Seventh-day Adventism in visible origin is a white, Anglo church. We see this by looking at its founders and early leaders. However, the theological foundation upon which the church was built is anything but Anglo; Truth by nature is culturally blind. As this Truth spread across cultural boundaries, the diversity of its believers increased and subsequently, the church set up different institutions to handle this diversity.
Broadview Swedish Seminary was founded in 1909, Clinton German Seminary in 1910, and Danish-Norwegian Seminary in 1911.[1] The purpose of the seminaries was not to separate immigrants from American-born church members or to single out ethnic groups, but to accelerate the immigrants’ assimilation into English-speaking America. These institutions had served their purpose by and were each closed or merged in the 1920s.[2] The result was an increase of ethnic diversity in the early, non-segregated Seventh-day Adventist church.
We can see today that the Adventist church has taken the gospel commission to heart because no other denomination, except for Jehovah’s Witnesses, can match Adventism’s degree of inclusion. The church can claim a presence in practically every country of the world. Jesus Himself envisioned a church that was multi-racial. He gave us the great gospel commission of Matthew 28:19, to “Teach all nations, baptizing them…” The result of fulfilling His commission is a church made up of all ethnicities.
With men and women of more cultures joining the incipient Adventist church, however, a new problem manifested itself—racism. Unfortunately, during the early years of Adventism, racism was not just a sociopolitical problem. It was also rooted in the hearts of church members. Divisions over color have proven to be one of the greatest obstacles this church has ever faced.
For example, in 1906 a group of black students from Oakwood College, a denominational school for blacks, were invited to a small Adventist church in Alabama to share a Sabbath program with the predominantly white congregation. The students arrived at the church and found a roped-off section where they were to sit. But the section couldn’t hold them all, so some found seats among the white members of the church. This mingling created a major problem for the deacons, who tried to usher the students out. One account of the story notes that when the students refused to leave the church, an elder pulled out a gun and declared: “I’ve got six bullets here and they all say nigger on them.” The minister’s wife began to cry. “We love you niggers,” she said, “but we just don’t want you to sit with us.”[3]
By 1944, the African-American Adventist population stood at nearly 18,000[4] but was still virtually unrepresented in the administration and institutions of the church. Around this time, Lucy Byard, an African-American Adventist from New York, became ill. The Washington Sanitarium refused to admit her because she was black, and the delay in treatment led to her unnecessary death. Adventist hospitals were not the only discriminatory institutions, however; many Adventist schools segregated blacks and others barred black students completely.
Demands for integration in Adventist medical, educational, and administrative institutions were not met. Instead, the General Conference offered a conference structure exclusively for blacks.[5] There now exist nine regional conferences around the United States.
The American Seventh-day Adventist church is not alone in suffering the effects of racism. Adventists in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Croatia have struggled with strong feelings of prejudice and racial and national pride and have bought into the solution of segregated conferences and churches so people of one race or color do not worship with their brethren of another.
Today, American society has largely recovered from, though not eradicated, the problems of inequality confronted in the Civil Rights era. But what about the church? Are we working towards racial integration? Or do we continue to faithfully, unquestioningly separate ourselves in matters of worship? Is racism still a problem demanding separate conferences or are we just clinging to the skeletons of past generations’ mistakes?
In 2009, a group of black Adventist students attending a secular, predominantly Afrikaans university in South Africa were asked by their white brethren to help run an evangelistic literature store near the institution. However, the white organizers never allowed the two races to work together but gave the black students different working days and hours. When the black students invited the same white students to their outreach activities on campus the generosity was not reciprocated. As one student commented, “It seems the legacy [of apartheid] far exceeds the Love of Christ.”[6] Now, non-Adventists on the campus are noticing and asking questions about the Adventist church’s practice of segregation. Racism and segregation are impeding the Adventist ministry at the university.
Yes, racism is a problem, but such incidents as that above illustrate that segregation has not solved it. Separate conferences and churches that segregate worshippers based on the color of their skin are counterproductive to the gospel. Separate conferences do not exist because of differences in musical tastes, preaching methods, or worship styles. They exist because of the inequality and injustice in which the church passively took part. But the church doesn’t have to continue ignoring the issue.
Adventism has a history of inclusion dating back to the early 1900s when American immigrants first accepted the Three Angels Messages and joined the church. Why should the church accept anything less than the Biblical ideal now? When Christ prayed in John 17, He asked God to unify His followers. The phrase that is repeated five times in four verses is “that they may be one.” (John 17:11, 21-23)
So how can we help address this issue and bring about change within Adventism? How can we achieve racial unity and inclusiveness? There are a few ways to help.
Some churches have been involved in “unity Sabbaths,” during which black and white congregations join together for worship. Change will not occur overnight, but when churches participate in these special Sabbaths they help to facilitate an environment for change to take place. Ask your pastor if your church can be involved in a “unity Sabbath.”
The Desegregation Project is an initiative designed by young people to create awareness of the racial climate of our world church. Its leaders have been looking for testimonies, experiences, and stories about segregation and desegregation to compile into a book and to produce a documentary. Share your experience with them at desegregationproject@gmail.com. The more people who participate in projects like this one, the more effective the projects will be.
Some have suggested writing letters to our leadership, asking them to reevaluate segregation in the church. The sacrifice and commitment of our church leaders, combined with support from the laity, are the fundamental forces that will bring about true racial inclusion.
Most importantly, it is time for church members to earnestly begin praying for the church. There is still much pain and sensitivity over this issue, and many do not know exactly what steps to take to unite racially-divided conferences. Only by the direction of the Holy Spirit can we ever expect to achieve true reconciliation within Adventism. Prayer is the most instrumental tool in accomplishing any goal.
Prejudice is a contradiction to everything for which the gospel stands; this is why the church must revisit the issue of segregation and facilitate racial healing among members of the body of Christ. Only then can we see Christ’s prayer for unity answered to its full extent. “…Unity is a convincing proof that God sent His Son into the world to save sinners.” (18MR 190) True Christian unity will tell in a powerful way “that those who possess it are children of God.” (ST Feb. 7, 1900)
[1] Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, vol. 10, 251, 383, 730.
[2] Review, May 20, 1913, 59-62,
[3] These quotes have been taken from a story published in the Pacific Union College student newspaper. Lee Mellinger, “Racism? Not Here! Not Now!” Campus Chronicle, February 18, 1982.
[4] Malcolm Bull, Keith Lockhart, “Seeking A Sanctuary” Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1989.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Sihle Khanyile, email correspondence, May 11, 2009.
