Adventist Education: The New Face of Adventism Throughout the Inter-European Division

Throughout history, Europe has been the epicenter of numerous pivotal events and movements that have significantly influenced the contemporary world. The continent has consistently been at the forefront of philosophical and scientific inquiry. Education thus is at the core of its existence. In most European countries, education is predominantly financed by public funds. However, there are many private educational institutions, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. Historically, the initial groundwork for global higher education was established by the University of Bologna (1088) as a trailblazer, succeeded by six of the 10 oldest universities worldwide.¹

It is within this history that Adventist education exists within the Inter-European Division (EUD). The EUD covers most of continental Europe, extending from Portugal to Romania. It administers the operations of the Seventh-day Adventist Church across 20 countries (11 unions), catering to more than 340 million inhabitants and supported by its roughly 182,000 members.

More than 18 major languages and numerous local dialects are spoken within the current territory of the EUD Europe can be categorized according to its three primary religious divisions: Protestantism, predominant in the northern and western regions; Catholicism, prevalent in the southern territories; and Orthodoxy, established in the eastern areas. Each of these religions is subject to additional liturgical and national subdivisions.²

A significant majority of people living in the EUD nations (72.6 percent) identify as Christians, with Europe containing 21 percent of the global Christian population. Approximately five percent of the population in Europe adheres to Islam, representing 2.2 percent of the worldwide Muslim demographic, making Islam the second most prevalent religion across the European continent.³ From an economic perspective, one-third of the global wealth is concentrated within Europe, thereby establishing it as the wealthiest continent.⁴

The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s first overseas mission site was situated within the contemporary boundaries of the EUD. In 1874, J. N. Andrews and his two children traveled to Basel, Switzerland, where he initiated a courageous canvassing missionary endeavor, founded a publishing establishment, and conducted evangelistic meetings in various parts of Europe.

Report Card

With such a rich history comes great opportunities for growth. The full picture of European Adventism includes challenges that are part of the day-to-day reality of EUD schools:

Challenges

• The relatively limited membership (the second-smallest Adventist demographic among all divisions) constrains the capacity of the church to mobilize effectively and generate swift influence.
• The remarkable cultural heterogeneity hinders the church from communicating through a singular message; culturally adapted communication is required.
• The generally declining birth rate consistently reduces the number of school-aged children eligible for enrollment in our educational institutions.
• Free or government-subsidized education is appealing to many, particularly considering the expenses associated with private church-sponsored education.⁵
• The comparatively few educational programs available (at both secondary and tertiary levels) make our institutions less attractive than their counterparts.
• The more favorable teacher compensation provided by governments and other private educational entities interferes with our attempts to hire additional qualified Adventist educators.
• Persuading church members, clergy, and guardians that Adventist educational establishments uphold high academic standards is a continuing struggle.

Adventist Education―A Strategic Field for the EUD

Given the above context, at the beginning of the 2020-2025 quinquennium, the division administration and EUD Department of Education proposed that Adventist education be considered a strategic priority area, both in the support offered and in the contribution of education to the church’s mission. This proposal was unanimously voted. Among the many mentions of Adventist education in the EUD’s strategic plan, two key aspects are discussed below: the first regarding the urban outreach and presence, and the second, the post-Christian one:

“1. Enhance Adventist outreach and presence in large urban areas throughout the Division, transforming existing educational institutions of the church into centers of influence for the surrounding communities.

“2. Provide access to Adventist education with an emphasis on primary through secondary levels, encouraging each field to have a five-year plan to increase the number and to strengthen the existing Adventist K-12 schools near densely populated areas.”⁶

To achieve these strategic objectives, the EUD administration and its Department of Education have proposed activities to facilitate progress in the following targeted areas: financial support, motivation and training, partnerships, and development of instruments.

Financial Support

The EUD has pledged to continue the financial support started in the previous strategic plan,” but expanded the funding lines:

1. Development funds for opening new schools and/or to add new levels or programs of study. To the five million euro fund voted in 2016, three million euro was added in 2021.
2. Operating subsidies to supplement the resources for salaries, limited to the schools that receive less than 50 percent of the salaries from the state and/or other sources.
3. Additional funding for an extended/diversified range of eligible projects, in order to include other developments besides buildings. Among others, we have considered:
   a. Training and equipping the teachers in our schools (Adventist or non-Adventist teachers who did their BA in public universities are to be updated/regularly trained regarding the values and principles of Adventist education);
   b. Strengthening the Adventist identity of our schools (producing printed or online materials that promote the specific mission of Adventist education);
   c. Endowing our schools with equipment and/or products to increase the quality of teaching and/or service;
   d. Operating education institutions as community service and outreach endeavors centers.

Motivation and Training

To address the continual professional development of our educational employees, the EUD Department of Education implemented a series of training programs targeted at presidents/rectors and principals, financial administrators, chaplains, librarians, marketing personnel, dormitory supervisors, as well as EU “Erasmus” and “Erasmus +” funds for individuals and institutions.⁷ Furthermore, the EUD collaboratively organized additional events, including the biennial Convention of the European Theology Teachers (ETTC) in conjunction with the Trans-European and Euro-Asia divisions at various theological institutions. EUD has also participated in gatherings fostering thematic expertise and dialogue among educators, such as conferences for teachers held in Germany, Portugal, Romania, and Spain.

Partnerships

EUD priorities have been addressed through joint projects developed with various Inter-European Division departments, like Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries (to meet the needs of school chaplains) and the Spirit of Prophecy Department (to establish an Ellen G. White Corner in every Adventist school).

Instruments

Given the growth of Adventist education in EUD, it was necessary both to intensify the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (AAA) accreditation program and to create a new accreditation handbook that would address European realities and provide a useful contemporary reference resource.

Progress

Throughout the quinquennium (2020-2025), Adventist education in the EUD has made notable advancements in both its conceptual framework and public perception. Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges, educational institutions in the EUD continue in their conceptual evolution, wholistic training practices, and numerical expansion, while exerting a considerable influence on the broader community.

First Fruits

Figure 1 shows a comparison between 2015 and 2023 (the most recent education statistics) and demonstrates areas of significant progress: The number of teachers has increased from 778 to 1,323, while the number of students has almost doubled, from 5,941 to 10,681. For the K-12 level, it’s worth noting that while the number of Adventist students has risen by 41.49 percent, the figure representing the students coming from other religious or non-religious backgrounds has increased by 131 percent. The number of tertiary students has increased as well, by 21.35 percent (see Figures 1 and 2).During this period (see Figure 3), 758 students were baptized at our schools, and 29 new schools were established (see Figure 3). A large number of the division’s primary and secondary schools have either attained their enrollment goals or markedly increased their enrollment numbers. Several schools have lengthy waiting lists.

Figure 1. EUD Teachers and Students All Levels (2015 vs. 2024).

Figure 2. K-12 Enrollment; Post-secondary and Tertiary Enrollment.

Figure 3. Baptisms 2015-2024

The Growing Demand for Adventist Primary and Secondary Education

Despite the comparatively small number of Adventist primary and secondary educational institutions within the European Union, there is a distinct upward trajectory regarding the caliber of educational offerings. Some of these institutions have conceptualized bold and forward-thinking ideas to support the growth and evolution of Adventist education in their respective contexts and have proposed innovative ideas for future advancement. Below are highlights from the EUD unions that operate primary and secondary schools:

• The Austrian Union, the two German unions, and the German Swiss Conference have collaborated to translate, adapt, train and use the Encounter Curriculum developed by the South Pacific Division.
• The Bulgarian Union has continued projects begun in the previous term and that continue to grow with the support from the church and lay members.
• The Czecho-Slovakian Union maintains the first and only K-12 Adventist school (Prague), that focuses on Christian education, printing a personalized edition of the Bible for the entire school community (pupils, parents, authorities). The project was boldly initiated in the capital of the third least-religious country in the world.⁸
• The Franco-Belgian Union is extending its facilities, adding new study programs, and building new premises for the Maurice Tieche K-12 school, located on the campus of Collonges Adventist University.
• The North German Union has recently inaugurated its new premises in the predominantly secular domain of the former German Democratic Republic, Adventschule Oberhavel. The union has allocated a financial investment of two million euros.
• The Portuguese Union recently moved Setubal Primary School (near Lisbon) to a new, larger campus, acquired through the financial support of the church. For decades, the school offered classes for the primary pupils in two rooms of the church, which also hosted the children’s Sabbath school. Now, they have their own space.
• The Romanian Union—by far the field with the largest number of schools in the EUD—continues its growth.
• The South German Union has the second largest number of primary schools in the EUD and is continuing the upward trend.
• The Spanish Union is intensively promoting the integration of faith and learning in all of its four schools.
• The Swiss Union has launched new schools both in the German- and French-speaking conferences.

Living Testimonies

Out of His inherent magnanimity, our God provides us with signs of permanent support and confirmation that Adventist education is at the front line of mission in our territory. While remarkable stories can be told of children, adolescents, and even educators from across the EUD who have discovered spiritual redemption in Jesus Christ through their engagement with our educational institutions, there are also miraculous stories about lay members, church constituencies, and local communities that have made investments in Adventist education. Here are several examples:

Labirint Seventh-day Adventist Church, one of the first Adventist churches in Bucharest, was built a century ago. Since then, the headquarters of the Romanian Union, the Adventist Theological Seminary, the Adventist Publishing House, and many other entities have been housed in this flagship church. Over decades of use, the church had deteriorated significantly, threatening the safety of worshippers. Consequently, it was necessary either to completely renovate the church or demolish and rebuild it.
Simultaneously, Lyceum Mihai Ionescu, the oldest Adventist school in the same city, located only a few hundred meters away from the Labirint church, was growing very rapidly. School activities had to be conducted in three different venues, and they needed at least a large hall for ceremonies, if not a new building. The Muntenia Conference and the Labirint church analyzed the situation. Inspired by God, Labirint church members voted unanimously to demolish the church and set up a large multi-purpose building that, for five to six days a week, would accommodate children for school and other extracurricular activities, and one day of the week would house the Labirint church worshipers in the large school auditorium. The decision spoke volumes about the vision of all those involved in this endeavor (church, conference, school) toward responsible and missional use of all available resources.

At approximately the same time, situated thousands of kilometers away in Bavaria, congregants at the Adventist church in Wasserburg also deliberated whether to renovate or replace their church building. The initial proposal entailed refurbishing the antiquated church, but doing so would have maintained the existing operational paradigm of a building used only one day a week. The pastor, motivated by a desire for community engagement, reached out to the mayor and several other community members about how the Adventist church could assist in helping to meet the needs of the local community. The response was overwhelming: from a kindergarten program to winter garden to a space for community classes, everyone shared ideas about ways the new building could serve the community. As a result, the church structure was demolished and replaced with a community center, which houses church and worship services on weekends. During the week, daycare and kindergarten programs for three groups take place. Various artistic initiatives and music programs also take place during the week, along with a wide array of church-related activities, such as Pathfinders and life-skills education. Projects such as an Easter Garden and a winter playground for children are also included, and the collaborating partners provide financial support for all of these endeavors in a true example of community partnership.

Transformative Influence of Adventist Education

As we move into a new quinquennium, the significance of Adventist education will remain paramount within the Inter-European Division, both in terms of financial allocations and the appreciation of its pivotal role in advancing the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. With persistent and favorable financial backing alongside mission-oriented support, we shall endeavor to enhance our existing initiatives, ensuring that Adventist education within the EUD continues to serve as a transformative influence in the lives of students, educators, administrators, parents, and church members alike.

Marius Munteanu

Marius Munteanu, PhD, is the Director of Education and the Spirit of Prophecy Department for the Inter-European Division of Seventh-day Adventists, headquartered in Berne, Switzerland. He also serves as a consultant on The Journal of Adventist Education® Advisory Board.