Seventh-day Adventism: 9 Things You Should Know
On Friday, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson officially ended his campaign and revealed he will be the national chairman of My Faith Votes, a non-partisan group that “exists to inspire and motivate Jesus followers to vote.” Because of the focus on his personal faith, Carson became the most prominent American member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
1. Global Presence
Seventh-day Adventists compose one-half of 1 percent of the U.S. adult population, and 1.2 million people in North America belong to the denomination. However, around the world, there are 18.1 million Seventh-day Adventists, making them a larger global presence than the Southern Baptist Convention (15.5 million), the United Methodist Church (12.8 million), or Mormonism (15.3 million).
2. Origins of Seventh-day Adventism
Seventh-day Adventism (SDA) originated in upstate New York in the 1840s as an offshoot of the Millerite movement. The Millerites were part of the religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening. A Baptist preacher named William Miller predicted and preached that Christ would return between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844, based on his interpretation of Daniel 8:14. However, this prediction failed, leading to what was known as the Great Disappointment. Hiram Edson, a member of the Millerite movement, claimed to have seen a vision of Jesus standing at the altar of heaven. He concluded that Miller was right about the timing but wrong about the place. This led to the development of the doctrine known as “Sanctuary/Investigative Judgment” which influenced the founding pioneers of the SDA church.
3. Sola Scriptura and Fundamental Beliefs
SDA claims the Bible as their “only creed” and consider themselves the result of the Protestant conviction Sola Scriptura. They hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs are organized into six categories: the doctrines of God, man, salvation, the church, the Christian life, and last day events. These beliefs are considered descriptive of the church’s official position but not prescriptive for membership.
4. Baptism and Membership
Baptism by immersion is the criteria for membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is predicated on a public examination of candidates either before the entire congregation, a church board, or elders. The candidate is given either 13 vows or asked three questions related to their acceptance of Jesus Christ, the teachings of the Bible, and their desire to support the church and its mission.
5. Unique Beliefs and Evangelical Differences
Most of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists are similar to doctrines professed by evangelical Protestant denominations. However, there are three main SDA doctrines considered heterodox by evangelicals. These include Sabbatarianism, which requires the observance of the Sabbath on Saturday; the belief in the gift of prophecy as manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White; and the Sanctuary Doctrine, which involves Jesus’ atoning ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.
6. The Sanctuary Doctrine
The Sanctuary Doctrine is the most distinctive belief of Seventh-day Adventism. Orthodox Christians commonly hold that Jesus, as our high priest, intercedes for us at God’s right hand. However, Seventh-day Adventists also believe that Christ entered the “sanctuary in heaven” and, after a prophetic period of 2,300 days ending in 1844, began a work of “blotting out” sin. This doctrine gave rise to the belief in sinless perfection and the idea that perfect commandment-keeping is necessary for acceptance in the judgment.
7. The Prophetic Ministry of Ellen G. White
Seventh-day Adventists believe in the prophetic ministry of Ellen G. White. She claimed to have had approximately 2,000 visions and dreams from the age of 17 until her death. White’s writings are considered to speak with prophetic authority and provide guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. Some Adventist scholars claim that a significant portion of White’s writings were plagiarized, while others dispute this claim.
8. Changing Perceptions by Evangelicals
For about a hundred years, from the 1840s to the 1950s, many evangelical denominations considered Seventh-day Adventism a non-Christian cult, similar to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, dialogue with SDA scholars and apologists in the 1950s led to a reconsideration of this position by some evangelicals. Many came to view SDA as a somewhat heterodox Christian denomination rather than an anti-Christian cult. However, some evangelicals still caution against embracing Seventh-day Adventism as an acceptable branch of Protestantism due to major theological differences.
9. Traditional Adventism
The dialogue between evangelical and SDA scholars in the 1950s resulted in the release of the Adventist publication “Questions on Doctrine.” This document is considered to be the origin of “Evangelical Adventism.” However, not everyone in the SDA church agreed with the positions presented in this book, considering it a watering down of traditional Adventist teachings to appease evangelicals. Those who hold this view are sometimes referred to as subscribing to “Traditional Adventism” and have specific beliefs related to righteousness by faith, the human nature of Christ, the events of 1844, assurance of salvation, and the authority of Ellen G. White.
In conclusion, Seventh-day Adventism is a denomination with a significant global presence. It originated in the 1840s as an offshoot of the Millerite movement and holds the Bible as its only creed. While sharing many beliefs with evangelical Protestant denominations, Seventh-day Adventists have unique doctrines such as observing the Sabbath on Saturday and the belief in the prophetic ministry of Ellen G. White. Views on Seventh-day Adventism among evangelicals have evolved over time, with some now considering it a somewhat heterodox Christian denomination. However, differences in theology and beliefs still exist, leading to caution among some evangelicals in fully embracing Seventh-day Adventism as a part of Protestantism.