Seventh-day Adventist Church Warns Against Heritage Foundation’s Proposed Sunday ‘Day of Rest’ Policy

The Heritage Foundation recently released a document urging legislators to establish a “uniform day of rest” on Sundays, prompting a warning statement from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. The document, titled “Saving America by Saving the Family: A Foundation for the Next 250 Years,” is part of the organization’s broader Project 2025 initiative, which outlines policy goals aimed at reshaping the U.S. government.

The Adventist Church’s North American Division (NAD) expressed concern over the proposal, stating it reflects a “disturbing disregard for the religious freedom of all Americans.” The NAD criticized the call for lawmakers to “re-establish a shared day of rest for American workers” and to “protect Sunday as a day of rest, reflection, and family time.” The church has long opposed any form of Sunday law, emphasizing the importance of individual conscience and religious freedom.

The Heritage Foundation’s proposal, while framed as a family-friendly and community-building measure, has drawn parallels to historical Sunday laws that the Adventist Church has consistently opposed. The NAD highlighted that the recommendation to protect Sunday through government action echoes past efforts to legislate religious observance, which the church has historically resisted.

Seventh-day Adventists believe all people are created in God’s image and have the freedom to worship according to their conscience. This principle has been a cornerstone of the denomination’s public identity since its early years. In 1888, Adventist leaders challenged proposed federal Sunday legislation, including bills sponsored by U.S. Senator Henry W. Blair. Among the most prominent advocates was Alonzo T. Jones, an Adventist editor and religious-liberty advocate who testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Education and Labor.

Jones argued that the state has no right to legislate religious observances, a stance that became a formative moment in the church’s advocacy for religious freedom and the separation of religious practice from civil law. NAD officials noted that the Heritage Foundation’s current proposal revives many of the same concerns that shaped the church’s historical position.

The Adventist Church’s opposition to Sunday laws is rooted in its commitment to the freedom of conscience and the belief that religious observance should remain a personal matter. This stance aligns with the biblical call to love mercy and seek justice, as seen in Micah 6:8, which emphasizes doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. The church continues to advocate for the protection of religious liberty, ensuring that individuals are free to worship according to their beliefs without government interference.

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