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Seventh-day Adventism: History & Beliefs

Seventh-day Adventism began in 19th century New England as a small Protestant denomination and has since grown to over 21 million members worldwide in more than 85,000 churches. While tracing its roots to religious revivals in the 1800s, it was officially founded in 1863 and expanded globally in the following decades. Adventists observe the Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown through prayer and service. They also believe in a heavenly sanctuary and that the righteous will be resurrected after the Second Coming rather than going to heaven or hell. The church advocates for religious freedom and oversees humanitarian efforts in over 130 countries through organizations like ADRA.

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199 views2 pages

Seventh-day Adventism: History & Beliefs

Seventh-day Adventism began in 19th century New England as a small Protestant denomination and has since grown to over 21 million members worldwide in more than 85,000 churches. While tracing its roots to religious revivals in the 1800s, it was officially founded in 1863 and expanded globally in the following decades. Adventists observe the Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown through prayer and service. They also believe in a heavenly sanctuary and that the righteous will be resurrected after the Second Coming rather than going to heaven or hell. The church advocates for religious freedom and oversees humanitarian efforts in over 130 countries through organizations like ADRA.

Uploaded by

JEEHANDSOME RANDOM
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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org

Seventh-day Adventism 101:


History, Beliefs, and Traditions

Members: With more than 1.1 million U.S. members and 21 million members worldwide, the
Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the fastest-growing faiths in the world. Initially emerging in
19th century New England as a small Christian Protestant denomination the Adventist faith has grown
to include more than 85,000 churches.

History: While the faith was not officially founded until 1863, Adventists trace their roots to the
Second Great Awakening. Over the ensuing decades, the church expanded from its original base
in New England into an international organization with a presence in more than 2010 countries;
established a worldwide network of publishing companies; organized more than 8,000 schools with 2
million students; and established 138 hospitals and 500 health clinics worldwide. By the 20th century,
the faith became officially recognized as an official Christian denomination.

Beliefs and Practices:

Sabbath: Every week from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, Adventists dedicated their Sabbath
time to deepen their relationship with God. For most practitioners, this means a committed effort
to abstain from all work and sports activities, and instead, engage in contemplative prayer and
humanitarian service.

Heavenly Sanctuary: Comparable to Old Testament depictions, Adventists believe in a heavenly


sanctuary created by God and ministered by Christ. In his role as High Priest, Christ cleanses the realm
in preparation for the Second Coming.

Afterlife: Unlike other Christian denominations, the Adventist afterlife model excludes heaven and hell.
Instead, the righteous remain unconscious after death and are resurrected after the Second Coming.

Religious Liberty: Adventists deeply respect the religious freedom of all people, regardless of religious
affiliation. The church’s own experience with religious persecution directly informs their advocacy
programs for religious liberty around the world.
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21st Century Adventists

General Conference: With more than 85,000 churches, Seventh-day Adventists follow a hierarchical
network. The democratically-elected General Conference oversees the global ministry of the church
and spiritual development of the church.

Noteworthy Adventists: Adventists have made contributions to nearly every professional field, from
sports and medicine to the military. Notable Adventists include Magic Johnson, Dr. Ben Carson,
Sojourner Truth, and Desmond Doss—the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of
Honor.

Commitment to service: Since the establishment of it’s humanitarion work in 1956, the Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA reaches into more than 130 countries and serves tens of
millions of people every year.

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