Adventist education is based on the philosophy that true education is redemptive in nature, and exists not only to provide academic learning, but also to facilitate opportunities for students to develop a life of faith in God and a commitment to serve God and others.
This philosophy is further explained in the North American Division Working Policy which is copied below. As part of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, the SDA educational system in Canada uses this philosophy as a guide for school programs and planning to ensure that faith and learning are integrated in all aspects of school life.
FEA 05 Philosophy of Education
FEA 05 01 Philosophy—The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes God as the ultimate source of existence, truth, and power. In the beginning, God created in His image a perfect humanity, a perfection later marred by sin. Education in its broadest sense is a means of returning human beings to their original relationship with God. The distinctive characteristics of this Adventist worldview, built around creation, the fall, redemption, and re-creation, are derived from the Bible and the inspired writings of Ellen G. White.
The aim of true education is to restore human beings into the image of God as revealed by the life of Jesus Christ. Only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit can this be accomplished. An education of this kind imparts far more than academic knowledge. It fosters a balanced development of the whole person—spiritual, physical, intellectual, and social-emotional—a process that spans a lifetime. Working together, homes, schools, and churches cooperate with divine agencies in preparing learners for citizenship here in this world and for eternity.
FEA 05 05 Mission Statement—The Seventh-day Adventist church in North America operates a system of elementary and secondary education that began in 1872. The unique philosophy of Christian education of the Church is based on the Scriptures and the writings of Ellen G White.
The primary aim of Seventh-day Adventist education is to provide opportunity for students to accept Christ as their Savior, to allow the Holy Spirit to transform their lives, and to fulfill the commission of preaching the gospel to all the world.
The education programs of church-affiliated schools are predicated on the belief that each student is unique and of inestimable value, and on the importance of the development of the whole person. Students are educated to accept service as a way of life, to be sensitive to the needs of the people in the home and society, and to become active members in the Church.
