Adventist

William Miller (1782-1849), a farmer and veteran of the War of 1812, converted to evangelical Christianity in 1816 and applied himself to intense Bible study in order to calculate the date of Christ's Second Coming, or Second Advent.

The exhilaration following the American Revolution, expressed in the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century, fueled optimism that Christ's Second Coming was imminent. Adventist churches are a product of this hopeful time.

The Adventist movement emerged from the ministry of William Miller (1782-1849), who predicted that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. Another leading figure was Ellen White (1827-1915), whose visions gave the Seventh-day Adventists - the largest Adventist community - much of their unique character.

Adventist churches believe in the divine inspiration and infallibility of the Bible. The Books of Daniel and Revelation, along with passages in the Gospels and epistles, are read for the light they shed on the signs of the end times.

Scholars classify the Seventh-day Adventist Church as Protestant, mainstream, and conservative. In 1993, the Church was linked to ex-Seventh-day Adventist David Koresh and the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, a link that many consider unfair and unfortunate.

William Miller's predictions concerning the Second Coming of Jesus initially drew 50,000 to 100,000 faithful. When the date came and Christ did not arrive in person, Miller's followers scattered in what is known as "the Great Disappointment."

Following "the Great Disappointment," many of Miller's followers continued to hold Adventist beliefs and formed a number of separate churches. The largest of these is the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In the wake of "the Great Disappointment," Adventists faced ridicule and contempt, but nevertheless quickly grew in numerical strength and prosperity. Its humanitarian aid agency, founded in 1956, is one of the world's leading non-governmental relief organizations.

The first Seventh-day Adventist mission began in 1874 when missionary John Nevins Andrews worked to organize other Sabbatarians in Switzerland. The Church is now a genuine worldwide community with missions in over 200 countries.

Presently the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide community of over thirteen million members. It publishes in over 850 languages and dialects. Its worldwide health food companies annually produce over $500 million worth of products.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a premillennial denomination, meaning that it anticipates an apocalypse and Jesus' Second Coming, followed by a thousand years of peace and prosperity, as described in Revelation 20.

Adventists believe with other Christians in the Triune God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created by divine fiat and has acted through Jesus to save humanity from the sin of Adam. Jesus will return not only in spirit, but in person to save the world.

Adventists have a holistic view of human nature, in that body, mind, and soul are created together and are inseparable. Humans are also by nature mortal, but can receive immortality through God's grace and Christ's atonement.

Adventists look to the future with hope, but are pessimistic about the present. The present age is hopelessly evil, and Christ sits in judgment, as described in Revelation 14:7. Only God's direct action can bring redemption.

The dead are in an unconscious state until Christ returns on the last day. Then the whole person -- body, mind, soul -- is resurrected and judged. The righteous will receive immortality and live forever in the abode of Christ's new earth.

Seventh-day Adventists believe in the imminence of the Second Coming, without knowing the precise date. They advocate observing the Sabbath day of rest and worship on the seventh day, or Saturday, as a way to devoutly await Jesus' return.

Seventh-day Adventists worship in church buildings. The Saturday service commences with the Sabbath School, and is followed by a gathering for a sermon, singing, scripture reading, and prayer.

Adventists gather on Saturdays, the Sabbath, for worship and teaching. Non-religious activities and work are avoided, while family outings and compassionate works are encouraged. Adventists practice adult baptism by immersion and share the Lord's Supper quarterly. The community performs a foot washing ceremony before communion, following John 13.

Seventh-day Adventists are known for their commitment to good health. The body is believed to be a temple of the Holy Spirit, leading to vegetarianism, healthful diet and exercise, and allopathic health care. Adventists abstain from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.

The logo of the Seventh-day Adventist Church features an open Bible at its foundation. A cross rises out of it, and the cross is surrounded by the burning flame of the Holy Spirit.

Local congregations elect lay elders, deacons, and other officers, and the local conference administers community pastoral and evangelical work. Pastors and other workers are paid through a central fund supported by tithes and other donations.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a genuinely worldwide community administered by an international General Conference. Local conferences are largely autonomous and enjoy a highly representative form of government.

Seventh-day Adventists teach that "the hour of His judgment has come" (Rev. 14:7), and as a result seek to observe the Ten Commandments devoutly and literally. This includes the fourth commandment to keep the Sabbath on the seventh day, Saturday.

Adventists are strong advocates of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. They view themselves as a movement established in fulfillment of prophecy to prepare the world for the return of Christ, and so are dedicated to evangelism.

Though a key figure in the history of Seventh-day Adventism is a woman -- prophet and visionary Ellen Harmon White (1827-1915) -- more recently the General Conference has discouraged inclusion of women in the ministry. It has also condemned the practice of homosexuality.