{{short description|Core beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church}} {{thirdparty|date=September 2024}} {{Seventh-day Adventism}}
The '''28 fundamental beliefs''' are the core beliefs of Seventh-day Adventist theology. Adventists are opposed to the formulation of creeds, so the 28 fundamental beliefs are considered ''descriptors'', not ''prescriptors''; that is, that they describe the official position of the church but are not criteria for membership. These beliefs were originally known as the '''27 fundamental beliefs''' when adopted by the church's General Conference in 1980. An additional belief (number 11) was added in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.adventist.org/specials/2005/gcsession/voted_docs/growinginchrist.html |title=Growing in Christ |access-date=2006-05-26 |date=2005-07-04 |publisher=Adventist News Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051129114541/http://news.adventist.org/specials/2005/gcsession/voted_docs/growinginchrist.html |archive-date=2005-11-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The ''Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary'' is a significant expression of Adventist theological thought.
They may be grouped into the doctrines of God, humanity, salvation, the church, Christian life, and the restoration.<ref>[http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html Seventh-day Adventist Church] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060310104717/http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html |date=2006-03-10 }} Fundamental Beliefs</ref>
==History== Adventists have historically been reluctant to formalize a creed. In the October 8, 1861 Review and Herald, J. N. Loughborough wrote:<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bates |first1=Joseph |author-link=Joseph Bates (Adventist) |last2=Smith |first2=Uriah |author2-link=Uriah Smith |title=Doings of the Battle Creek Conference, Oct. 5 & 6, 1861 |journal=Review and Herald |volume=18 |issue=19 |pages=148 |date=1861-10-08 |url=http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1861-V18-19/index.djvu |format=DJVU |access-date=2006-11-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927230759/http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1861-V18-19/index.djvu |archive-date=2007-09-27 }}</ref><blockquote>The first step of apostasy is to get up a creed, telling us what we shall believe. The second is, to make that creed a test of fellowship. The third is to try members by that creed. The fourth to denounce as heretics those who do not believe that creed. And fifth, to commence persecution against such.</blockquote>Several summaries of Adventist theology have been presented at various times.
* In 1872 a pamphlet was produced presenting twenty-five ''Fundamental Principles''<ref>[http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html/ Fundamental Beliefs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> not to "secure uniformity" but "to meet inquiries" and "to correct false statements."<ref name="LB">{{Cite book|last=Schwarz |first=Richard W. |title=Light Bearers to the Remnant |year=1979 |publisher=Pacific Press |location=Boise, Idaho / Oshawa, Ontario, Canada}}</ref> * In 1931 a list of 22 Fundamental Beliefs<ref>[http://www.greatcontroversy.org/gco/orc/fb1931.php/ Online Research Center: Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists, 1931<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301060307/http://www.greatcontroversy.org/gco/orc/fb1931.php/ |date=March 1, 2007 }}</ref> was produced and published in the Adventist ''Yearbook'', and subsequently in the Adventist ''Church Manual''. * In 1980, the ''27 Fundamentals'' were instituted by the denomination's General Conference. Fritz Guy was the secretary of the original committee which produced the 27 Fundamentals. They were discussed and adopted at the 1980 General Conference Session. Ron Graybill wrote the preamble.<ref name="Schofield">{{Cite journal | last = Scofield | first = Michael | title = How the 27 Fundamental Beliefs Came to Be | journal = Adventist Today | volume = 8 | issue = 3 | pages = 11 | publisher = Adventist Today Foundation | location = Loma Linda, CA | issn = 1079-5499 | date = May–June 2000 | url = http://www.atoday.com/content/how-27-fundamental-beliefs-came-be | access-date = 2008-09-23 }}</ref> They are expanded upon in the book ''Seventh-day Adventists Believe: A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrines''.<ref>[http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/books/27/index.htm Seventh-day Adventists Believe... FILE: index.htm<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This elaboration does not constitute the "official" position of the church.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} * In 2005 another belief was inserted, fundamental belief number 11 "Growing in Christ", in response to the requests of Adventists in developing nations for a statement on spiritual warfare. It was voted in at the 2005 Adventist General Conference Session held in St. Louis, Missouri, yielding the current total of 28.
==Preamble== The preamble to the 28 Fundamentals states that Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed, and that revision of the statements may be expected during the church General Conference Session:<ref name="28F">{{Cite web |title=Fundamental Beliefs |publisher=Seventh-day Adventist Church |url=http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html |access-date=2006-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902013256/http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html |archive-date=2 September 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<blockquote>Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a General Conference Session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the teachings of God's Holy Word.</blockquote>
==Theological beliefs== <!-- COPYRIGHT NOTICE Please do not cut-and-paste the text of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs straight into this article, as this is a copyright violation.
Rather, summarize their content, put it into your own words, quote reliable secondary commentary on the points, etc. See the sections "Text" under Wikipedia:Non-free content#Acceptable use and under the section "Unacceptable use"
-->
===Doctrines of God===
1. Holy Scriptures :"The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of [God's] will." Adventist theologians generally reject the "verbal inspiration" position on Scripture held by many conservative evangelical Christians. They believe instead that God inspired the thoughts of the biblical authors, and that the authors then expressed these thoughts in their own words.<ref>{{harvnb|General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists|2005|pp=14–16}}</ref> This view is popularly known as "thought inspiration", and most Adventist members hold to that view. According to Ed Christian, former ''JATS'' editor, "few if any ATS members believe in verbal inerrancy".<ref>[http://www.atoday.com/magazine/2001/11/adventist-theological-society-0 The Adventist Theological Society] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225063148/http://www.atoday.com/magazine/2001/11/adventist-theological-society-0 |date=2007-12-25 }}, an interview of Ed Christian by John McLarty.</ref> :Adventists generally reject higher critical approaches to Scripture. The 1986 statement ''Methods of Bible Study'', urges Adventist Bible students to avoid relying on the use of the presuppositions and the resultant deductions associated with the historical-critical method.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other_documents/other_doc4.html |title=Methods of Bible Study}}</ref>
2. Trinity :The Godhead (Trinity) consists of the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Knight|editor-first=George|title=Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine|year=2003|publisher=Andrews University Press|location=Berrien Springs, Michigan|page=5|edition=Annotated}}</ref>
3. Father :God, the Father, is a personal and spiritual Being, who is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient. He is infinite in wisdom and love.<ref>{{harvnb|Knight|2003|p=5}}</ref>
4. Son :Jesus Christ, is God in verity. He is of the same nature and essence as the Father. In addition, he took upon Himself human nature, living as a righteous man on earth, dying for the sins of mankind, raised from the dead and ascended to heaven where he makes intercession for mankind.<ref>{{harvnb|Knight|2003|p=5}}</ref>
5. Holy Spirit :
===The doctrines of humanity===
6. Creation :The Seventh-day Adventist doctrine of creationism is based on believing that the opening chapters of Genesis should be interpreted as literal history. Adventist belief holds that all Earthly life originated during a six-day period some 6000 years ago, and a global flood destroyed all land based animals and humans except for those saved on Noah's Ark. Adventists oppose theories which propose interpreting the days of creation symbolically.<ref>{{harvnb|Numbers|2006|p=90}}</ref> Although Adventists hold that creation week was a recent event, they believe the Bible speaks of other worlds populated by intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe, which pre-existed the Earth's creation week.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grisda.org/earth-antedated-by-other-created-worlds|title=Earth Antedated by Other Created Worlds, Ellen White Statements|last=White|first= Ellen|date=September 29, 2014}}</ref> Instead of being ''The Word's'' first creation, the Earth was most likely His last one. The sons of God of Job 1:6–12 are the ''Adams'' of unfallen worlds meeting in God's presence somewhere in the universe. Other inhabited planets are located in the vastness of space—well beyond the reach of space probes from our sin-polluted solar system, quarantined due to the infection of sin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grisda.org/earth-antedated-by-other-created-worlds|title=Earth Antedated by Other Created Worlds, Ellen White Statements|last=White|first= Ellen|date=September 29, 2014}}</ref> {{clarify|date=April 2021}} :Adventists believe that inorganic matter was created prior to the creation week and was altered into its present form during the creation week. Therefore, the computed radiometric dates of standard geology are irrelevant to dating the creation of life on Earth.<ref name="C. L. Webster"> {{Cite journal|title=GENESIS AND TIME: What Radiometric Dating Tells Us|url=https://www.grisda.org/genesis-and-time-what-radiometric-dating-tells-us|journal=Geoscience Reports|author=C. L. Webster|publisher=Geoscience Research Institute}} </ref><ref> {{Cite journal|url=http://dialogue.adventist.org/articles/17_1_groot_e.htm|title=Genesis and the cosmos: A unified picture?|author=Mart de Groot|journal=Dialogue|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516235413/http://dialogue.adventist.org/articles/17_1_groot_e.htm|archive-date=2008-05-16|url-status=dead}} </ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.atsjats.org/publication_file.php?pub_id=54&journal=1&type=pdf|title=The Creation Account in Genesis 1: Our World Only or the Universe?|author=Ferdinand O. Regalado|journal=Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 13/2:108-120|access-date=2018-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223132402/http://www.atsjats.org/publication_file.php?pub_id=54&journal=1&type=pdf|archive-date=2018-02-23|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref> {{Cite conference|url=http://christintheclassroom.org/vol_31B/31Bcc_159-181.htm|title=The Bible and Astronomy|author=Mart de Groot|publisher=Education Department, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists|access-date=2019-09-10}} </ref> Since radiometric dating, says Webster, is an "interpretive science", he believes that for the Christian scientist “it would seem logical, almost compelling, to seriously consider” the Biblical account “for determining the time of Creation."<ref name="C. L. Webster" />
7. Nature of Humanity
===The doctrines of salvation===
9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ
10. The Experience of Salvation
11. Growing in Christ
===The doctrines of the church===
12. The Church
13. The Remnant and Its Mission
14. Unity in the Body of Christ
15. Baptism
16. The Lord's Supper
17. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries
18. The Spirit of Prophecy
===The doctrines of Christian living===
19. The Law of God
20. The Sabbath
21. Stewardship
22. Christian Behavior
23. Marriage and the Family
===The doctrines of the restoration===
24. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
25. The Second Coming of Christ
26. Death and Resurrection
27. The Millennium and the End of Sin
28. The New Earth
==See also== {{Portal|Christianity}} * History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church * The Pillars of Adventism * Seventh-day Adventist theology
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== * {{cite book|title=Seventh-day Adventists Believe|first=Ministerial Association|author=General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists|year=2005|publisher=Pacific Press Publishing Association|edition=2nd}} * {{Cite book|last=Numbers|first=Ron|year=2006|title=The Creationists}}
==External links== :''See also Seventh-day Adventist theology#External links'' * [https://www.adventist.org/beliefs/ Fundamental Beliefs] from the church's official website (see also [https://gc.adventist.org/official-statements/ Official Statements]) * "[http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/doctrines/au2002conference/guy/guy27origin.htm Uncovering the Origins of the Statement of Twenty-seven Fundamental Beliefs]" by Fritz Guy. Presentation from the ''Being Adventist in 21st Century Australia'' Conference at Avondale College Church, 2002. Also ''Spectrum'' v 32, Spring (2004), pp 18–29 * "[https://www.scribd.com/doc/8700702/seventhday-adventists-believe-1st-edition Seventh-Day Adventists Believe]" ebook (1st ed) * A series of ''Adventist Review'' articles around 2008 described each doctrine. (also [https://web.archive.org/web/20090717123604/http://spectrummagazine.typepad.com/the_spectrum_blog/bloggin_the_28/ Blogging the 28], articles collated by ''Spectrum'')
Each issue of ''Adventist World'' comments on a fundamental belief. Following is the list to February 2012 inclusive:<!-- only one issue from 2006, and April 2007 onwards available online; as of April 2009 --> [https://web.archive.org/web/20141014133943/http://www.adventistworld.org/article.php?id=859 1], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212756/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2010-1002&page=22 2], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1003&page=20 3], [http://adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1003&page=20 5], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224602/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1002&page=20 6], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212405/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1008&page=20 6], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224608/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1004&page=36 7], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224725/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1004&page=20 9], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1001&page=20 9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212414/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1001&page=20 |date=2011-07-21 }}, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224738/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1001&page=20 10], [https://web.archive.org/web/20091215051535/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1012&page=20 10], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212518/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1004&page=20 11], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224743/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1007&page=20 12], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1011&page=20 12] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212526/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1011&page=20 |date=2011-07-21 }}, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224751/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1009&page=20 15], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1007&page=20 15] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212552/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1007&page=20 |date=2011-07-21 }}, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224800/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1005&page=20 16], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224808/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1012&page=12 16], [http://adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1007&page=20 17], [https://web.archive.org/web/20090220050428/http://adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1002&page=20 17], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2010-1001&page=20 17] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212805/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2010-1001&page=20 |date=2011-07-21 }}, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224849/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1011&page=20 19], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1006&page=22 20] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212635/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1006&page=22 |date=2011-07-21 }}, [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2010-1003&page=20 20] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212823/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2010-1003&page=20 |date=2011-07-21 }}, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090822204805/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2006-1008&page=20 21], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224908/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1006&page=20 21], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224914/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1011&page=12 22], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1010&page=20 22], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509113357/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1005&page=22 23], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1009&page=20 23], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721212216/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1008&page=20 24], [https://web.archive.org/web/20081014094635/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1010&page=22 24], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224944/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1009&page=20 25], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724225128/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1012&page=22 26], [http://adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2007-1010&page=20 27], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080803092414/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2008-1008&page=20 27], [http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1005&page=20 28] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507231328/http://www.adventistworld.org/issue.php?issue=2009-1005&page=20 |date=2009-05-07 }} * ''Spectrum'' 8:4 (August 1977) [https://web.archive.org/web/20081202162437/http://spectrummagazine.org/spectrum/issue/vol_8_no_4_aug_1977 Special Section: An Adventist Creed?] * "[https://web.archive.org/web/20141020121436/http://docs.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH19840712-V161-28__B.pdf Why Seventh-day Adventists have no creed]" (DjVu) by Arthur L. White. ''Adventist Review'' 161:28 (12 July 1984), pp 6–8 * "[https://web.archive.org/web/20080821132246/http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive11-15/11-1report.pdf General Conference Report]" section, by Lawrence Geraty and other authors. ''Spectrum'' 11:1 (July 1980) ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090611025007/http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/06/07/new_statement_fundamental_beliefs reprint] of Geraty article) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080829163338/http://www.spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive11-15/11-3responses.pdf Letters to the editor] in ''Spectrum'' 11:3 (February 1981), pp 61— * "Creeds and Statements of Belief in Early Adventist Thought" by S. Joseph Kidder. ''Andrews University Seminary Studies'' 47:1 (Spring 2009), pp 101–16 * [https://archive.today/20121130092605/http://jewel.andrews.edu:82/search/dCreeds Search for "Creeds"] in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI) *[http://sbv.hatinh.gov.vn/upload/tailieu/thuoc-chong-tram-cam-52-16280737159.htm Thuốc chống trầm cảm] - Archive [http://sbv.hatinh.gov.vn/ sbv.hatinh.gov.vn] *[https://stp.binhduong.gov.vn/hethongvanban/Lists/HoiDap/Attachments/2760/629hoi-chung-tram-cam-theo-mua-538.htm trầm cảm theo mùa] - Archive [https://stp.binhduong.gov.vn binhduong.gov.vn]
Fundamentals, 28 Category:Christian statements of faith Category:1980 in Christianity Category:1980 documents Category:20th-century Christian texts