Seventh-day Adventist Interfaith Relations

The official beliefs of the church (28 Fundamentals) do not mention the Papacy or Roman Catholicism. An official statement "How Seventh-day Adventists View Roman Catholicism" was released in 1997. Adventists are concerned about the institution of the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church, yet recognize many sincere individual Catholics.

Woodrow Whidden wrote, "we must forthrightly affirm that many positive things have taken place in Roman Catholicism". According to him, the papacy "is a mixed bag morally and ethically... All human organizations (including our own 'enfeebled and defective' denomination) are sadly sinful." He concludes, "the Roman Catholic religious system" or "papal Rome is still the great power envisioned in Daniel 7 and 8; 2 Thessalonians 2; and Revelation 13."[11] See the companion article By Grace Alone? by Clifford Goldstein.

More moderate scholars... Progressive Adventists typically reject these traditional identifications. See Spectrum 27, issue 3 (Summer 1999): 30–52. A number of meetings were held between Seventh day Adventist and Catholic theologians, including Bishop (now Cardinal) Walter Kasper and Msgr John Radano. A short report was released by Ángel Manuel Rodríguez.[12]

Adventist Samuele Bacchiocchi was the first non-Catholic to have graduated from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

See also Reinder Bruinsma, Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844–1965 (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 1994) ISBN 1-883925-04-5, and another article.[13]

There was constructive theological dialogue between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and The Lutheran World Federation. Conversations started in 1994 and ended in 1998. The main issues discussed and described by the final report published in 2000 included Justification by Faith, Scripture and Authority in the Church and Eschatology.[14]

Final report concluded that "Lutherans in their national and regional church contexts" should recognize the Seventh-day-Adventist Church no longer "as a sect but as a free church and a Christian world communion".[15]

There is active theological dialogue between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. In 2001 report on dialogue has been published as well, among other statements it declared that:

"We are happy to conclude that our conversation has been productive in a number of directions. We have affirmed the common doctrinal ground on which we stand, and we have specified some of the ways in which our teachings have developed over time. We have sought to dispel mutual misunderstandings concerning doctrine. We have eschewed the sectarian spirit, and have not questioned one another's status as Christians."[16]

There were also informal meetings between Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Adventist leaders, Nyomi told them that he has experienced the positive witness of the Adventist Church.[17]

The first meeting with the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) was in 2006. "Although we come from different religious traditions, there was much that we shared in common and was useful to both parties" said Angel Rodriguez. "The meetings were designed to gain a clearer understanding of the theological positions of each body; clarify matters of misunderstanding; discuss frankly areas of agreement and disagreement on a Biblical basis; and explore possible areas of cooperation. The group also enjoyed a visit to several sites in Prague related to Protestant reformer Jan Hus."[18]

Representatives from the WEA and the Adventist church met at Andrews University from August 5–10, 2007.[19] While the Adventist participants agreed with the WEA Statement of Faith and the discussions were described as warm and cordial, there was disagreement over certain distinctive Adventist beliefs (see: Seventh-day Adventist theology). The "Joint Statement..." was released in September.[20]

Clark Pinnock believes that Adventists are evangelicals.[21]

Seventh-day Adventist church is a member of French Protestant Federation, now representing over 900,000 French Protestants and consisting of 17 churches.

"Now we can enjoy the same rights as traditional Protestant churches and we are considered theologically equal with other religious movements in our country," said Jean-Paul Barquon, secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in France.[22]

There was a meeting between delegates from Seventh day Adventist Church and Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at the Presbyterian Church's national headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky August 22 to 24 (2007) to affirm common beliefs and dispel stereotypes.

“The Adventist church has a responsibility to clear up misconceptions other Christian denominations might have of us, and meetings such as this one give us an opportunity to do so,” said Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, director of the Biblical Research Institute.

There is active dialogue and friendly relation between Salvation Army and Seventh day Adventist Church. Theologians from both denominations met several times .

"It was most important to see the very similar approaches to the Gospel message that we have; very compatible lifestyles and Christ-centeredness in The Salvation Army and the Seventh-day Adventist Church," Dr. Beach told ANN. "Adventists have always had considerable respect for the work of Salvationists, and I hope that in the future we would increase our knowledge of each other and our cooperation in meeting many of humanity's crying spiritual and material needs."

In 2003 there was meeting in Belgrade between Jan Paulsen (president of the Seventh-day Adventist world church), Patriarch Pavle and Stanislav Hočevar, Roman Catholic archbishop of Belgrade.

"Mutual respect must continue between the Adventist Church and the Orthodox Church in Serbia in order to protect religious liberty, Paulsen said. The conversation between the two leaders was informal, amicable and cordial, and covered brief exchanges on world affairs and also the Adventist position on health.

Paulsen also visited Stanislav Hocevar, Roman Catholic archbishop of Belgrade. The prelate's numerous questions about the faith and theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church gave Paulsen an in-depth opportunity to explain the church's understanding of Bible teachings."

While not being a member church of the World Council of Churches, the Adventist Church has participated in its assemblies in an observer capacity.[23]

World Council of Churches see Seventh-day Adventist Church as "a denomination of conservative evangelical Christians".

The Willow Creek Association is an international, evangelical Christian association which runs workshops and holds conferences, including a large annual conference. According to one article, "Seventh-day Adventist pastors and church members have been attending these conferences for years".[24]

Adventist theology is distinctly Protestant, and it has much in common with Evangelicalism in particular. However, in common with many restorationist groups, Adventists have traditionally taught the belief that the majority of Protestant churches have failed to "complete" the Reformation by overturning the errors of Roman Catholicism (see also Great Apostasy) and "restoring" the beliefs and practices of the primitive church—including Sabbath-keeping, adult baptism and conditional immortality.[25] The Adventist church is thus classified as a Restorationist sect by some religion scholars. On the same basis it may be associated with the Anabaptists and other movements of the Radical Reformation.

Prominent Adventist evangelist George Vandeman affirmed other churches in What I Like About... The Lutherans, The Baptists, The Methodists, The Charismatics, The Catholics, Our Jewish Friends, The Adventists.

Adventists typically do not associate themselves with Fundamentalist Christianity:

"Theologically, Seventh-day Adventists have a number of beliefs in common with Fundamentalists, but for various reasons have never been identified with the movement... On their part, Adventists reject as unbiblical a number of teachings held by many (though not all) Fundamentalists..."[26][27]

However one stream of Adventist thought–Historic Adventism–is often considered fundamentalist.

Baptist scholar Clark Pinnock gave very favourable reviews of Alden Thompson's Inspiration,[28] and Richard Rice's theology textbook Reign of God.[29] Pinnock was earlier impressed by Richard Rice's book The Openness of God, and later was the editor for another work of the same name, contributed by authors Rice, John E. Sanders and others. Ray Roennfeldt wrote his PhD on Pinnock's view of biblical inspiration.[30] Pinnock also wrote the foreword to Immortality or Resurrection? by Samuele Bacchiocchi.

Baptist Wayne Grudem wrote the foreword to Samuele Bacchiocchi's book Women in the Church.

At an Adventist conference, Methodist scholar Donald Dayton described himself as a "sympathetic outsider". He affirmed Adventists for being ahead of their time on certain beliefs, although not necessarily entirely correct.[31]

Anglican minister Geoffrey Paxton had significant interaction with Adventists, particularly with Robert Brinsmead. He lost his job as principal of the Queensland Bible Institute (now Crossway College) because of his association with Adventists.[32]

Defrocked Adventist minister Desmond Ford has presented sermons to a wide variety of Christian denominations.

Evangelical Tony Campolo has written about his positive experiences speaking on numerous Adventist university campuses in the forward to Adventism for a New Generation by Steve Daily. He presented at the first International Conference on Adventists in the Community, in 2004.[33]

Evangelical author Philip Yancey gave a presentation at Avondale College Church on October 20, 2001, which was broadcast throughout the South Pacific Division.[34] He returned to speak again at Avondale College in 2007.[35]

Historian Martin E. Marty describes Adventism as trans-modern, as opposed to counter-modern fundamentalists.[36]

See "New Directions in Adventist—Muslim Relations", a Spectrum interview with Global Center for Adventist-Muslim Relations director Jerald Whitehouse. See also.[38]

Samir Selmanovic, the pastor of Church of the Advent Hope in New York City, was honored by the group Muslims Against Terrorism for his assistance following the September 11, 2001 attacks, including holding a Christian-Muslim discussion at the peak of tensions.[39]