Background

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a growing global denomination with strict substance use abstinence and recommended dietary requirements that together are called the “Health Message.” Abstinence from alcohol and tobacco is a requirement of membership and a plant-based diet is strongly advised.

Purpose

While a wide variety of research has reported the Adventist health advantage, very little research has been conducted on Adventist members’ attitudes toward and adherence to the Health Message. This research examines members views, from a global survey, about the health message, personal adherence, and belief that adherence ensures salvation.

Methods

The survey was conducted in 2017/2018 with a total N of 63,756. The questionnaire was translated into about 60 languages and then back translated into English for improved accuracy.

Results

Over 80% of the respondents reported that they agreed the Adventist health message was wholisitic, core to Adventist beliefs, supported by science, and increased the probability of a longer life. There were very few differences by global regions. About 80% also agreed that they should abstain from tobacco and alcohol and follow a healthy diet. However, about 45% believed that they could pick and choose which parts to follow with only a little over one-third reporting that they followed the Health Message a great deal. Strict adherence appeared to be in abstinence from alcohol (91%) and tobacco (97%). Only about 19% reported being vegetarian or vegan. Over 47%, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, reported the belief that if they kept the Health Message completely, they would be assured of salvation, though this is at odds with formal doctrine.

Conclusions and Implications

The data suggest that church leadership has been successful in obtaining global acceptance of the Health Message, convincing members of its scientific basis, and to abstain from tobacco and alcohol use. However, the data also show almost half of members believe that they can pick and choose elements to follow. In addition, these data have major implications for church leadership in disentangling the implications and expectations of the Health Message from the Church’s fundamental belief that salvation is only through faith in Christ.

中文翻译：

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在基督复临安息日会的全球人口中的健康观念，行为，精神成长和救赎

背景

基督复临安息日会是一个正在成长的全球教派，严格禁食和建议的饮食要求一起被称为“健康信息”。戒酒和戒烟是会员的要求，并且强烈建议以植物为基础的饮食。

目的

尽管各种各样的研究报告了基督复临安息日的健康优势，但很少有关于基督复临安息日会成员对健康信息的态度和坚持的研究。这项研究从全球调查中考察了成员关于健康信息，个人依从性以及依从性确保救赎的信念的观点。

方法

该调查于2017/2018年进行，总N为63,756。该问卷已被翻译成大约60种语言，然后又被翻译回英语，以提高准确性。

结果

超过80％的受访者表示，他们同意复临信徒的健康信息是全面的，是复临信徒信仰的核心，并得到科学的支持，并增加了更长寿的可能性。全球地区之间几乎没有差异。约80％的人也同意他们应戒烟和戒酒，并保持健康饮食。但是，大约45％的人认为他们可以选择要遵循的部分，而只有三分之一以上的人报告说，他们非常重视“健康信息”。戒酒似乎严格禁止酒精（91％）和烟草（97％）。据报道只有19％的人是素食主义者或素食主义者。超过47％的人（主要在南半球）表示相信，如果他们完全遵守《健康信息》，他们将获得救恩，尽管这与正式的教义相悖。

结论与启示

数据表明，教会领导已成功地获得了全球对健康信息的接受，说服了其科学依据，并且戒除了烟酒。但是，数据还显示，几乎有一半的成员认为他们可以选择要遵循的要素。此外，这些数据对教会领导者的重要意义在于，他们从教会的基本信念中解脱出健康信息的含义和期望，即信念只有通过对基督的信仰才能得救。