Seventh-day Adventist Church

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Seventh-day Adventist Church grew out of the Millerite movement of the 1840s. Its theological formation was more directly shaped by 19th-century American Restorationism and revivalist movements, influenced by the Christian Connexion, Methodism, and the ethos of the Second Great Awakening. Distinctive doctrines include the perpetuity of the seventh-day Sabbath, the state of unconsciousness in death, conditional immortality, an atoning ministry of Jesus Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and an 'investigative judgment' that commenced in 1844. Historically, the church held a non-trinitarian belief in God as the Father, Christ as the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of both God and of Jesus, based on their early study of the Bible in meetings held in the 1840s and 1850s. Pioneer founder Ellen White stated: 'I do not wish to ignore or drop one link in the chain of evidence that was formed as, after the passing of the time in 1844, little companies of seekers after truth met together to study the Bible and to ask God for light and guidance... The truth, point by point, was fastened in our minds so firmly that we could not doubt... The evidence given in our early experience has the same force that it had then.' James White, her husband and General Conference President, wrote that fundamental errors brought from the Catholic church included 'sprinkling for baptism, the TRINITY, the consciousness of the dead and eternal life in misery.'

Reader's Guide

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is significant for its distinctive theological positions, including Saturday Sabbath observance, soul sleep (unconsciousness in death), conditional immortality, the investigative judgment, and a traditionally historicist approach to prophecy. This has led to a unique system of eschatological beliefs incorporating a commandment-keeping 'remnant', a universal end-time crisis revolving around the law of God, and the visible return of Jesus Christ prior to a millennial reign of believers in heaven. The church's 28 Fundamental Beliefs were originally adopted in 1980, with an additional belief (number 11) added in 2005, and wording changes made at the 2015 General Conference session in San Antonio, Texas. The first fundamental belief states that 'The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of [God's] will.' Adventist theologians generally reject 'verbal inspiration,' instead believing God inspired the thoughts of biblical authors, a view known as 'thought inspiration.' According to Ed Christian, former JATS editor, 'few if any ATS members believe in verbal inerrancy.' Mainstream Adventists believe Ellen White had the spiritual gift of prophecy, but that her writings are subject to testing by the Bible, which has ultimate authority. The church's baptismal vows have two versions; candidates for church membership are required to accept one.

Did You Know?

• The 28 fundamental beliefs are revisable under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and are not a creed.
• Adventist theologians generally reject 'verbal inspiration' and instead hold to 'thought inspiration' of the Bible.
• Ellen White rejected the positions that her writings were verbally inspired, inerrant with no factual errors, or that literary and historical context was not important.
• The church's first fundamental belief states that 'The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of [God's] will.'
• Historically, the church held a non-trinitarian belief in God, with James White calling the Trinity a 'fundamental error' brought from the Catholic church.