Education

While Adventists advocated primary education for children as early as the 1850s, it wasn’t until the 1870s that the then fledgling Adventist Church began to develop a denominationally-based school system. Adventists believe in the redemptive purpose of education. Adventist educators focus not only on intellectual growth, but also on mental, physical, social and spiritual health.

Statistics

• 1.7 million students study in the Adventist school system
• The church operates three medical schools in the United States, Mexico and Argentina
• Brazil and Nigeria are home to the church’s two law schools
• The church operates 112 colleges and universities, almost 2,000 secondary schools and about 6,000 elementary schools worldwide