This article describes the relationship between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other Christian denominations and movements, and other religions. Adventists resist the movement that advocates their full ecumenical integration into other churches because they believe such a transition would force them to renounce their foundational beliefs and endanger the distinctiveness of their religious message. According to one church document, "The ecumenical movement as an agency of cooperation has acceptable aspects; as an agency for the organic unity of churches, it is much more suspect."Seventh-day Adventists and the Ecumenical Movement . This is a "study document, intended for internal church use... released in connection with the General Conference Session" of 1985

History Adventists have often been skeptical of other faiths. The Millerite movement, which gave birth to Seventh-day Adventism, was rejected and treated with hostility by the majority of the North American Christian churches which existed at that time. The early Adventists were treated with hostility because they had unique views about the Sabbath. They consequently came to see themselves as an obedient remnant which was encountering the wrath of the dragon, as it was prophesied in . Subsequent developments in Adventist eschatology saw the Sunday-keeping churches identified with Babylon the Great (). A central aspect of the Adventist mission was to call people out of Babylon, and into the remnant church, as signified by the second of the three angels' messages.

The Review and Herald (now Adventist Review) October 12, 1876 contains an "amazing"Another link for A Non-Adventist Church We Can Trust an rtf file accessed 03-21-2011 article on cordiality between the Adventist pioneers and the Seventh Day Baptists. James White pointed out that the two bodies agreed on the two great tests of the Christian life, i.e. the divine law and redemption from its transgression through the Son. The main difference between them, White observed, was the question of immortality. Even though differences existed between the two groups, White recommended, "that there be no controversy between the two bodies." He continued, "we further recommend that Seventh-day Adventists in their work avoid laboring to build up Seventh-day Adventist churches where Seventh-day Baptist churches are already established..." He said it is much better to seek union with Seventh Day Baptists on the points they agree than to sacrifice that union by urging on them peculiar Adventist sentiments.

While the Adventist church matured and institutionalized itself in the 20th century, opposition from other churches also declined. By the 1950s, Adventists and American conservative Christians were ready to begin a dialogue. A series of discussions between Adventist and conservative leaders led to greater understanding and acceptance on both sides. Even after these milestone events, however, Adventists continued to resist full ecumenical cooperation with other churches, because they believed that such cooperation would endanger the distinctiveness of their religious message.

Bert Beach was the main Adventist who was involved in interreligious dialogue.

On January 22, 2007, church leaders voted to rename the Council on Inter-church/Inter-faith Relations the Council on Inter-church/Inter-religion Affairs.World Church: Leaders to Cultivate 'Relationship of Relating' Between Adventists and Major Faith Groups. Adventist News Network. Retrieved 2007-10-17 This involved more than a change of name, representing a desire for increased dialogue with other religions.

Religious liberty

"Seventh-day Adventists believe that freedom of religion is a basic human right."A Seventh-day Adventist Statement on Religious Liberty, Evangelism, and Proselytism , an Official Statement by the church For over 100 years, the Adventist church has actively advocated freedom of religion for all people, regardless of faith. In 1893, its leaders founded the International Religious Liberty Association, which is universal and non-sectarian. The Seventh-day Adventist Church State Council serves to protect religious groups from legislation which may affect their religious practices.

The church publishes the magazine Liberty.

Theological conferences The church has two professional organizations for Adventist theologians who are affiliated with the denomination. The Adventist Society for Religious Studies (ASRS) was formed to foster community among Adventist theologians who attend the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the American Academy of Religion. In 2006 ASRS voted to continue their meetings in the future in conjunction with SBL. During the 1980s the Adventist Theological Society was formed by Jack Blanco to provide a forum for more conservative theologians to meet and is held in conjunction with the Evangelical Theological Society.

Adventists and ecumenism The Adventist church generally opposes the ecumenical movement, but it supports some of the goals of ecumenism. The General Conference has released an official statement concerning the Adventist position with respect to the ecumenical movement, which contains the following paragraph:

"Should Adventists cooperate ecumenically? Adventists should cooperate insofar as the authentic gospel is proclaimed and crying human needs are being met. The Seventh-day Adventist Church wants no entangling memberships and refuses any compromising relationships that might tend to water down her distinct witness. However, Adventists wish to be "conscientious cooperators." The ecumenical movement as an agency of cooperation has acceptable aspects; as an agency for organic unity of churches, it is much more suspect."

"The New Testament presents a qualified church unity in truth, characterized by holiness, joy, faithfulness, and obedience (see John 17:6, 13, 17, 19, 23, 26). "Ecumenthusiasts" (to coin a word) seem to take for granted the eventual organic unity and communion of the great majority of the churches. They emphasize the "scandal of division," as if this were really the unpardonable sin. Heresy and apostasy are largely ignored. However, the New Testament shows the threat of anti-Christian penetration within "the temple of God" (2 Thess. 2:3, 4). The eschatological picture of God's church prior to the Second Coming is not one of a megachurch gathering all humankind together, but of a "remnant" of Christendom, those keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus (see Rev. 12:17)." :

"Adventists see the Bible as the infallible revelation of God's will, the authoritative revealer of doctrinal truth, and the trustworthy record of the mighty acts of God in salvation history (see Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists: 1. The Holy Scriptures ). Adventists see the Bible as a unity. For many WCC leaders the Bible is not normative and authoritative in itself. The emphasis is on Biblical diversity, including at times demythologization of the Gospels. For a large number of ecumenists, as is the case for liberal Christianity in general, inspiration lies not in the Biblical text but in the experience of the reader. Propositional revelation is out; experience is in." :

While it is not a member of the World Council of Churches, the Adventist church has participated in its assemblies in an observer capacity.

Three Adventist leaders (John Graz, John Kakembo and Bill Johnsson) attended the Global Christian Forum of 250 Christian leaders from more than 70 nations, held in Limuru (near Nairobi), Kenya in 2007."A New Ecumenical Wind: Will the Global Christian Forum unite the churches?" by William G. Johnsson. Adventist World April 2008; as appearing in Record April 12, 2008, pp. 10–12

Interfaith dialogue

Relationship with Roman Catholicism 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."The AntiChrist: Is the Adventist interpretation still viable? by Woodrow Whidden 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.

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) , and another article.

Relationship with the Lutheran World Federation 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.

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".Frank IMHOFF, Lutheran-Adventist conversations final report 1998

Relationship with the World Alliance of Reformed Churches 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."

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.

Relationship with the World Evangelical Alliance 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."