基督复临派(Adventist)

19世纪兴起於美国的基督教（新教）派别，其特点为在教义上相信，基督亲身在荣耀中重返世界而为人所见（即基督复临）已为期不远。基督复临论源於希伯来和基督教的先知论、救世主论，以及前美国陆军军官米勒（William Miller., 1782～1849）所着之千禧年。米勒认为，基督复临时将把圣徒从恶人中分离出来，开始他的千年王国。基督必将於1844年3月21日之前再次临世。然而，在他所预言的时间内基督并未重返世界，於是出现了所谓「大失望」（Great Disappointment），1845年召开基督复临派共同会议（Mutual Conference of Adventists）进行检讨。他们认为是米勒对徵兆的解释有误，而上帝已开始「清理天上的圣所」，等祂完成这份伟大的工作後才会现身。米勒派於1863年正式成立会派，即基督复临安息日会。其他支派还有︰基督复临福音会和基督复临会等。基督复临安息日会认为第七日即星期六为安息日（Sabbath），禁止食用肉类和麻醉等类似刺激物。

English version：

Adventist

Member of any of a group of Protestant churches that arose in the U.S. in the 19th century and assert that the Second Coming of Christ is close at hand. Adventism was founded during a period marked by millennialism by William Miller (1782-1849), a former U.S. army officer, who asserted that Christ would return to separate saints from sinners and inaugurate his 1,000-year kingdom on earth sometime in the year before March 21, 1844. After that date passed, Miller and his followers set a new date, October 22, 1884. The “Great Disappointment” was followed by a Mutual Conference of Adventists in 1845. Those who persisted concluded that Miller had misinterpreted the signs and that, though Christ had begun the “cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary,” he would not appear until he had completed that task. These Millerites founded the Seventh-Day Adventists in 1863; other Adventist groups include the Evangelical Adventists and the Advent Christian Church. Seventh-Day Adventists observe Saturday as the Sabbath and avoid eating meat and using narcotics and other stimulants.