Origins: America
Began in: nineteenth century
Founder: Wiliiam Miller (That's the 'Millerites' done) and as the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) variety by Ellen G. White.
Membership:c. 14,000,000
Bible: If the References in the Adventist's own site are anything to go by, They're both Bible-believing and use the NIV too!
Beliefs: The believe in a literal six days of creation. They're a bit interesting in the Second Coming, Jesus coming back stuff, after all Miller prophesied that Jesus would return in 1844 and when He didn't return here the baton, being taken up by Ellen White, moved on to state that Jesus had come again, but not to Earth but to the Temple to cleanse it and prepare it for the remnant of true believers (AKA the Adventists).Once this is done, He'll start cleaning up the earth.
They are sure that we should be worshipping on a Saturday, hence the 'Seventh Day' bit! I have to say that I'm not at all convinced about this, but hey ho, not a show-stopper (is it?).
With regard to the Trinity, although they weren't, I understand that many now occupy a fairly orthodox understanding. That said, some sources tell me that this is not the case and others stress that they do. This is an area of some concern for me. That said, one of the views (from an Adventist goes like this:
Nowhere in the Bible does it mention the trinity, neither does Jesus did Jesus teach about the trinity, neither does Jesus claim to be God (what about the Father and I are one?) and because He doesn't know when the end is, He can't be god, for only the father knows (and no man does) - ergo Jesus is a good and godly man. To counter this I have spoken to another Adventist who was pretty orthodox on the views. The former was much older than the latter.
It appears that SDA members consider themselves to be the 'only' true believers and that they form the 'remnant' that Jesus is coming for. Mind you, if the Pope is anything to go by, he believes the same, so just more of the same. Of course, this makes for a tough ecumenical relationship policy!
Death is a bit of a stumbling block (and not just for the dead!) for some with 'soul sleep' (when you die, you're dead until Jesus returns), a good remedy against spiritism! Another issue occurs with the concept of 'conditional mortality', which sees all humans die and those, and only those, who are true believers are woken up and resurrected to a new body and immortality with Christ, which is of course anhililationist theology.
The devil is a bit of an issue for me, only because a friend used to be an Adventist and held the view that there was a battle between satan and Jesus and at the end of time satan would bear the blame for everything. Haven't found this anywhere although the 'great controversy' does sit with this I guess.
They tend to work on the basis that what is good for the body is good for the soul (and vv)and avoid alcohol, drugs, smoking and are supposed to keep to a balanced (veggie preferred) diet.
They also dress in subtly conservative clothes without jewellery or make-up, do not approve of sexual activity outside of marriage, and even then both should be Adventists. Only 'innocent' divorcees may remarry. Like many of the other groups from the time and place, Adventists are pacifists.
Are they Christian?:For some people the jury is still out with this group! Both Evangelical Alliance and Churches together in Britain and Ireland both seem to think not, at least there's mention of them and that's not a good sign. Others seem to think that they are merely an oddity within the Church and are Christians. I tend towards the feeling that they're different perhaps, but probably to be regarded as Christian in places differents!
Postscript: Having done a trawl again recently I am led to believe that they fit where it touches but the areas of difference present a marked challenge such that I would struggle - but then again it is in the dialogue that things can be resolved or hardened. CBTI and EA still refrain from welcoming them in to their ranks and so my concerns continue. I have to point out that having met some 'churches together groups' who admit JWs I'm sure there are some, somewhere, who have admitted them into the fold - just saying that orthodoxy is in the ey of the beholder it seems!
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