Some groups have gone so far as to celebrate Jewish holidays and dietary laws. The celebration of the Sabbath has been promoted by the ecumenical Bible Sabbath Association, which was formed as a counterpart of the Lord's Day Alliance of the United States. Formed in 1945, the Bible Sabbath Association promotes the observance of the Sabbath and publishes a directory of Sabbath-keeping organizations. A second ethical trend emerged as the Adventists became involved in the great social crusades of the two decades preceding the Civil War. Many Adventists were vocal abolitionists and ardent supporters of the peace movements.
Pacifism remains a common Adventist position.
The well-publicized refusal of the Jehovah's Witnesses to be drafted is derived from their Adventist heritage. No one knows exactly who first raised the issue of God's name as being an important doctrinal consideration. Certainly, in the 1920s the International Bible Students on their way to becoming the Jehovah's Witnesses raised the issue forcefully. During the 1940s, several assemblies were formed that differentiated themselves over the name issue and exactly what the spelling and pronunciation should be. Following a failure to correctly predict the Second Coming, a group has several logical options.