Background
As a former Seventh-day Adventist I often get interesting questions. These questions include how I could leave the one true church (from SDAs), or why would I publish books by SDAs (from those who consider Seventh-day Adventism a cult. From many on either side, I’m asked what were the reasons I left the Seventh-day Adventist church.
Sounds complicated? Well, let’s add that there is a common assumption that the seventh day Sabbath will be a key reason. But that is not the case.
In fact, while I believe that the new covenant view of sacred time is that all time belongs to God and we use it for ourselves as God directs, I envy Adventists the Sabbath. My approach is hard, and I frequently fail. I fail particularly in getting adequate time for rest and in allowing others time for rest.
On True Churches
As for how I could leave the “one true church” I simply don’t believe that the “true church” is the same as any denomination, but rather a collection of believers everywhere as known only to God. So I became a Methodist. I don’t see that as the true church any more than the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
This also explains why I publish SDA authors. I’ve been told that most former SDAs are antagonistic to the church. I value my heritage and education as an SDA. I honor a number of people who influenced me, worked with me, encouraged me, and taught me. Disagreement on doctrines is fairly minor to me.
But there’s another reason as well. I think the SDA church has something to teach other denominations as well. One of these valuable topics is the Sabbath, because, as Keith Clouten points out in his interview, while we deal a great deal with sacred space and even sacred resources, we do much worse looking at sacred time. But as he also points out, God ended creation by setting aside and consecrating time.
The Interview
To my Seventh-day Adventist readers, I commend this interview as a theologically strong basis for Sabbath keeping. Clouten presents it not as a matter of fulfilling regulations, but of a response of love and a constructive practice for Christian living. To those who are not SDAs, I challenge you to think about what God desires of your time. What is it that God is calling you to do as you live in God’s rest?