In their ongoing series, “Denomination Relations”, the Southern Cross Catholic publication considers the shared beliefs, and differences between Catholics and Seventh Day Adventists. This article is written by Roman Catholic Jason Scott:
Where Do Seventh Day Adventists Come From?
The Seventh Day Adventist Church emerged in the mid-19th century, rooted in the Millerite movement, which anticipated the Second Coming of Christ in 1844. After the predicted date passed without event, a group of believers, led by Ellen G. White, James White and Joseph Bates, reorganised their beliefs and formed what would become the Seventh Day Adventist Church. They are known for their observance of the Sabbath on Saturday and their emphasis on health and wellness.
Seventh Day Adventists place a strong emphasis on the authority of Scripture and the ministry of White, whose writings they consider inspired. They also advocate for a holistic approach to life, promoting vegetarianism and a healthy lifestyle as part of their religious practice.
What We Agree On
As Catholics, we share fundamental beliefs with Seventh Day Adventists: the Trinity, Christ’s divinity and humanity, and the resurrection. We both affirm the importance of the Bible as the word of God, though our interpretations and applications differ. Both traditions emphasize the importance of living a life of faith and obedience to God’s commandments.
Where We Disagree
From a Catholic perspective, the key disagreements with Seventh Day Adventists are clear. Seventh Day Adventists observe the Sabbath on Saturday, which contrasts with the Catholic tradition of observing the Lord’s Day on Sunday. This difference in Sabbath observance reflects a broader disagreement on the role of the Old Testament law in the life of the Christian, with Seventh Day Adventists still following many of the old Jewish laws
Seventh Day Adventists do not recognise the authority of the Pope or the hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church, favouring a more congregational form of governance. They also reject the Catholic doctrine of the immortality of the soul, believing instead in the concept of “soul sleep”, where the dead remain unconscious until the resurrection.
Furthermore, Seventh Day Adventists do not uphold the Catholic sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, and do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. Their practice of baptism by immersion for those who have reached an age of accountability differs from the Catholic tradition of infant baptism.
Recent Steps Towards Unity
Despite these differences, progress has been made. The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, opened doors for dialogue with other denominations, including Seventh Day Adventists. More recently, joint statements and collaborative projects have highlighted areas of agreement and mutual respect. For instance, both groups have worked together on humanitarian efforts, such as disaster relief and health initiatives, reflecting a shared commitment to serving others.
While formal theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Seventh Day Adventist Church has been limited, there have been informal discussions and cooperative efforts in areas of common concern, such as religious freedom and social justice. These efforts reflect our shared commitment to unity and the healing of centuries-old divisions. As Catholics, we are committed to reuniting Christians and restoring full communion within the one true Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, to heal the wounds of centuries-old divisions.
— Jason Scott
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Observations
The article says that 1844 passed without event. That may be true in a temporal sense, but we believe that there was an event in heaven that occurred in 1844 — namely initiating the cleansing of the sanctuary in Heaven.
The article says that we both affirm the Bible as the word of God. The Roman Catholic Church accepts biblical authority insofar as the Bible is interpreted by their official Magisterial authority. Adventists are not tempted by the idea of having a pope because that is exactly what the Reformers renounced, in seeking to reform the church in the 16th century.
The article says we both emphasize obedience to the commandments of God. Seventh-day Adventists emphasize all Ten Commandments, including the Sabbath commandment (#4). We do not accept the Roman Catholic version of the Ten Commandments, (which omits the 2nd commandment banning the worship of images) and changes the 4th commandment to the 3rd, and splits the 10th commandment into two pieces in order to have 10.
Roman Catholics observe Sunday as the Lord’s Day, a term not applied to Sunday in scripture, but in extrabiblical sources after the Apostolic and Post Apostolic periods. We observe Saturday as the sabbath, the same day that the Apostles, the early church, and the Lord Himself observed. Had this day been changed by Christ, scripture would have been full of the controversial aftermath. It was not changed, indeed Isaiah tells us that it will be observed in the earth made new.
“Seventh-day Adventists still follow old Jewish laws.” We follow the Bible, including precepts in the Old Testament that are part of the New Covenant.
“Seventh Day Adventists do not recognise the authority of the Pope or the hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church, favouring a more congregational form of governance.” Correct. We renounce the magisterium of papal authority and kingly power, in favor of the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. We believe in the priesthood of all believers (not using it as a way to undermine the Bible’s gender role distinctions) and prefer servant undershepherds over hierarchy.
“They also reject the Catholic doctrine of the immortality of the soul”. We do, because it is a Catholic doctrine, not a biblical doctrine.
“Furthermore, Seventh Day Adventists do not uphold the Catholic sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, and do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. Their practice of baptism by immersion for those who have reached an age of accountability differs from the Catholic tradition of infant baptism.” We reject Roman Catholic sacraments (except marriage) because they are primarily based on tradition, pagan practices, and ritual. We accept adult baptism on the biblical principle of believer’s baptism. The Roman Church tried to squelch believer’s baptism during the prolonged period of the Dark Ages. We owe a debt to the Anabaptists for bringing believer’s baptism back into Christian practice, often at the cost of their own lives. Adventists practice believer’s baptism because it is biblical. As to rebaptism, if one’s original baptism is entered into with the proper commitment and humility, there is little need to repeat it.
Despite these differences, progress has been made. The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio, opened doors for dialogue with other denominations, including Seventh Day Adventists. Here’s something you may not be aware of. Conservative (or traditional) Roman Catholics regard Vatican II with a distrust similar to how some Seventh-day Adventists regard the Questions on Doctrines book. Both tend to see it as an expression of new theology, departing from traditional Catholicism or Adventism.
It is true that ecumenical Adventists, often in positions of leadership in the United States and Europe have sought to minimize the significant theological differences between Catholics and Adventism. Some administrators have even said that Roman Catholicism has changed, implying that we have little to fear from that system. The GC has repeatedly had a representative at the Christian World Communion. At at 2020 meeting, in which Ganoune Diop participated, it was said in the write-up “The recent encyclical of Pope Francis Fratelli tutti was acknowledged as an important encouragement to all Christian communions to unite efforts in building a culture of encounter, solidarity and universal fraternity across political, social, and religious borders.” That sounds kind of . . . ecumenical.
“More recently, joint statements and collaborative projects have highlighted areas of agreement and mutual respect. For instance, both groups have worked together on humanitarian efforts, such as disaster relief and health initiatives, reflecting a shared commitment to serving others.” This could be referring to ADRA, CRS (Catholic Relief Services) and USAID. Likely there are other joint efforts under the rubric of ecumenism that the author (Jason Scott) knows about.
“While formal theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Seventh Day Adventist Church has been limited, there have been informal discussions and cooperative efforts in areas of common concern, such as religious freedom and social justice.” Identifying social justice as a common concern suggests that these “cooperative efforts” between Roman Catholics and Seventh-day Adventists involve progressive or liberal Adventists. We have found this to be true. Adventists most likely to be involved in ecumenical efforts tend to be among the progressive left of the church, not more conservative Bible-believing members.
In closing, Jason Scott says “These efforts reflect our shared commitment to unity and the healing of centuries-old divisions. As Catholics, we are committed to reuniting Christians and restoring full communion within the one true Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, to heal the wounds of centuries-old divisions.” There it is. While the word '“healing” calls to mind Revelation 13:3, the term “one true church” exposes the true agenda of the Roman Catholic Church: Primacy, control, and the eradication of the Reformation (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Daniel 7:25; 2 Peter 2:18). Seventh-day Adventists have no business whatsoever helping them achieve these objectives.
Here is the patience of the saints (Revelation 14:12). Let us ask the Lord for this patience and endurance to stand for the right, though the heavens fall.
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“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13).