Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist is a Christian denomination with a worldwide membership of over 15 million. The title refers to belief in the imminent second coming (or "Advent") of Jesus, and the observance of the "seventh day" of the week (Saturday) as the Sabbath. The denomination was formally established in 1863. Among its founders was Ellen G. White, whose extensive writings are still held in high regard by the church today.
The pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church had much to do with the common acceptance of breakfast cereals into the Western diet. John Harvey Kellogg was one of the early founders of the Seventh-day Adventist health work. His development of breakfast cereals as a health food led to the foundation of Kellogg's.
Number of Members in the United States: 1.4 million
| Official Statements on Animals |
Since the 1860's when the church began, wholeness and health have been an emphasis of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Seventh-day Adventists present a health message that recommends vegetarianism and expects abstinence from pork, shellfish and other foods proscribed as "unclean" in Leviticus 11.
"Because we recognize humans as part of God's creation, our concern for the environment extends to personal health and lifestyle. We advocate a wholesome manner of living and reject the use of substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs that harm the body and consume earth's resources; and we promote a simple vegetarian diet." (Caring for Creation -- A Statement on the Environment)
"We call for respect of creation, restraint in the use of the world's resources, reevaluation of one's needs, and reaffirmation of the dignity of created life." (Statement on Stewardship of the Environment)
