Problem: Theological education is an important concern of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific Islands. Current concerns include ascertaining the best type of theological education for the Adventist Church in this region; determining cultural influence on curriculum; designing a model for the coordination of theological education in Oceania; outlining alternative three-year diploma and four-year bachelor’s-degree curricula; and offering recommendations for the development of Adventist ministerial education in Oceania. The purpose of this study was to present strategies that may assist the Seventh-day Adventist Church to find possible solutions to these concerns.
Method: This study utilizes the historical, descriptive, and developmental methods.
Conclusions: The study arrived at the following conclusions; (1) until the early 1970’s, Adventist theological education kept abreast academically with most other Protestant denominations; (2) to keep pace with academic developments, a degree in theology needs implementing; (3) some indigenous persons will require advanced theological education overseas; (4) plans and policies should be implemented so ministerial students can learn to cope with new societal demands and situations; (5) degree training needs to be centralized; (6) theological training should be academically equivalent with other professional studies so the ministry cannot be considered an irrelevant and unimportant profession; (7) a balance should be maintained between theory and practice, faith and action, and study and work; (8) courses should concentrate less on Western academic curricula and more on practical skills and professional studies; (9) schools need to provide married students’ accommodations, 910) Fulton College may be the best institution to commence degree-level training; (11) the content of model three of the diploma-curriculum outlines is favored by the researcher; (12) of the bachelor-degree curriculums outlined, model eight, with its emphasis on practical-professional studies is favored by the researcher; (13) theological educators have the greatest impact and influence on students; (14) the Adventist Church should not rely upon vernacular training schools for its ministry; (15) degree-level training that provides an understanding of urban problems, marriage, and family life, and youth ministry is essential; and (16) training should prepare men for pastoral-evangelistic ministry.
Recommendations: Recommendations arising from the study were: (1) establish an Inter-Union Educational Coordinating Committee to locate a degree-awarding training center and implement a coordinating master-plan, (2) introduce a Bachelor of Theology degree, (3) include Third World theological educators on the proposed training staff, (4) educate three indigenous ministers on the graduate-level annually, (5) replace expatriate staff with educated indigenous personnel, (6) provide accommodation for married students, (7) raise prerequisite, educational entrance levels to lay training schools, and graduate students with a Certificate of Theology, (8) and (9) alter Fulton and Sonoma college prerequisite levels, (10) commence theological extensions classes, (11) develop continuing theological-education programs for field personnel, (12) contextualize theological curriculum, (13) support cultural values in curricular content and methods, (14) conduct a needs assessment, (15) involve students in concurrent field education, (16) seek accreditation of proposed curricula with Association of Seventh-day Adventist Colleges, and (17) apply for non-accredited membership in local associations of theological schools for Fulton and Sonoma Colleges.
","abstract_html":"<p>Problem: Theological education is an important concern of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific Islands. Current concerns include ascertaining the best type of theological education for the Adventist Church in this region; determining cultural influence on curriculum; designing a model for the coordination of theological education in Oceania; outlining alternative three-year diploma and four-year bachelor’s-degree curricula; and offering recommendations for the development of Adventist ministerial education in Oceania. The purpose of this study was to present strategies that may assist the Seventh-day Adventist Church to find possible solutions to these concerns.</p> <p>Method: This study utilizes the historical, descriptive, and developmental methods.</p> <p>Conclusions: The study arrived at the following conclusions; (1) until the early 1970’s, Adventist theological education kept abreast academically with most other Protestant denominations; (2) to keep pace with academic developments, a degree in theology needs implementing; (3) some indigenous persons will require advanced theological education overseas; (4) plans and policies should be implemented so ministerial students can learn to cope with new societal demands and situations; (5) degree training needs to be centralized; (6) theological training should be academically equivalent with other professional studies so the ministry cannot be considered an irrelevant and unimportant profession; (7) a balance should be maintained between theory and practice, faith and action, and study and work; (8) courses should concentrate less on Western academic curricula and more on practical skills and professional studies; (9) schools need to provide married students’ accommodations, 910) Fulton College may be the best institution to commence degree-level training; (11) the content of model three of the diploma-curriculum outlines is favored by the researcher; (12) of the bachelor-degree curriculums outlined, model eight, with its emphasis on practical-professional studies is favored by the researcher; (13) theological educators have the greatest impact and influence on students; (14) the Adventist Church should not rely upon vernacular training schools for its ministry; (15) degree-level training that provides an understanding of urban problems, marriage, and family life, and youth ministry is essential; and (16) training should prepare men for pastoral-evangelistic ministry.</p> <p>Recommendations: Recommendations arising from the study were: (1) establish an Inter-Union Educational Coordinating Committee to locate a degree-awarding training center and implement a coordinating master-plan, (2) introduce a Bachelor of Theology degree, (3) include Third World theological educators on the proposed training staff, (4) educate three indigenous ministers on the graduate-level annually, (5) replace expatriate staff with educated indigenous personnel, (6) provide accommodation for married students, (7) raise prerequisite, educational entrance levels to lay training schools, and graduate students with a Certificate of Theology, (8) and (9) alter Fulton and Sonoma college prerequisite levels, (10) commence theological extensions classes, (11) develop continuing theological-education programs for field personnel, (12) contextualize theological curriculum, (13) support cultural values in curricular content and methods, (14) conduct a needs assessment, (15) involve students in concurrent field education, (16) seek accreditation of proposed curricula with Association of Seventh-day Adventist Colleges, and (17) apply for non-accredited membership in local associations of theological schools for Fulton and Sonoma Colleges.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Currie, Alexander Shand"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Religious Education, PhD","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["George H. Akers","Mercedes H. Dyer","William G. Johnsson"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1977,"date_issued":"1977-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1977-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:52:58Z","subjects":["Curriculum and Instruction","Other Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/309","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["George H. Akers","Mercedes H. Dyer","William G. Johnsson"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Currie, Alexander Shand"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Religious Education, PhD"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Curriculum and Instruction","Other Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/309"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Problem: Theological education is an important concern of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific Islands. Current concerns include ascertaining the best type of theological education for the Adventist Church in this region; determining cultural influence on curriculum; designing a model for the coordination of theological education in Oceania; outlining alternative three-year diploma and four-year bachelor’s-degree curricula; and offering recommendations for the development of Adventist ministerial education in Oceania. The purpose of this study was to present strategies that may assist the Seventh-day Adventist Church to find possible solutions to these concerns.
Method: This study utilizes the historical, descriptive, and developmental methods.
Conclusions: The study arrived at the following conclusions; (1) until the early 1970’s, Adventist theological education kept abreast academically with most other Protestant denominations; (2) to keep pace with academic developments, a degree in theology needs implementing; (3) some indigenous persons will require advanced theological education overseas; (4) plans and policies should be implemented so ministerial students can learn to cope with new societal demands and situations; (5) degree training needs to be centralized; (6) theological training should be academically equivalent with other professional studies so the ministry cannot be considered an irrelevant and unimportant profession; (7) a balance should be maintained between theory and practice, faith and action, and study and work; (8) courses should concentrate less on Western academic curricula and more on practical skills and professional studies; (9) schools need to provide married students’ accommodations, 910) Fulton College may be the best institution to commence degree-level training; (11) the content of model three of the diploma-curriculum outlines is favored by the researcher; (12) of the bachelor-degree curriculums outlined, model eight, with its emphasis on practical-professional studies is favored by the researcher; (13) theological educators have the greatest impact and influence on students; (14) the Adventist Church should not rely upon vernacular training schools for its ministry; (15) degree-level training that provides an understanding of urban problems, marriage, and family life, and youth ministry is essential; and (16) training should prepare men for pastoral-evangelistic ministry.
Recommendations: Recommendations arising from the study were: (1) establish an Inter-Union Educational Coordinating Committee to locate a degree-awarding training center and implement a coordinating master-plan, (2) introduce a Bachelor of Theology degree, (3) include Third World theological educators on the proposed training staff, (4) educate three indigenous ministers on the graduate-level annually, (5) replace expatriate staff with educated indigenous personnel, (6) provide accommodation for married students, (7) raise prerequisite, educational entrance levels to lay training schools, and graduate students with a Certificate of Theology, (8) and (9) alter Fulton and Sonoma college prerequisite levels, (10) commence theological extensions classes, (11) develop continuing theological-education programs for field personnel, (12) contextualize theological curriculum, (13) support cultural values in curricular content and methods, (14) conduct a needs assessment, (15) involve students in concurrent field education, (16) seek accreditation of proposed curricula with Association of Seventh-day Adventist Colleges, and (17) apply for non-accredited membership in local associations of theological schools for Fulton and Sonoma Colleges.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Strategies for Seventh-day Adventist Theological Education in the South Pacific Islands"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["George H. Akers","Mercedes H. Dyer","William G. Johnsson"],"dc:creator":["Currie, Alexander Shand"],"dc:description.abstract":["Problem: Theological education is an important concern of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific Islands. Current concerns include ascertaining the best type of theological education for the Adventist Church in this region; determining cultural influence on curriculum; designing a model for the coordination of theological education in Oceania; outlining alternative three-year diploma and four-year bachelor’s-degree curricula; and offering recommendations for the development of Adventist ministerial education in Oceania. The purpose of this study was to present strategies that may assist the Seventh-day Adventist Church to find possible solutions to these concerns.
Method: This study utilizes the historical, descriptive, and developmental methods.
Conclusions: The study arrived at the following conclusions; (1) until the early 1970’s, Adventist theological education kept abreast academically with most other Protestant denominations; (2) to keep pace with academic developments, a degree in theology needs implementing; (3) some indigenous persons will require advanced theological education overseas; (4) plans and policies should be implemented so ministerial students can learn to cope with new societal demands and situations; (5) degree training needs to be centralized; (6) theological training should be academically equivalent with other professional studies so the ministry cannot be considered an irrelevant and unimportant profession; (7) a balance should be maintained between theory and practice, faith and action, and study and work; (8) courses should concentrate less on Western academic curricula and more on practical skills and professional studies; (9) schools need to provide married students’ accommodations, 910) Fulton College may be the best institution to commence degree-level training; (11) the content of model three of the diploma-curriculum outlines is favored by the researcher; (12) of the bachelor-degree curriculums outlined, model eight, with its emphasis on practical-professional studies is favored by the researcher; (13) theological educators have the greatest impact and influence on students; (14) the Adventist Church should not rely upon vernacular training schools for its ministry; (15) degree-level training that provides an understanding of urban problems, marriage, and family life, and youth ministry is essential; and (16) training should prepare men for pastoral-evangelistic ministry.
Recommendations: Recommendations arising from the study were: (1) establish an Inter-Union Educational Coordinating Committee to locate a degree-awarding training center and implement a coordinating master-plan, (2) introduce a Bachelor of Theology degree, (3) include Third World theological educators on the proposed training staff, (4) educate three indigenous ministers on the graduate-level annually, (5) replace expatriate staff with educated indigenous personnel, (6) provide accommodation for married students, (7) raise prerequisite, educational entrance levels to lay training schools, and graduate students with a Certificate of Theology, (8) and (9) alter Fulton and Sonoma college prerequisite levels, (10) commence theological extensions classes, (11) develop continuing theological-education programs for field personnel, (12) contextualize theological curriculum, (13) support cultural values in curricular content and methods, (14) conduct a needs assessment, (15) involve students in concurrent field education, (16) seek accreditation of proposed curricula with Association of Seventh-day Adventist Colleges, and (17) apply for non-accredited membership in local associations of theological schools for Fulton and Sonoma Colleges.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/309"],"dc:subject":["Curriculum and Instruction","Other Education"],"dc:title":["Strategies for Seventh-day Adventist Theological Education in the South Pacific Islands"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Religious Education, PhD"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:52:58Z"}