White Estate also hosts Ellen White's whiteestate.org official site.

The Geoscience Research Institute, based in Loma Linda University, was founded in 1958 to investigate scientific evidence about its origins.

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Adventist Mission

Beginning in the late 19th century, Adventist mission work today reaches people in over 200 countries and regions. Adventist mission workers seek to preach the gospel, improve health through hospitals and clinics, run development projects to improve living standards, and provide assistance in times of disaster.

Missionary outreach of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is intended not only for non-Christians but also for Christians of other denominations. Adventists believe that Christ has called his followers in the Great Commission to reach the whole world. However, Adventists are careful to ensure that evangelism does not preclude or undermine the basic rights of individuals. Freedom of religion is an attitude supported and supported by the Adventist Church.

Education

Globally, the Adventist Church operates 7,598 schools, colleges and universities, with a total enrollment of over 1,545,000 and a total teaching staff of about 80,000. He claims to operate "one of the world's largest church-backed educational systems". In the United States operates the largest Protestant educational system, second only to the Roman Catholic Church on the whole. The Adventist education program seeks to be comprehensive, encompassing "mental, physical, social and above all, spiritual health" with "intellectual growth and service to humanity" as its goal.

The largest (in terms of population) of the Seventh Day Adventist University in the world is Northern Caribbean University, located in Mandeville, Jamaica.

Health

Adventists run large numbers of hospitals and health-related institutions. Their largest medical school and hospital in North America is Loma Linda University and the attached Medical Center. Around the world, the church runs a network of hospitals, clinics, lifestyle centers, and extensive sanitariums. It plays a role in the church's health message and mission outreach worldwide.

Adventist Health System is the largest multi-institutional Protestant health system in the United States. It is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and cares for more than 4 million patients each year.

Humanitarian and environmental assistance

For more than 50 years the church has been active in humanitarian assistance through the work of Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). ADRA works as a non-sectarian aid agency in 125 countries and regions of the world. ADRA has been granted a General Consultative Status by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Around the world, ADRA employs over 4,000 people to help provide assistance in crisis and development in poverty situations.

The Church embraces the official commitment to protect and safeguard the environment and take action to avoid the dangers of climate change: "Seventh Day Advocates advocate a simple and healthy lifestyle, where people do not step on uncontrolled treadmills - consumption, accumulation of goods , and waste production, lifestyle reforms are requested, based on respect for nature, restraint in the use of world resources, the reevaluation of one's needs, and the reaffirmation of the dignity of life created. "

Freedom of religion

The Adventist Church has been active for over 120 years in promoting religious freedom for all people regardless of faith. In 1893 its leaders established the International Religious Freedom Association, which is both universal and non-sectarian. The Seventh-day Adventist Church Council serves, primarily through advocacy, to seek refuge for religious groups from laws that may affect their religious practice. In May 2011, for example, the organization struggled to pass a law that would protect the Adventist employees who wanted to keep the Sabbath. According to American United for the Separation of Church and State, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, throughout its history, has aggressively supported the separation of church and state.

Media

Adventists have long been supporters of the media-based ministry. Traditional Adventist evangelism consists of street mission and tractate distribution such as the Truth Now, published by James White as early as 1849. Until JN Andrews was sent to Switzerland in 1874, the global Adventist effort consisted entirely of tractate posts such as White to various locations.

In the last century, this effort also utilizes new media such as radio and television. The first is the H. M. S. Richards' Voice of Prophecy radio show, originally broadcast in Los Angeles in 1929. Since then Adventists have been at the forefront of media evangelism; Written , founded by George Vandeman, is the first religious program broadcast on color television and the first major Christian service using satellite uplink technology. Today Hope Channel , the official church television network, operates 8 international channels that broadcast 24 hours a day on cable, satellite and the Web.

Adventist World Radio was founded in 1971 and is a "branch of the radio mission" of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It uses AM, FM, shortwave, satellite, podcasting, and the Internet, broadcasting in 77 of the world's major language groups with a potential coverage of 80% of the world's population. AWR headquarters is in Silver Spring, Maryland, with studios all over the world. Most of the ministerial income comes from membership prizes.

Natural evangelists such as Doug Batchelor, Mark Finley, and Dwight Nelson have conducted a number of live evangelistic events on international satellite broadcasts, talking to viewers in 40 languages â€‹â€‹simultaneously.

In addition, there are various privately owned media entities representing Adventist beliefs. This includes 3ABN and SafeTV networks and organizations such as The Quiet Hour and Amazing Discoveries.

In 2016, the Church released their film, Tell the World that churches and institutions to show movies to the public, and to watch home available on DVD and also on social media like YouTube.

Publish

The Adventist Church owns and operates many publishing companies around the world. The two largest are press the Pacific Press and Review and Herald, both located in the United States. The Review and Herald is headquartered in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The official church magazine is the Adventist Review , which has a North American focus. It has a sister magazine ( Adventist World ), which has an international perspective. Another major magazine published by the church is a bi-monthly magazine, which addresses issues related to religious freedom.

Ecumenical Activity

The Adventist Church generally opposes the ecumenical movement, although it supports several other ecumenical purposes. The General Conference has issued an official statement on the Adventist position in respect of the ecumenical movement, which contains the following paragraphs:

"Should Adventists work together ecumenically? Adventists have to work together as long as the original gospel is preached and the crying of human needs is being met.The Seventh-day Adventist Church does not want to involve membership and rejects the compromise relationships that may tend to water. Adventists, however, want to be "meticulous operators." The ecumenical movement as a cooperative agent has an acceptable aspect, as an agent for the organic unity of the church, it is far more suspicious. "

Although not a member of the World Council of Churches, the Adventist Church has participated in its assembly in observer capacity. It was also officially recognized by the Christian Coalition of the Covenant.

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Criticism

The Adventist Church has received criticism over several lines, including what some claim is heterodox doctrine, and in relation to Ellen G. White and his status within the church, and in relation to the alleged exclusive issue.

Doctrine

Critics such as evangelical Anthony Hoekema (who feel that Adventists more agree with Arminianism) argue that some of the Adventist doctrines are heterodox. Some of the teachings that have been observed are the annihilationist view of hell, investigative judgment (and the related view of redemption), and the Sabbath; in addition, Hoekema also claims that the Adventist doctrine suffers from legalism.

While critics such as Hoekema have classified Adventism as a sectarian group based on its atypical doctrine, it has been accepted as a mainstream by Protestant evangelicals since meetings and discussions with evangelicals in the 1950s. In particular, Billy Graham invited Adventists to become part of his crusade after Eternity, a conservative Christian magazine edited by Donald Barnhouse, asserting in 1956 that Adventists were Christians, and also later stated, "They heard in the great New Testament doctrine including grace and redemption through the representatives of Jesus Christ 'once for all ' ". Walter Martin, considered by many to be the father of the counter-cult apologetic movement in evangelicalism, writes the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1960) that marks a turning point in the way Adventism is seen.

... It is quite possible to become a Seventh-day Adventist and to be a true follower of Jesus Christ despite the heterodox concept...

Then Martin plans to write a new book on Seventh-day Adventists, with the help of Kenneth R. Samples. The later sample was written "From Controversy to Crisis: An Updated Renewal of Seventh-day Adventists", which supports Martin's view "for the Adventist segment that holds the stated position in QOD, and is further expressed in the Evangelical Adventist movement from the last few decades." , The Sample also claims that "Traditional Adventists" appear "to move farther than some of the positions taken in QOD", and at least Glacier View appears to have "gained support from many administrators and leaders".

Ellen G. White and its status

Ellen G. White's status as a modern prophet has also been criticized. In the era of the Question of the Doctrine, evangelical groups expressed concern about Adventism's understanding of the relationship of White's writings with the inspired canon of Scripture. Adventist basic beliefs maintain that "the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested."

The general criticism of Ellen White, popularized widely by Walter T. Rea, Ronald Numbers and others, is the claim of plagiarism from other authors. An independent lawyer specializing in plagiarism, Vincent L. Ramik, was engaged to study the writings of Ellen G. White during the early 1980s, and concluded that they were "conclusively unfavorable". When plagiarism allegations sparked a significant debate during the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Adventist General Conference commissioned a major study by Dr. Fred Veltman. The next project is known as the Life of Christ 'Research Project "" . The results are available in the General Conference Archives. Roger W. Coon, David J. Conklin, Dr. Denis Fortin, King and Morgan, and Morgan, among other things, rebutted allegations of plagiarism. At the end of his report, Ramik stated:

It is impossible to imagine that Ellen G. White's intentions, as reflected in her writings and the tremendous efforts involved in them, are something other than a genuinely motivated and unselfish attempt to put the biblical truth in a coherent way for everyone. to see and understand. Of course, the nature and content of his writings has only one hope and purpose, namely, promoting human understanding of the word of God. Considering all the factors necessary to reach a fair conclusion on this issue, it was conveyed that Ellen G. White's writings are conclusively non-plagiaristic.

Exclusivism

Finally, critics allege that certain Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and practices are exclusive in nature and show Adventist claims as "residual church", and traditional Roman Catholic Protestant associations as "Babylon". These attitudes are said to legitimize Christian evangelism from other denominations. In response to such criticism, Adventist theologians have stated that the doctrine of the remaining people does not preclude the existence of true Christians in other denominations, but relates to institutions.

We are fully aware of the exciting fact that a number of true followers of Christ are scattered throughout the various churches in the Christian world, including Roman Catholic fellowship. This God clearly recognizes as His own. As it does not form part of the "Babylon" described in Apocalypse.

Ellen White also presents it in the same light:

God has children, many of them, in Protestant churches, and a large number in Catholic churches, who are more faithful to obey the light and to do the best of their knowledge than a large number of Adventists who Sabbathkeeping should not running in the light.

A Seventh Day Adventist church in the Shipibo community of San ...

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Independent ministries, branches and schisms

Independent ministries

In addition to ministries and institutions officially administered by denominations, many independent para-church and ministry organizations exist. These include various health centers and hospitals, publishing and media ministries, and aid organizations.

A number of independent ministries have been formed by groups within the Adventist church who hold different theological positions or want to promote certain messages, such as Hope International with tense relations with the official church, who have expressed concerns that such ministries may threaten. Adventist Unity. Several independent ministries, like many Protestant reformers, continue to emphasize the current Adventist belief that identifies the Roman Pontiff as the Antichrist. The Church has issued a statement clarifying the official position that it does not justify any behavior by members who may "have manifested prejudice and even bigotry" against Catholics.

Offshoot and schism

Throughout the history of denominations, there have been a number of groups who have left the church and formed their own movements.

After World War I, a group known as the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement was formed as a result of the actions of L. R. Conradi and some European church leaders during the war, who decided that it was acceptable for Adventists to take part in the war. Those who opposed this position and who refused to join the war were declared "dismissed" by local Church leaders at the time. When Church leaders from the General Conference came and rebuked local European leaders after the war to try to heal the damage, and gathered members, it met with resistance from those who suffered under the leaders. Their reconciliation efforts failed after the war, the group became organized as a separate church at the conference held July 14-20, 1925. This movement was formally entered in 1949.

In 2005, the main church again wanted to resolve what the German leaders had done, apologize for their failures during World War II stating that they were "deeply regretting" any participation in or support of Nazi activities during the war by the German and Austrian leadership of the church. "

In the Soviet Union, the same problem resulted in a group known as the Seventh-day Adventist and Freed Seventh-day Adventist. This was formed as a result of a split in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe during World War I over the positions of European church leaders taking members who joined the military or on keeping the Sabbath. The group remains active today (2010) in the former Soviet republic.

Famous but distant branches are the Davidian Seventh Day Adventist and David Branch, themselves a split in the larger Davidic movement. The Davidians formed in 1929, after Victor Houteff after he came out with his book The Shepherd's Rod rejected as heretical. A succession dispute after the death of Houteff in 1955 led to the formation of generally two groups, the original Davidian and the Branch. Later, another former Adventist, David Koresh, led the Davidians Branch until he died in a 1993 siege at a group headquarters near Waco, Texas.

A number of apostate Adventists, such as former ministers Walter Rea and Dale Ratzlaff, and have been critics of church teaching and especially Ellen G. White.

Seventh Day Adventist Church (Petoskey, Michigan) - Wikipedia

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In popular culture

Hacksaw Ridge depicts the life of adventurous Adventists and Medal of Honor recipients Desmond Doss. A Cry in the Dark , a film about Azaria Chamberlain's death, displays the prejudices faced by her parents because of misconceptions about their religion, and the loss of father's faith. On television, the main character on the Gilmore Girls show is described as a conservative Advent, causing conflict with his daughter. Many other forms of media include the mention of Seventh-day Adventists.

The presidential candidate, Donald Trump, attacked his opponent, Ben Carson Adventist faith in 2016, GOP primary. Trump told his supporters, "I'm a Presbyterian, kid, it's in the middle of the road... I mean, Seventh-day Adventist? I do not know about that, I just do not know about that." Trump will then appoint Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development after being elected President of the United States.