Church of God (7th day) - Salem Conference
Encyclopedia
The Church of God – Salem Conference is a seventh-day Sabbath-keeping Christian denomination. The Church of God (7th Day) observes the seventh-day Sabbath, which is (according to )) the Biblical Sabbath
for the Judeo-Christian
tradition.
Christians that rejected the visions and teachings of Ellen G. White
before the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1858, five years before the founding of the SDA Church, a group led by Gilbert Cranmer (1814–1903) of Michigan
separated from the Adventists that followed White. Another independent Sabbatarian Adventist body formed in Iowa
in 1860, and joined with the Church of God (7th Day) in 1863.
A publication called The Hope of Israel, then The Bible Advocate and now The Advocate of Truth, was started in 1863, and this publication extended the influence of the body into other areas. Through this publication, the doctrines of the Second Advent and seventh-day Sabbath were promoted, and other Christians were invited to gather for meetings. This extended the movement into Missouri
, Nebraska
and other places, and in 1884 the General Conference of the Church of God was organized. They incorporated in 1899, and "(Seventh Day)" was added to the name in 1923. Offices were established in Stanberry, Missouri
.
The Church of God (7th Day) split at their conference meeting on November 4, 1933, creating another body headquartered in Denver
, Colorado
.
In the work of A. Dugger and C.O. Dodd (1935) the church traced its history back to the Apostles through various medieval groups which they believed were Sabbath-keeping.
, Canada
, Philippines
, India
, Mexico
, Ukraine
, Caribbean
, Africa
, etc. Headquarters are located in Salem
, West Virginia
.
), observed annually on Passover, the day of Jesus' death. The eating of unclean
meats such as pork and shellfish is forbidden. The church discourages its members from the use of alcohol
, tobacco
or illegal drugs (see Christianity and alcohol). The church also opposes the observance of traditional holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday
because of their pagan rootsand does not practice the Jewish Feast Days. Conscientious objection is the official position of this group.
Biblical Sabbath
Sabbath in the Bible is usually a weekly day of rest and time of worship. The Sabbath is first mentioned in the Genesis creation narrative. The seventh day is there set aside as a day of rest—the Sabbath. It is observed differently in Judaism and Christianity and informs a similar occasion in...
for the Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...
tradition.
History
The Church of God (7th Day) represents a line of AdventistAdventist
Adventism is a Christian movement which began in the 19th century, in the context of the Second Great Awakening revival in the United States. The name refers to belief in the imminent Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It was started by William Miller, whose followers became known as Millerites...
Christians that rejected the visions and teachings of Ellen G. White
Ellen G. White
Ellen Gould White was a prolific author and an American Christian pioneer. She, along with other Sabbatarian Adventist leaders, such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, would form what is now known as the Seventh-day Adventist Church.Ellen White reported to her fellow believers her...
before the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1858, five years before the founding of the SDA Church, a group led by Gilbert Cranmer (1814–1903) of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
separated from the Adventists that followed White. Another independent Sabbatarian Adventist body formed in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1860, and joined with the Church of God (7th Day) in 1863.
A publication called The Hope of Israel, then The Bible Advocate and now The Advocate of Truth, was started in 1863, and this publication extended the influence of the body into other areas. Through this publication, the doctrines of the Second Advent and seventh-day Sabbath were promoted, and other Christians were invited to gather for meetings. This extended the movement into Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and other places, and in 1884 the General Conference of the Church of God was organized. They incorporated in 1899, and "(Seventh Day)" was added to the name in 1923. Offices were established in Stanberry, Missouri
Stanberry, Missouri
Stanberry is a city in Gentry County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,243 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanberry is located at ....
.
The Church of God (7th Day) split at their conference meeting on November 4, 1933, creating another body headquartered in Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
In the work of A. Dugger and C.O. Dodd (1935) the church traced its history back to the Apostles through various medieval groups which they believed were Sabbath-keeping.
Membership
The Church of God (7th Day) has congregations in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, etc. Headquarters are located in Salem
Salem, West Virginia
Salem is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,006 at the 2000 census. It is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 23; the North Bend Rail Trail passes through the city...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Doctrine and practices
The Church is organized in respect for the apostolic teachings. According to the Church of God (7th Day), salvation is by grace, received by faith in Jesus Christ, apart from good works. The Church believe in one true God who is the creator of all. He is omnipotent, omnicient, and omnipresent. He sent his son to Earth to be a sacrifice for our sins. He is a separate being from his son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the power of God and not a separate being with a separate consciousness.The church observes two ordinances - baptism by immersion and an annual Lord's supper (which is accompanied by feet washingFeet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
), observed annually on Passover, the day of Jesus' death. The eating of unclean
Unclean animals
Unclean animals, in some religions, are animals whose consumption or handling is labeled a taboo. According to these religion's dogmas, persons who handle such animals may need to purify themselves to get rid of their uncleanness.-Judaism:...
meats such as pork and shellfish is forbidden. The church discourages its members from the use of alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
or illegal drugs (see Christianity and alcohol). The church also opposes the observance of traditional holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
because of their pagan rootsand does not practice the Jewish Feast Days. Conscientious objection is the official position of this group.