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The Catholic Faith and Seventh Day Adventists Deacon J The Catholic Faith and Seventh Day Adventists Deacon J. H. Toner Our Lady of Grace Church 6 October 2011: St Bruno, Bl. Marie-Rose Durocher (for full information, go http://www.theotokos.co.za/adventism/catholic.html) I. Seventh-day Adventism is not a cult, although it has a decidedly anti-Catholic foundation. It is, though, a genuinely Christian denomination. Its members are both validly baptized Christians and theologically Christian in their beliefs. A. One of the “Americanist” religions of the revival period—along with the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists, Unitarians/Universalists. See Paul K. Conkin, American Originals (Chapel Hill, UNC Press, 1997). B. Baptism, SDAs, say, is a symbol only. C. The Lord’s Supper, they say, “is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus.” D. Conservative, traditional SDAs do not celebrate Christmas -- although they might make mention of it in church or on a nearby sabbath. More modern, progressive, liberal SDAs do tend to celebrate Christmas. E. SDAs have married ministers. SDAs do not ordain women to be pastors, but may “commission” women to leadership roles. F. There is a Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement (SDARM), which teaches pacifism. SDAs normally choose noncombatancy. G. Commendably high standards in health: “Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well.” II. SDA emphasis on apocalyptic prophecy/remnant church. (Cf. Advent in the liturgical calendar.) The visions of Ellen G. White (1827-1915) and The Great Controversy (1858— Battle Creek, MI--which they tout as “the greatest book written in the last 1700 years.”) [Compare Christian Science’s Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) and her Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (1875).] Emphasis on imminent end of the world. A. Origin with William Miller (1782–1849), a Baptist who predicted the Second Coming would occur between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844. Misinterpretation of Daniel 8:11-14. B. Rapture (neither Catholic nor traditional Protestant teaching) C. Pre-tribulational teaching. For details, please see “Millennialism and the Church” at www.cuf.org/FaithFacts D. Catholic Christian teaching: CCC #675-677. E. The Book of Revelation: 1. Scripture can be read literally. 2. Scripture can be read symbolically. (a) Allegorical (typological): points to NT (b) Moral (tropological): ethical instruction (c) Anagogical (teleogical): Cf. Sirach 7:36 3. Revelation reminds us of Acts 8:31 and 2 Peter 3:16 (a) See Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 2nd Catholic Ed, RSV 9781586172503. (b) Scott Hahn, The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth. Good background reading before Father John’s talks, beginning on 27 October. III. Seventh-Day Adventists agree with many Catholic doctrines, including the Trinity, Christ’s divinity, the virgin birth, the atonement, a physical resurrection of the dead, and Christ’s Second Coming. They believe in original sin and reject the Evangelical teaching that one can never lose one’s salvation no matter what one does (i.e., they correctly reject “once saved, always saved”—which is presumption [CCC #2092]). IV. Adventists subscribe to the two Protestant ideas of sola scriptura (the Bible is the sole rule of faith) and sola fide (justification is by faith alone. V. They worship on Saturdays. This was because of White’s vision, and the belief that the Commandment about the Sabbath was the most important (American Originals, 129; cf. Mt 22:36-40). Adventists are mistaken in their belief that there is no New Testament evidence that supports such a change by the Catholic Church. Quite apart from the biblical proof of the apostolic Church’s authority to teach in God’s name (Mt 16:18–19, 18:17–18, Lk 10:16) and of God’s guarantee that this teaching would never fall into error (Mt 28:19–20, Lk 22:32, Jn 16:13), there is great evidence from Scripture that Christ and the apostles changed their day of corporate worship from Sat to Sun. (Cf. #106 of Vatican Council II, Sacred Liturgy.) A. Natural/Moral Law: Third Commandment (remember the Augustinian numbering?) Moral obligation of divine worship. B. Ceremonial/Judicial: Superseded by the New Covenant of Jesus the Christ. Jesus is Lord “even of the Sabbath” (Mk 2:28). Special honor is shown to Sunday throughout the New Testament. Christ rose from the dead on Sunday, and he first appeared to his disciples that Easter Sunday evening (Jn 20:19). One week later Jesus appeared to them again when Thomas was present (John 20:26). Luke records that Sunday was observed by the Christian community from the very beginning: “On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread” (Acts 20:7). To “break bread” refers to the celebration of the Eucharist (Mt 26:26, Mk 14:22). Paul ordered the Corinthians to gather their offertory collections on Sunday (1 Cor 16:2); that set the scriptural precedent we follow today of gathering our offerings on Sunday during Mass. John records in Rev. 1:10 that he was granted a vision of heaven’s own worship while he was at worship (“caught up in spirit”) on “the Lord’s day.” John’s disciple Ignatius of Antioch tells us in his Letter to the Magnesians that “the Lord’s day” is not the ancient Sabbath; therefore, “the Lord’s day” must refer to Sunday. Jesus, being God, knew whether or not his Church would apostatize by changing the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. If Adventists are correct that Christians are still obliged to keep Saturday as their day of corporate worship, isn’t it strange that Jesus underscored exactly the opposite by appearing to his disciples after his Resurrection nearly exclusively on Sunday? (source: Catholic Answers/Seventh Day Adventists). See also CCC #2174-2176 and 345-349. (1) St. Paul: “a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal 2:16) [often misinterpreted]. (2) Special days (2 Chronicles 2:4—Colossians 2:16 [often misinterpreted]). C. Why assisting at Mass on Sundays and holy days is basic to the Church (CCC #2042, 2180, 1389; Heb 10:23-25: to hold fast to our faith and encourage others; Acts 2:42). Ex 16:23/Mk 2:27. See also Blessed John Paul II, Dies Domini (31 May 1998): #2. VI. Peculiar beliefs: (A) In the last days, Sunday worship will be “the mark of the beast”: Adventist theology is traditionally anti-Catholic. See Amazing Truth’s publication National Sunday Law (by Jan Marcussen)—reminiscent of Jack Chick. (B) They have a commonly used “devotional bible”: The Clear Word (but not officially endorsed by the SDA) (C) The soul sleeps between death and resurrection. (D) On the last day, after a limited period of punishment in hell, the wicked will be annihilated and cease to exist rather than be eternally damned. (For rebuttals of these ideas, see http://www.cuf.org/FaithFacts). (E) Many Adventists insist that, as a matter of discipline (not doctrine), one must not eat meats considered unclean under the Mosaic Law (many endorse total vegetarianism), and one must avoid "worldly entertainments" (card-playing, dancing, smoking, drinking, reading non- religious books, listening to non-religious music, watching non-religious television, going to the movies, etc.). See Mt 15:11 and Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953). Catholics are called to sanctify the earth. .
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