The Danger of Extreme Positions — How Does Polarisation Affect Adventist Unity and Growth?

Executive summary

Religious polarisation — the sorting of members into ideologically opposed camps with diminishing common ground — has produced measurable, devastating effects in other Christian denominations. The United Methodist Church's split over LGBTQ+ inclusion saw 7,600+ U.S. congregations (25-26%) disaffiliate between 2019-2023, accelerating a membership collapse from 11 million (1968) to 4.24 million (2023). Anglican Communion tensions over similar issues have created de facto parallel structures. Resea...