PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF TAIWANESE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS TOWARD SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST EDUCATION IN TAIWAN

Support of constituent churches is important to schools operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Church has been carrying on a Christian educational program in Taiwan for 35 years. Today the Church has a college and academy on the Island and the enrollment in the school has been small for the past decade. The present study investigated the perception and attitudes of the Taiwanese Seventh-day Adventists toward Seventh-day Adventist Church education.; From the population of 3,345 Seventh-day Adventist Church members, a sample of ten percent was randomly drawn. Together with the ministers and educators the Church employs in Taiwan, a total of 420 Seventh-day Adventists were selected for the survey. A questionnaire was distributed to these three samples of Seventh-day Adventists and 332 responded.; The survey data revealed that the Seventh-day Adventist educators, ministers, and church members in Taiwan perceive themselves as well acquainted with the philosophy and goals of Seventh-day Adventist education. They tend to base their view about Seventh-day Adventist education more on the Bible than on the writings of Ellen G. White. The respondents see the Seventh-day Adventist educational program in Taiwan as one that is conducive for the spiritual and intellectual development of the students.; Seventh-day Adventists in Taiwan are supportive of their educational program. Respondents with children are more supportive than those with no children. The majority of the three study samples who responded are willing to support Seventh-day Adventist education financially. While most are willing to enroll their children in Seventh-day Adventist schools, many are hesitant to send children to a boarding school. The cost of education in Seventh-day Adventist schools and the long distance between the school and the home are believed to be two of the possible causes of the small enrollment at the school. The survey data suggest a need for further study to explore ways to gain church members' support for the school and for effective ways to keep the churches informed about Seventy-day Adventist education.