At PTC since 2014

Upolu Luma Vaai is Principal and Professor of Theology & Ethics at the Pacific Theological College (PTC) in Suva, Fiji. He holds a PhD degree from Griffith University in Australia. He held board director positions in Samoa government ministries. He joined the faculty staff of PTC in 2014 as Senior Lecturer and Head of Department for Theology and Ethics. He was elected as the nineth Principal of the College in 2019.

Dr Vaai is a decolonial educator and theologian. A regional leading voice in reclaiming Pasifika ‘whole of life’ philosophies and theologies to underpin a new development story, he is regularly invited by international forums to speak on Pasifika relationality, relational philosophy, relational hermeneutics, relational theology, and relational ways of knowing and being, which are ideas scattered throughout his many publications and research projects. He is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church of Samoa.

He is committee & board member, chair, and advisor to many regional and international organizations. To name a few: member of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches; UN Office on Drugs and Crimes; advisor to Asia Development Bank; advisor to World Bank, Facilitator of the WCC Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI); Chair of the Oceania Centre Advisory Committee, University of the South Pacific; Co-chair of the Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies, Oxford University; Chair and Convenor of 2018 Pacific Philosophy Conference; Member of the G20 Anti-Racism Initiative; Member of the G20 Environment Working Group; Expert Member of the Anti-corruption Academic Initiative (ACAD) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC); Member of the TODA Institute Steering Committee; Member of the Berkeley Centre of Religion, Peace, and World Affairs; Advisory board of the Laudato Si Institute, Oxford University; Editorial board member of 6 International Journals; Member of Executive committee of the Pacific Conference of Churches, and the Association of South Pacific Theological Schools. He currently chairs most of the committees and leads the transitioning of the College towards University by 2025.

He had obtained various fellowships, scholarships, and invitations for periods of research and lectures at several universities around the world such as Australia National University, Griffith University, Otago University, University of Adelaide, University of Oxford, University of Bonn, and others. He is an international speaker and an international examiner to many Masters and PhD theses, including non-theological theses. His publications are mostly in the intersection of the Trinity, ecological or eco-relational theology, development, ecumenism, and indigenous philosophies and how these contribute to reaffirming the ‘whole of life’ vision. 

• Esther D. Reed, Dion Forster, and Rudolf von Sinner with Ernst M. Conradie, Upolu Luma Vaai, Jörg Haustein, Daniel Heide, and Ángel F. Méndez-Montoya. ‘Christian Ethics.’ In St. Andrews Encyclopedia of Theology, Aug. 2024. https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/ChristianEthics.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. ‘Philosophical vectors of oceanic diplomacy and development: the Samoan wisdom of restraint meets the Australian indigenous relationalist ethos.’ Australian Journal of International Affairs 77 (2024):677-681.
• Upolu Luma Vaai and Aisake Casimira (eds). The ‘Whole of Life’ Way: Unburying Vakatabu Philosophies and Theologies for Pasifika Development. Suva: PTC Press. 2024.
• Ernst Conradie and Upolu Luma Vaai (eds). Making Room for the Story to Continue: An Earthed Faith 4. An Earthed Faith: Telling the Story Amid the Anthropocene. Oregon: Cascade Books, 2024.
• Upolu Luma Vaai and Mark Lamport (eds). The Story of Christianity in Oceania. The Global Story of Christianity: History, Context, and Communities. Oregon: Cascade Books, 2024.
• Upolu Luma Vaai and Aisake Casimira. reStorying the Pasifika Household. Suva: PTC Press, 2023.
• Joerg Rieger and Upolu Luma Vaai (eds). Methodist Revolution: Evangelical Engagements of Church and Society. Nashville: GBHEM Publishing, 2022.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, Fernando Enns, Andres P. Lozano, Betty Pries (eds). Transformative Spiritualities for the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Justice.Geneva: WCC Publications, 2022.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “Others are Enjoying Life from our Death: Eco-relational Theology and a Methodist Ecological Revolution in the Pacific.” In Methodist Revolution: Evangelical Engagements of Church and Society. Edited by Joerg Rieger and Upolu Luma Vaai. Nashville: GBHEM Publishing, Feb. 2022.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “Eco-relational Spirituality: A (K)new Story for the Earth from a Pasifika Perspective.” In Transformative Spiritualities for the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Justice.Edited by Fernando Enns, Upolu Luma Vaai, Andres P. Lozano, Betty Pries Geneva: WCC Publications, March. 2022.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “A Dirtified God: A Dirt Theology from the Pacific Dirt Communities.” In Theologies from the Pacific. 15-30. Edited by Jione Havea. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “From Atutasi to Atulasi: Relational Theologizing and Why Pacific Islanders Think and Theologize Differently.” In Theologies from the Pacific. 235-250. Edited by Jione Havea. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “Faith and Culture.” In Christianity in Oceania.235-246. Edited by Kenneth Ross, Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, and Todd M. Johnson. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Press, 2021.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “A Lasting Memorial to the Pacific Islander Missionaries: A Brief History of the Islander Missionaries Memorial Chapel, PTC.”Journal of Pacific History 36 (2021):
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “Pacific Spirituality and Changing the Climate Change Story,” In Religious Soft Diplomacy and the United Nations: Religious Engagement as Loyal Opposition. 241-258. Edited by Sherrie M. Steiner and James T. Christie. New York: Lexington Books, 2021.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “Lagimalie: Covid, De-Onefication of Theologies, and Eco-Relational Wellbeing.” In Doing Theology in the New Normal.209-221. Edited by Jione Havea. London: SCM, 2021.
• Upolu Luma Vaai, “The Eco-Relational Story of the Cosmic Aiga: A Pasifika Perspective.” In Taking a Deep Breath for the Story to Begin…An Earthed Faith 1. Edited by Ernst Conradie and Pan-chiu Lai. Durbanville: Aosis / Cascade, 2021.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “The Sail.” In Weaving Theologies in Oceania: Culture, Context and Practice. Edited by Beatrice Green and Keiti Ann Kanongata’a. Cambridge: Cambridge Publishing, 2020.
• Paulo Baleinakorodawa and Upolu Luma Vaai. “Fiji COVID Poverty Crisis.”Global Outlook. Tokyo: Toda Peace Institute, 2021. https://toda.org/global-outlook/fiji-covid-poverty-crisis.html
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “The Dance of Relationality: Vision for a Pacific Itulagi Education for Life.” In From the Deep: Pasifiki Voices for a New Story. Edited by James Bhagwan, Elise Huffer, France Koya Vaka’uta, and Aisake Casimira. Suva: Pacific Theological College, 2020.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “Foreword.” In Reweaving the Ecological Mat Framework: Toward an Ecological Framework for Development,Edited by Cliff Bird, Arnie Siaki, and Meretui Ratunabuabua. Suva: Pacific Theological College, 2020.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “Editorial: The 55^thAnniversary of the Pacific Theological College.” The Pacific Journal of Theology 58 (2020):1-5.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “Relational Theologizing: Why Pacific Islanders Think and Theologize Differently”, ThePacific Journal of Theology, 58 (2020):40-56.
• Upolu Luma Vaai and Gladson Jathanna. “Let the House Speak: Memorialising the Islander Missionaries Chapel for Re-Storying Ecumenism as the Pacific Household of God.” The Pacific Journal of Theology59 (2020):4-20.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “Editorial.” The Pacific Journal of Theology59 (2020):4-20.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “A Call for an Eco-Relational Theology of Mission”. The Pacific Journal of Theology57 (2019):59-64.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. “Relational Theology and Reforming the Pacific”. In Reflecting Reformation and the Call for Renewal in a Globalized and Post-Colonial World. Edited by Claudia Jahnel. Neuendettelsau: Erlanger Verlag fur Mission und Okumene, 2019.
• Upolu Luma Vaai. Pacific Eco-Relational Spirituality and Changing the Climate Change Story. Tokyo: Toda Peace Institute, 2019. https://toda.org/assets/files/resources/policy-briefs/t-pb-56_upolu-luma-vaai_we-are-therefore-we-live.pdf
• Volger boege, john campbell, kevin clements, kirsten davis, and upolu luma vaai (eds). Toda pacific declaration on climate change, conflict and peace. Tokyo: toda peace institute, 2019. https://toda.org.