Can Seventh Day Adventists Wear Wedding Rings?
As of 1986, the Seventh Day Adventist North American Division Annual Council allows church members to wear wedding rings. Up until that point, wedding rings were forbidden in North America. As of May 2014, Seventh Day Adventists are still forbidden to wear other types of jewelry.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church was founded by Ellen White and other former members of the Methodist Church. Jewelry, including wedding bands, was prohibited based on Bible passages in the books of Timothy and Peter. It was thought that wearing jewelry showed vanity and pride. Wedding rings were only allowed in countries where it was expected culturally. In 1986, the ban was lifted to allow wedding rings. The Seventh Day Adventists recognized that immigrants to North America still maintained the cultures of their home country, including the expectation of wedding rings. In addition, the Church saw that wearing wedding rings was increasingly becoming expected of married couples in North America.