The Students’ Lectureship on Missions with Jione Havea

On September 25 and 26, Princeton Theological Seminary will welcome Rev. Dr. Jione Havea for The Students’ Lectureship on Missions. Havea will deliver a three-part lecture series that is free and open to the public.

Rev. Dr. Jione Havea is co-parent for a polycultural daughter, native pastor (Methodist Church, Tonga), and senior research fellow with Trinity Methodist Theological College (Aotearoa New Zealand) and with Centre for Religion, Ethics, and Society (Charles Sturt University, Australia). Jione is currently working on a commentary on the book of Numbers (Wisdom commentary series, Liturgical Press) and two collections: Pacific Wellbeing: Bodies and (is)Lands, Traditions and Theologies, Imaginations and Mindsets (Pickwick) and Stirring up Liberation Theology (SCM).

Monday, September 25

Lecture 1: Native mission(arie)s: Savages and saviors

7:00 p.m. - Theron Room, Wright Library

One of the illusions of the Christian mission is the assumption that natives were savages who needed to be saved from their dark ways and uncivilized cultures. To the contrary, this talanoa (presentation) argues that the success of the Christian mission in Pasifika (Pacific, Oceania), and beyond, had a lot to do with the kindness and wisdom of native peoples. This talanoa thus invites acknowledging and embracing the gifts and gists of native peoples – formerly seen as savages.

*Reception immediately following lecture in the Wright Library foyer

Tuesday, September 26

Lecture 2: Contextuality and Coloniality: Elusions of theological relevance

5:00 p.m. - Theron Room, Wright Library

That all theologies and readings are contextual is nowadays taken for granted. But one of the elephants in the room remains unseen: Whose interests are served by contextualizing theologies and readings? For whose world(view)s do contextual theologies and readings seek to be relevant, and accountable? Whose senses and wisdoms matter?

Lecture 3: Trans-culturality: Invitations from Pasifika

7:00 p.m. - Theron Room, Wright Library

Intersectional and crosscultural theologies celebrate fluidity and multiple belongings, and consequently trouble mono-logical and one-ficating world(view)s. This talanoa invites such radical conversations to embrace trans-cultural wisdoms. Here, trans-culturality involves learning to belong to a culture(s) with which one is not comfortable or find meaningful. It is about also belonging to that with which one does not belong.