Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement

Infobox Christian denomination
name = Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement


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main_classification = Protestant
orientation = Adventist; Arminian; Christian pacifist
polity = Modified presbyterian polity
founder = Groups of Seventh-day Adventist in different countries
founded_date = 1925
founded_place = Gotha, Germany
separated_from = Seventh-day Adventist Church
parent =
merger =
separations = "Seventh Day Adventist Third Part"
associations =
area = Worldwide (125 countries)
nursing_homes =
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congregations =
members = 35 000
ministers =
primary_schools =
secondary_schools =
tertiary =
other_names = Reformed Adventist Church (informal)
footnotes =The Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement is a Protestant Christian denomination, part of the Sabbatarian adventist movement, and the result of a split from the Seventh-day Adventist Church created by disagreement over proper Sabbath observance and military service during World War I.

History

When the German army mobilized in 1914, Seventh-day Adventists in that country had to decide whether they would serve in the military. The president of the "East German Union Conference" and others in council decided that conscripted Adventists would bear arms and could render service on the Sabbath in defense of their country. Though most followed their leadership in this policy, a minority felt they could not uphold what they believed was the church's original position in regard to keeping the Law of God and also serve in the military. The "Seventh-day Adventist Church" in Europe disfellowshipped those who refused to serve in the military.

About 4,000 Adventists in Germany and other parts of Europe were disfellowshipped. Attempts at reconciliation were made at the conclusion of the war, and again in 1920 and 1922, but failed. The "Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement" was organized as a separate church from the main body of Seventh-day Adventists at Gotha, Germany, July 14–20, 1925. However, they had already established and registered themselves as a separate church in 1919, so, they were highly motivated to remain separate.

The Reform Movement was first headquartered in Isernhagen, Germany, then later in Basel, Switzerland. After World War II, headquarters moved to Sacramento, California. The "Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement" has members in over 100 countries. The General Conference coordinates the work of the denomination around the world, including the various Union Conferences, Field Conferences and Missions.

The Reform Movement suffered one division in 1951. The cause of this split was personal pride, and a lust for power by a few disgruntled ministers. The original body operates as the International Missionary Society, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Reform Movement, and was headquartered in Germany until 2002 when the offices were moved to Los Angeles, California. In 2007, the headquarters were relocated to Cedartown, Georgia.

Seventh-day Adventist church leaders in Germany and Austria released a declaration in 2005 deeply regretting its failures during World War II in a declaration first published in 2005.

Officers

President

General Conference Sessions

External links

SDARM Sites:
* [http://www.sdarm.org SDARM General Conference]
** [GC Medical Department]
** [http://www.wcwctn.com White Creek Wellness Center (Tennessee, USA)]
** [http://www.mpi-sdarm.org Mission Projects International - USA]

Other:
*" [http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=92 Church Leaders Say 'We're Sorry': German and Austrian churches apologize for Holocaust actions] " by Mark A. Kellner (Seventh-day Adventist)

References

*"The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia", Review & Herald Publishing Association
*"History of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement", Alfons Balbach, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 1999.
*cite book
last = Tarling
first = Lowell R.
authorlink =
title = The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism: A Study of Separatist Groups Emerging from the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1844–1980)
publisher = Galilee Publications
year = 1981
location = Barragga Bay, Bermagui South, NSW
isbn = 0 9593457 0 1
chapter = The Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement
pages = 100–12