What are the different branches Major Branches in Adventism

[Adventist Heretic]

What are the significant theological differences between the different branches of Seventh-day Adventism? The following is a list of the Church's major theological and cultural divisions.

1. Traditionalist.
a. Traditional Seventh-day Adventism. also called Historics.
b. This group focuses on all the Writing of EGW. This is the Pre- 1950's version of Adventism. Whole sermons are preached exclusively from Ellen White's writings.
c. Major Advocates. Stephen Bohr. Our Firm Foundation, Steps to Life, John Oborn,.
Major Institutions: Independent Ministries. Heartland Hope International. Weimar, Independent Academy. Light bearers. in the 1980s and '90s, went through change now considered mainline
d. Major Publication & Media: Review and Herald. Pacific Press, Advent Source,
e. Major Theological issue. Last Generation Theology, Sinless perfection, Standing before God without an intercessor. Health message Salvation. In addition to Mainline Seventh Day Adventist Church Doctrines.

Historic Adventism - Wikipedia​

en.wikipedia.org

2. Mainline (Conservative) Seventh-Day Adventist.
a. This is the main body, run by the General Conference of SDA and the Local Union & Conference.
b. focuses on 28 fundamentals & the church as the Remenant Church of Bible Prophecy, EGW used moderately, promotes EGW "Evangelistic" works. Steps to Christ, 5-volume Conflict of the Ages series, Ministry of Healing, Education, Christ object lessons, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing. The Clearword Bible and Andrews University Study Bible.
c. Major Advocates: Ted Wilson, Doug Batchelor, Mark Finley, David Asherick Every Conference President, and Most Evangelist, Most pastors, Most Teachers.

Seventh-day Adventist Church - Wikipedia​

en.wikipedia.org


3. Evangelical Seventh Day Adventist (SEA)

1. This is the branch of the Church that traces its roots back to the Seventh-day Baptist Church and the Convocation of Nov 1, 1843. When the SDB church fasted and prayed for the resurrection of the Sabbath in Christianity. Rachel Oaks, Fredrick Wheeler, Thomas Prebble, the Farnsworth Brothers, J.N. Andrews, & Joseph Bates, J.H. Waggoner. founded the Sabbatarian Adventist Movement.
2. Evangelicals believe the SDA church was hijacked by James & Ellen White and advocate for the removal of Ellen White as any kind of Authority in the SDA church and the Free study of the bible without consulting EGW. The Messenger Party, The Marion Party. 1888 conflict & the King of the North & King of the South confusion, were all divisions because of Ellen G. White.
3. Major advocates: Most of the Theology professors in the SDA colleges & universities are in some way Evangelical. Desmond Ford and Robert Brimsmead, openly Challenged the traditional views. They would be welcome in this branch.
4. Major Publication & Media - Adventist Theological Society, Perspectives magazine.
5. Major Theological Issues:

I. The Removal of EGW as a prophet and theological Authority.
II. Sabbath as a sign of the 1000 years of Christ's reign on earth in Jerusalem.
III. Return of Isreal as a sign of the End time and Christ's Return.
IV.the Lord’s Day is an additional festival, established by the Apostles to define the difference between Jew & Christian. We advocate for this as the major day of evangelism for the church. As Sunday day evangelism day.
V. Solomon as a type of Christ & Anti-Christ. 666. Roman Catholic Church and Church/State Alliance with Rome fulfillment.
VI. Satan in the pit, chamber of Darkness for 1000 years
VII. Soul Sleep - You have a soul that will die and be asleep until Jesus comes unless you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, then It will go to heaven upon Death.
VIII. Holy Health Care - We Advocate for Holy Health Care, the blessing of a healthy lifestyle, and a health care plan that focuses on healthy living. 3 John 1:2
IX. Prosparity - God has always wanted us to be “fruitful and multiply” which is the biblical expression for prosperity.
X. Evangelical View of the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a model of God’s original plan for humanity. The Holy Place is a model of the Garden of Eden on Earth. The Most Holy Place is a model of the Throne of God in Heaven. When Christ went to heaven, he instituted a new sanctuary, with the church being the New Holy Place, which makes the Church the New Garden of Eden on Earth. This shows that Christ, as the New Adam, is restoring What was lost at the fall of the First Adam.
Tarling, Lowell R. (1981). "Evangelical Adventists". The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism: A Study of Separatist Groups Emerging from the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1844–1980).
Are Adventists Evangelical?
Free Christian Devotionals & Courses By Good News Unlimited
Evangelica Magazine Evangelica - Wikipedia



4. Feast-keeping Seventh-day Adventist (FSDA)

1. This is the messianic branch of the Church, they advocate for the keeping of the Jewish Festivals.
2. Major Supporter - John Vandenberg.
3. Major Publication & Media - Bible Exploration, Amazing Discoveries, Bible Exploration

Bible Explorations - Spreading the good news that we are the last generation and that Christ is coming very soon!
Feasts that Typify Christ's Second Coming: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles


5. Liberal Seventh-day Adventist - Liberal

1. This group is considered liberal over 2 basic issues
2. Lifestyle/Cultural issues & Academic issues - Jewelry, drinking, dancing, Meat Eating, Movies going.
3. Academic issue -

a liberal view of the bible, the bible a human origin.
b. scientific view, over biblical view,
B. Major Theological Issues - the bible as a product of the human mind. They adopt the atheist/liberal assumptions of examination of the Evidence & timelines.
Ellen White is a non-prophet. They do not hold to the Social Code of the SDA church called “Standards”, such as no jewelry, vegetarian/vegan, movie-going, secular concerts, dancing, and clubbing.

C. Major Advocates: John McLarty, Andy Nash, & J. David Newman.
D. Major Publication: Adventist Forums, Spectrum Magazine, Adventist Today (AT):

Adventist Today
Spectrum Magazine

Note: AT is a News Magazine. It appears liberal because of its broad reporting on events inside the SDA church from a neutral standpoint. That is not an indication of its theological viewpoint.

Note: A liberal may not exhibit all of these characteristics at the same time. To be considered Liberal, you need at least one or more.

Note: Liberal/Progressive: Liberal/Progressive SDA labels have undergone a revolution and swapped places. What was once considered liberal is now progressive and what is considered progressive is now considered liberal. This is primarily due to the lgbtq+ movement in Advent

6. Progressive Seventh-day Adventist - Progressive

1. This branch is the newest. It follows the LGBTQ+ issues and the Social Justice issues of mainstream society.
2. Major Issues are the Affirmation and inclusion of Gay people in the SDA church. Income equality, Living wage, homelessness, BLM, Defund the police.
3. Major supporters. Chris Blake, Alicia Johnston, Brian Ness, Steven Chavez, Floyd Poenitz
4. Major Publication & media - Connections, SDA Kinship International,

Home​

SDA Kinship is a safe social and spiritual community for LGBTQIA+ current and former Seventh-day Adventists, their families, and those who support them.

sdakinship.org

Note: Progressive was a larger umbrella term for anything not mainline or traditional coined in the 1950’s. Many of the issues that were considered Progressive are Evangelical, Such as the use of Contemporary Christian Music, Leading with the Gospel, the use of the bible only in worship, and Systematic Preaching.

Note: Liberal/Progressive: Liberal/Progressive SDA labels have undergone a revolution and swapped places. What was once considered liberal is now progressive and what is considered progressive is now considered liberal. This is primarily due to the lgbtq+ movement in Adventism

 

[The Liturgist]

So which branches are known for rejecting the Trinity, specifcally?

 

[The Liturgist]

is primarily due to the lgbtq+ movement in Adventism

How large is this movement? Are any SDA churches officially doing gay marriages or ordaining known homosexuals or other individuals with paraphilias, such as transsexuals and pansexuals, as pastors?

 

[Adventist Heretic]

How large is this movement? Are any SDA churches officially doing gay marriages or ordaining known homosexuals or other individuals with paraphilias, such as transsexuals and pansexuals, as pastors?

they are big enough to be organized and are starting to get traction. They have been behind the book "unclobber" and its distribution in colleges and Universities. Aclica Johnson just put on a LQBTQ+ week in May at a church in Washington State that would have gone unreported except for the internet.

 

[Adventist Heretic]

In Germany there was an official welcoming of a Gay married couple who had been part of the Church. it is moving in that direction.

 

[Adventist Heretic]

So which branches are known for rejecting the Trinity, specifcally?

the traditionalists & sometimes the conservatives if they get into too much ellen white. Remember Ellen white is the source of all the problems in SDAism if they get Rid of her then they can get rid of the problems.

 

[tall73]

How large is this movement? Are any SDA churches officially doing gay marriages or ordaining known homosexuals or other individuals with paraphilias, such as transsexuals and pansexuals, as pastors?

Because the SDA are a world-wide movement, with many members in very conservative settings, there has been no success in putting such things in official beliefs. That is a blessing.

The controversy that has been at the center for decades is women's ordination, and it has been consistently rejected by the world church.

However, in the North American Division there are conferences who will ordain women, going against the General Conference policy. This is a possibility regarding LGBT issues, but right now I am not aware of any such instances.

There has been a long-standing independent group associated with the SDA church regarding homosexuality, which is SDA Kinship. Its origins go back to the late 70's.

Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You can also read some information about the actions of the General Conference against them, using trademark legislation to try to force them not to use the Seventh-day Adventist name. I think we discussed such litigation at a different point on a thread, so you are familiar with the overall issue. The General Conference lost the suit, partly because the organization pre-dated the trademark, and had ties to officials within the Adventist system over the years.

 

[tall73]

LGBTQ – Adventist Today

atoday.org

That is a listing of articles related to lgbtq issues from a rather liberal independent Adventist outlet.

LGBTQ — Articles — Fulcrum7

www.fulcrum7.com

This is a listing of articles related to lgbtq issues from a very conservative independent Adventist outlet.

Spectrum magazine, another independent outlet that has been around longer, and often is quite liberal also has articles on the topic, but I don't know if they have a page to collect the articles. So your best bet is to search Google for spectrum Adventist lgbtq

 

[tall73]

the traditionalists & sometimes the conservatives if they get into too much ellen white. Remember Ellen white is the source of all the problems in SDAism if they get Rid of her then they can get rid of the problems.

Well in fairness, you certainly can't blame the LGBT on Ellen White!

Women's ordination is a bit more complicated, since Ellen White was issued a ministerial credential, but apparently without ordination:

EllenWhite.Org Website - Was Ellen G. White Ordained?

ellenwhite.org

 

[tall73]

In Germany there was an official welcoming of a Gay married couple who had been part of the Church. it is moving in that direction.

This conservative outlet discusses efforts by one Conference president in Germany to address LGBTQ legislation and issues in the church.

One Conference President is Standing Against The LGBTQ Flood in Germany — Fulcrum7

Clear statements in the Bible are being reinterpreted and boundaries are being crossed, leading many people astray and making them think that they are on God's path. We cannot and will not stand by and watch this happen.

www.fulcrum7.com

 

[The Liturgist]

Well in fairness, you certainly can't blame the LGBT on Ellen White!

Women's ordination is a bit more complicated, since Ellen White was issued a ministerial credential, but apparently without ordination:

EllenWhite.Org Website - Was Ellen G. White Ordained?

ellenwhite.org

He was answering my question about which Adventist denominations are known for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity, but I thought it was Ellen White who stamped out Arianism among Adventists, in favor of a quasi-Nestorian Trinitarianism. So I am really confused.

 

[tall73]

From a liberal non-Adventist source:

Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ Issues: Seventh-day Adventist Church

The Seventh-day Adventist Church condemns same-sex 'practices and relationships' and has also been very public about its opposition to marriage equality.

www.hrc.org

 

[tall73]

He was answering my question about which Adventist denominations are known for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity, but I thought it was Ellen White who stamped out Arianism among Adventists, in favor of a quasi-Nestorian Trinitarianism. So I am really confused.

Understandable. And yes, Ellen White did lead the church to a more Trinitarian position. But what Adventist Heretic said is still accurate. There is a small but growing movement in the church, on the traditional wing, who advocate for non-Trinitarian views, and argue that the pioneers were correct. They hold either that Ellen White did not actually write the later statements, or meant them differently, etc. And they point to her early statements as non-Trinitarian.

We actually had an extended discussion on this. In fact you indirectly initiated it in inviting BobRyan to respond to the statements on the Trinity.

There are several sources referenced in the conversation that show that the anti-Trinitarian movement has been growing over recent decades.

2006, Merlin Bert, Adventist historian,taught church history at the seminary, Director of the Center for Adventist Research and the Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office, Andrews University.

"The last decade has seen an increased anti-Trinitarian agitation​

within the Seventh-day Adventist Church."​

​

StackPath

2017 The Trinity Project, Produced by: Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, In association with: Seminary Online Learning Center

"In the last two decades, there has been a resurgence of Arianism and anti-Trinitarianism, not only in the Seventh-day Adventist Church but also in the wider Christian and Evangelical world."​

​

The Trinity Project :: Andrews University

www.andrews.edu

2022, Denis Kaiser, Assistant Professor of Church History at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary and Research and Publication Editor at the Center for Adventist Research, in a Book review for "The Heavenly Trio"

"Since the mid-2010s the Seventh-day Adventist Church has experienced a dramatic increase in antitrinitarian sentiments. The partial or complete rejection of the church’s Fundamental Beliefs numbers 2–5 (Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is making inroads into many local congregations."​

https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5471&context=pubs

2022 (in December), Eric Brown, Upper Columbia Conference ministerial director

Throughout the years, we've seen a number of various anti-trinitarian ideas move through the church. Another wave seems to be cresting again in the Upper Columbia Conference with materials published by Jean Handwerk and videos by Michael McCaffrey.​

​

​

Facing Trinitarian Challenges With Love

Discussing the doctrine of the Trinity is a lot like two humanities majors trying to have an in-depth discussion of particle physics. What we don't know about God is a massively longer list than what we do know.

nwadventists.com

 

[tall73]

Reaffirmation of the Biblical Criteria for Pastoral Ministry and the Biblical Teachings on Human Sexuality

A Consensus Statement from the General Conference, Division, and Attached Union Officers

adventist.news

Well apparently there is already an issue of a German minister who indicated he is bisexual, but retained his credentials. Don't know much about it, but this is actually an official news site for the Adventist church.

 

[tall73]

A liberal independent outlet article on the issue:

Pastor Saša Gunjević First Adventist Pastor to Maintain Credentials After Coming Out – Adventist Today

atoday.org

 

[tall73]

This conservative independent outlet article indicates it is the declared bisexual pastor that welcomed a married homosexual couple. The article appears to show a projection of the image of the couple on a wall next to the cross during a service.

That Bisexual German Pastor? He Just Welcomed a Gay Married Couple in His Church — Fulcrum7

He is gayer than ever. This past Sabbath, his church (Grindelberg SDA) celebrated a recently-married gay couple in their midst, just before a sermon by the self-pronounced bisexual pastor.

www.fulcrum7.com

From the article:

Here’s a Timeline

On January 7, Saša Gunjević, pastor of the Hamburg-Grindelberg Adventist Church in north Germany, announced to his congregation that he is ‘bi-sexual’. (This is usually a sneaky way of saying “I’m gay”, without coming out and saying it.)

Four days later, (January 11, 2023) the Hanse Conference in North Germany issued a statement of affirmation, supporting Saša Gunjević in spite of his bisexual announcement. President Dennis Meier signed the statement of affirmation.

Meier is a real problem; he will be speaking at a pro-LGBTQ conference on October 6-7, 2023 at the Grindelberg SDA Church (no indication if any administrators from the Potomac Conference will be speaking there too, although it would not surprise any of us).

The Hanseatic Conference voted on March 19, 2023, to retain Sasa Gunjevic’s ministerial credentials.

On March 30, the Inter-European Division renounced Sasa Gunjevic’s open rejection of the official position on Biblical Sexuality of the worldwide church. They said this disqualifies him for pastoral ministry and urged the Hanse Conference to reconsider the status of his ministerial credential.

On April 3rd, the World SDA Church leaders, gathering in Silver Springs, MD for Spring Meeting, issued an Affirmation Statement on Biblical Sexuality that condemned the actions of the German pastor and the Hanse Conference.

Summary Points

The North German Union is headed by Johannes Näther. Näther (Naether) was one of the six Union presidents who were warned at the 2019 Autumn Council for ordaining women in open defiance of three world church votes. Nothing has changed and Naether / the Union continues to support and practice WO in open rebellion of the world SDA Church. Inaction has emboldened the North German Union to disregard requests from the GC and the Inter-European Division to resolve the gross sexual identity problem in the Grindelberg SDA church in the Hanse Conference—starting with removing the morally deviant pastor. Näther is also creating serious identity problems for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe. To join the Ecumenical Alliance by signing the Carta Eucomenica, our SDA Church was required to foreswear the "old belief" in the Papacy as the 1st beast of Rev 13.

There will be a pro-gay oriented conference on Friday/Sabbath October 6-7, 2023 (Studiensabbat zum Thema „LGBTQ+ Teil 2: Aber die Bibel?“ 6.+7. Oktober 2023 | Adventhaus Grindelberg) at the Grindelberg SDA Church. This is the second such meeting this year, as they double down on LGBTQ+. They have pitched their tent towards Sodom.

Grindelberg is the main church of the Hanse conference. The conference headquarters are located in the very same building as the church (see two screenshots with contact addresses). This is the largest congregation in the conference. This location has a high public presence, both within and without the Seventh-day Adventist church of the area. To make it easier to understand, the Grindelberg church is to the Hanse Conference what PMC is to Andrews University.

 

[Adventist Heretic]

Well in fairness, you certainly can't blame the LGBT on Ellen White!

Women's ordination is a bit more complicated, since Ellen White was issued a ministerial credential, but apparently without ordination:

EllenWhite.Org Website - Was Ellen G. White Ordained?

ellenwhite.org

Oh yes you can. The reason why it is allowed to exist in the church is because those who have rejected Ellen White and stayed have become more open to things outside the Bible. It's the problem when you reject the scripture as the source of authority

 

[tall73]

they are big enough to be organized and are starting to get traction. They have been behind the book "unclobber" and its distribution in colleges and Universities. Aclica Johnson just put on a LQBTQ+ week in May at a church in Washington State that would have gone unreported except for the internet.

A liberal independent Adventist outlet on the topic:

Alicia Johnston: LGBTQ Theology — Adventist Voices

Happy Pride Month! Four years ago, Alicia Johnston resigned from her job as an Adventist pastor due to her bisexual identity. This week she joins me to talk about her new book, The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists: A Theological Conversation About Same-Sex Marriage, Gender, and Identity. This is a...

conversation.spectrummagazine.org

A conservative independent outlet on the topic:

Well, That's Not Good -- SDA Church in Seattle to Host Pro-Gay Meeting on Sabbath — Fulcrum7

Affirming theology takes 5,000 years of Judeo-Christian teaching, and reinterprets it according to modern notions. As in feminism and cultural marxism, these Judeo-Christian biblical teachings are scornfully rejected as ‘patriarchal’.

www.fulcrum7.com

 

[tall73]

Oh yes you can. The reason why it is allowed to exist in the church is because those who have rejected Helen White and stage have become more open to things outside the Bible. It's the problem when you reject the scripture as the source of authority

Well you certainly know I don't agree with Ellen White. But my point is she makes no statements in any way tolerating or promoting LBTQ thinking.

The complicated subject of the use of her writings, which you refer to, is part of the whole picture. But even then that is another step removed, in that it is the reaction of the more liberal wing to inspiration in general.

It is true that when one revisits epistomology it can have far reaching effects. And in some cases that has caused people to extend that past Ellen White, to the Scriptures as well.

I think this is also tied to the question many have if they come to reject Ellen White, or one of the other fundamental beliefs, of whether it is best to stay in the Adventist church and attempt reform, or to leave.

If you stay in the church, you are likely to find more fellowship with the progressive wing. But if your reason for disagreeing is a conservative reading of the Bible, you won't have agreement there often either.

This was somewhat pronounced when I left the church. But it has become more so lately with the LGBT emphasis.

I did not want to stay in the church, if I could not in good conscience agree with the beliefs of the the church. But the various groups above show that a number of people come to varying conclusions on that, and still stay in the church.

But the result is a lot of potential conflict, and being pulled different directions, in my view. And for that reason, I think people who disagree would be better off leaving. Moreover, they can have more fellowship and productive ministry in other churches that allow for study of Scripture in a more broadly stated set of fundamental beliefs.

 

[Adventist Heretic]

Well you certainly know I don't agree with Ellen White. But my point is she makes no statements in any way tolerating or promoting LBTQ thinking.

The complicated subject of the use of her writings, which you refer to, is part of the whole picture. But even then that is another step removed, in that it is the reaction of the more liberal wing to inspiration in general.

You are correct on that