Editing Seventh-day Adventist Church (section)

==Criticism==
{{Main|Criticism of the Seventh-day Adventist Church}}
The Adventist Church has received criticism along several lines, including what some claim are [[heterodoxy|heterodox]] doctrines, [[Ellen G. White]] and her status within the church, and alleged exclusivist issues.<ref>{{cite web
| title     = Seventh-day Adventist Church profile
| publisher     = Religious Tolerance.org
| url     = http://www.religioustolerance.org/sda.htm
| access-date     = December 2, 2004
| archive-date     = May 22, 2013
| archive-url     = https://web.archive.org/web/20130522052403/http://www.religioustolerance.org/sda.htm
| url-status     = dead
}}</ref>

===Doctrines===
Several teachings that have come under scrutiny are the [[annihilationism|annihilationist]] view of [[hell]], the [[investigative judgment]] (and a related view of the [[Atonement in Christianity|atonement]]), and the Sabbath. Critics such as evangelical [[Anthony Hoekema]] (who felt that Adventists were more in agreement with [[Arminianism]]) argued that some Adventist doctrines were [[heterodoxy|heterodox]]. In addition, Hoekema also claimed that Adventist doctrine suffers from [[Legalism (theology)|legalism]].<ref>{{Cite book|author=Anthony Hoekema|title=The Four Major Cults|year=1963|pages=115–128, 144–169|publisher=Paternoster Press |isbn=978-0-85364-094-3|author-link=Anthony Hoekema}}</ref>

While critics such as Hoekema have classified Adventism as a [[sectarian]] group on the basis of its atypical doctrines,<ref name="Samples_updated"/><ref name="autogenerated1963"/> it has been accepted as more mainstream by Protestant evangelicals since its meetings and discussions with evangelicals in the 1950s.<ref>George R. Knight "A Search For Identity The Development of Seventh-Day Adventist Beliefs", Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000, p. 165</ref> [[Billy Graham (evangelist)|Billy Graham]] invited Adventists to be part of his crusades after ''[[Eternity (magazine)|Eternity]]'', a conservative Christian magazine edited by [[Donald Barnhouse]], asserted in 1956 that Adventists are Christians. He also later stated, "They are sound on the great New Testament doctrines including grace and redemption through the vicarious offering of Jesus Christ 'once for all{{'"}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Adventists and Evangelicals: another viewpoint |url=https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1993/06/adventists-and-evangelicals-another-viewpoint |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=www.ministrymagazine.org |language=en}}</ref> [[Walter Ralston Martin|Walter Martin]], who is considered by many to be the father of the [[Christian countercult movement|counter-cult apologetics movement within evangelicalism]], authored ''The Truth About Seventh-day Adventists'' (1960) which marked a turning point in the way Adventism was viewed:<ref>Donald Grey Barnhouse, "Are Seventh-day Adventists Christians?" Eternity, September 1956, p. 7.</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Dickinson |first=Loren |date=November 2, 2006 |title=The Day Adventists Became Christians |publisher=Spectrum}}</ref> "It is perfectly possible to be a Seventh-day Adventist and be a true follower of Jesus Christ despite [[heterodox]] concepts".<ref>Walter Martin, ''Kingdom of the Cults'' Off-site Link (Bethany House, Minneapolis, Minnesota), Updated edition 1997, p. 517.</ref>

Later on, Martin planned to write a new book on Seventh-day Adventism, with the assistance of Kenneth R. Samples.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://qod.andrews.edu/docs/08_kenneth_samples.doc|title=Evangelical Reflections on Seventh-day Adventism: Yesterday and Today, by Kenneth Richard Samples|website=andrews.edu|access-date=July 10, 2009|archive-date=May 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512202713/http://qod.andrews.edu/docs/08_kenneth_samples.doc|url-status=dead}}</ref> Samples subsequently authored "From Controversy to Crisis: An Updated Assessment of Seventh-day Adventism", which upholds Martin's view "for that segment of Adventism which holds to the position stated in [[QOD]], and further expressed in the Evangelical Adventist movement of the last few decades." However, Samples also claimed that "Traditional Adventism" appeared "to be moving further away from a number of positions taken in QOD", and at least at [[Sanctuary Review Committee|Glacier View]] seemed to have "gained the support of many administrators and leaders".<ref>[http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0005b.html "From Controversy to Crisis: An Updated Assessment of Seventh-day Adventism] by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal Christian Research Journal, Summer 1988, Volume 11, Number 1</ref>

===Ellen G. White and her status===
[[File:Ellen G. White (1899).jpg|thumb|right|upright=1|Ellen G. White in 1899]]
{{Main|Inspiration of Ellen White}}
[[Ellen G. White]]'s status as a modern-day [[prophet]] has also been criticized. In the ''Questions on Doctrine'' era, evangelicals expressed concern about Adventism's understanding of the relationship of White's writings to the inspired canon of Scripture.<ref name="Samples_updated" /> The Adventist fundamental beliefs maintain that "the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested".<ref>{{cite web
| title      = Fundamental Beliefs #18
| publisher  = Seventh-day Adventist Church
| url        = https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/church/the-gift-of-prophecy/
| access-date = November 1, 2006
}}</ref>

A common criticism of Ellen White, widely popularized by [[Walter T. Rea]], Ronald Numbers, and others, is the claim of [[plagiarism]] from other authors.<ref>{{cite book
| last       = Canright
| first      = D. M.
| title      = Life of Mrs. E.G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Prophet: Her False Claims Refuted
| year       = 1919
| url        = http://www.ellenwhite.org/canright/egw16.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19981205024026/http://www.ellenwhite.org/canright/egw16.htm
| url-status   = dead
| archive-date = December 5, 1998
| access-date = June 6, 2006
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Rea |first=Walter T. |title=The White Lie |date=February 1983 |publisher=Moore Publishing |isbn=978-0-9607424-0-0 |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| last      = Numbers
| first      = Ronald L.
| title      = Prophetess of health: a study of Ellen G. White
| publisher      = Harper & Row
| year      = 1976
| isbn      = 978-0-06-066325-4
| url-access      = registration
| url      = https://archive.org/details/prophetessofheal00numb
}}; {{cite journal
| title=An Author Replies to His Critics
| author=Ronald L. Numbers
| journal=[[Spectrum (magazine)|Spectrum]]
| volume=8
| issue=2
| date=January 1977
| pages=27–36
| url=http://www.spectrummagazine.org/spectrum/archive06-10/8-2numbers.pdf
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001933/http://www.spectrummagazine.org/spectrum/archive06-10/8-2numbers.pdf
| archive-date=September 27, 2007
| url-status=dead
}}</ref> An independent lawyer specializing in plagiarism, Vincent L. Ramik, was engaged to undertake a study of Ellen G. White's writings during the early 1980s and concluded that they were "conclusively {{sic|unplagiaristic}}".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ellen G. White® Estate: The Ramik Report: Memorandum of Law Literary Propert Rights 1790–1915 |url=https://whiteestate.org/legacy/issues-ramik-html/ |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=whiteestate.org}}</ref> When the plagiarism charge ignited a significant debate during the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Adventist General Conference commissioned a major study by Dr. Fred Veltman. The ensuing project became known as the "Life of Christ' Research Project".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Veltman |first=Fred |title=Life of Christ Research Project |url=https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Resources/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2fResources%2fLOCRP&FolderCTID=0x01200095DE8DF0FA49904B9D652113284DE0C8000B5857BEC3C5DB4F96C32A1C24765988}}</ref> Veltman examined 15 randomly selected chapters of [[The Desire of Ages]] for evidence of literary dependence and concluded, "On an average we may say that 31.4 percent of the DA text is dependent to some extent on literary sources."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Veltman |first=Fred |title=Life of Christ Research Project |year=1988 |pages=882}}</ref> The results are available at the General Conference Archives.<ref>[http://www.adventistarchives.org/documents.asp?CatID=13&ShowDateOrder=True&SortBy=1 General Conference Archives] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715071416/http://www.adventistarchives.org/documents.asp?CatID=13&SortBy=1&ShowDateOrder=True |date=July 15, 2010 }} of the Seventh-day Adventist Church</ref> Dr. Roger W. Coon,<ref>{{cite web
| url   = http://www.andrews.edu/~fortind/EGWPlagiarism-Coon-98.htm
| title = ''Ellen G. White as a Writer: Part III – The Issue of Literary Borrowing''
| work  = andrews.edu
}}</ref> David J. Conklin,<ref>{{cite web |title=INDEX FILES on Charge of Plagiarism against E. G. White |url=http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/David/index.html |work=50megs.com}}</ref> Dr. Denis Fortin,<ref>{{cite web
| url   = http://www.andrews.edu/~fortind/EGWWhite-Conybeare.htm
| title = ''Ellen G. White as a Writer: Case Studies in the Issue of Literary Borrowing''
| work  = andrews.edu
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url   = http://www.andrews.edu/~fortind/EGWPlagiarism-Encyclopedia.htm
| title = Untitled Document
| work  = andrews.edu
}}</ref> King and Morgan,<ref>{{Cite book
| title     = More Than Words: A Study of Inspiration and Ellen White's Use of Sources in The Desire of Ages
| author    = E. Marcella Anderson King and Kevin L. Morgan
| year      = 2009
| publisher = Honor Him Publishers
}}</ref> and Morgan,<ref>{{Cite book |author=Morgan |first=Kevin L. |title=White Lie Soap: For removal of lingering stains on Ellen White's integrity as an inspired writer |publisher=Honor Him Publishers |year=2013 |language=en-us}}</ref> among others, undertook the refutation of the accusations of plagiarism. At the conclusion of his report, Ramik states:

<blockquote>It is impossible to imagine that the intention of Ellen G. White, as reflected in her writings and the unquestionably prodigious efforts involved therein, was anything other than a sincerely motivated and unselfish effort to place the understandings of Biblical truths in a coherent form for all to see and comprehend. Most certainly, the nature and content of her writings had but one hope and intent, namely, the furthering of mankind's understanding of the word of God. Considering all factors necessary in reaching a just conclusion on this issue, it is submitted that the writings of Ellen G. White were conclusively unplagiaristic.<ref name="Also appears in Review article">{{Cite web |title=Ellen G. White® Estate: The Ramik Report: Memorandum of Law Literary Propert Rights 1790–1915 |url=https://whiteestate.org/legacy/issues-ramik-html/ |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=whiteestate.org}}</ref>
</blockquote>

===Exclusivism===
Critics have alleged that certain Adventist beliefs and practices are exclusivist in nature, and they point to the Adventist claim to be the "[[Remnant (Adventist)|remnant church]]", and the traditional Protestant association of [[Roman Catholicism]] with "[[Babylon (New Testament)|Babylon]]".<ref name="SDACatholic">{{cite web
| title=How Seventh-day Adventists View Roman Catholicism
| publisher=[[General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists]] Administrative Committee
| date=April 15, 1997
| url=http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main_stat42.html
| access-date=January 11, 2007
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206202225/http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main_stat42.html
| archive-date=December 6, 2006
| url-status=dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| title       = Seventh-Day Adventism
| publisher   = Catholic Answers
| url         = http://www.catholic.com/library/Seventh_Day_Adventism.asp
| access-date  = February 5, 2007
| url-status     = dead
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070203061247/http://www.catholic.com/library/Seventh_Day_Adventism.asp
| archive-date = February 3, 2007
}}</ref><ref>See also [[Questions on Doctrine]], chapters 20 and 21; and {{Cite book|author=Anthony Hoekema|title=The Four Major Cults|year=1963|pages=128–132|publisher=Paternoster Press |isbn=978-0-85364-094-3}}</ref> These attitudes are said to legitimize the [[proselytism|proselytising]] of Christians from other denominations. In response to such criticisms, Adventist theologians have stated that the doctrine of the remnant does not preclude the existence of genuine Christians in other denominations but is concerned with institutions.<ref>{{cite web
| title        = The Remnant and the Adventist Church
| author       = Ángel Manuel Rodríguez
| date         = October 2002
| publisher    = [[Biblical Research Institute]]
| url          = http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/remnantSDAchurch.htm
| access-date  = February 5, 2007
| archive-date = March 22, 2007
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070322061929/http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/remnantSDAchurch.htm
| url-status   = dead
}}</ref>