Ghana Seventh Day Adventism

The Akan people of Ghana treasure a great African heritage in Onyamee Kwaame, the God of Saturday. Long before the European Akwasi Bronii anchored at the shores of Ghana in 1471 A.D. and Sunday was introduced by Christianity as the day of rest, the Akan kept Saturday as their holy day which resembled very much the bibical Sabbath. Interestingly enough this indigenous religion is a home-made heritage, reaching deep into Akan antiquity. This Akan heritage is undoubtedly one key reason why the Seventh-day Adventist Church has experienced tremendous growth in Ghana since its official debut in 1988 (A.D.).

Seventh-day Adventism was born as a radical millenarian sect in nineteenth-century America. It has since spread across the world, achieving far more success in Latin America, Africa, and Asia than in its native land. In what seems a paradox, Adventist expectation of Christ’s imminent return has led the denomination to develop extensive educational, publishing, and health systems. Increasingly established within a variety of societies, Adventism over time has modified its views on many issues and accommodated itself to the “delay” of the Second Advent. In the process, it has become a multicultural religion that nonetheless reflects the dominant influence of its American origins. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of the Seventh-Day Adventists covers its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 600 cross-referenced entries on key people, cinema, politics and government, sports, and critics of Ellen White. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Seventh-day Adventism.

This book examines the complex history of Adventism in Africa, situating it within the context of African traditions and culture. From a small movement with origins in the United States, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has grown worldwide. It is one of several Christian denominations present in Africa and yet the history of Seventh-day Adventism in the global South has been largely unexplored by scholars. The book highlights the discrepancies between western traditions exhibited in the missionary enterprise and African religious systems. It also explores the intricate relation between colonialism and African Adventism in line with established studies in African Christianity. It will be of interest to scholars of religion and theology, particularly church history and mission studies, as well as African studies.

Covering the Millerite movement of the 1830s and 1840s, sabbatarian Adventism prior to organization of the denomination, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church since its organization in 1861-63, this volume provides a comprehensive history of the denomination. The first major element of the book is a chronology of Adventist history that begins with William Miller's conclusion in 1818 that the Second Advent of Jesus would occur about 1843 and extends through the Science and Theology Conferences of 2002-04. The interpretive introduction that follows places the emergence of Adventism within the context of the Second Great Awakening, describes the development of sabbatarian Adventism from its early opposition to church organization to its highly institutionalized and bureaucratically structured contemporary form, and examines the denomination's geographical expansion from a small North American sect to a global church. The dictionary entries that constitute the bulk of the volume address individuals, organizations, institutions, and doctrines that have been important in the history of the church, including dissident movements and individuals who have emerged as critics of the denomination and its beliefs. Second, there are entries on the development and current situation of Adventism in many individual countries. Finally, thematic entries on such subjects as art, music, literature, health care, and women address other elements important to understanding church life. The dictionary entries are followed by a bibliography of scholarly and popular works published by the denomination, commercial and academic presses, and individuals and organizations.