PTC Press

About the Press

Since its establishment in 1965, the Pacific Theological College has been focusing on indigenous and contextual postcolonial education, deconstructing critically on the colonial and neocolonial models that had shaped the pacific churches and society.  Its faculty and graduates for years have been producing alternate thinking captured in writings through intensive research in theology that challenges the conventional colonial narrative. They have become key realities in the lively hoods of our people leveraging and influencing the rethinking and liberating movement of the pacific island people.

At its meeting on the 26th of August 2022, The Executive Committee of Pacific Theological College approved the establishment of the PTC Press following the proposal by the Senior Management Team of the college.  A Manager (Vinesh K Maharaj) has been hired since June 2022 to outline the framework and all documentation for the formation and the operation of this publishing house which was presented to the Executive Committee at its August general meeting for which approval was granted.

On 14th November 2022, during the PTC Council Meeting, PTC Press was officially launched with two publications that were converted from two Ph.D. student thesis into book format;

  1. NAFANUA THEOLOGY – A Samoan; Christian argument for Women in Ordained Ministry; by Marie Ropeti Apisaloma
  2. VAA FESOKOTAKI – A Theology of God for a New Oceanian Climate Change Story; by Tafue Molu Lusuma

 

Vision

To become a vibrant publishing press that advocates & promotes quality Pasifika literature and publications that adds to the “body of knowledge” economically-based on the ‘whole of life’ vision.

Mission

To provide publishing opportunities in the region in the arears of theology and Christianity. Additionally, the Press will also publish for outside sources, with all a focus on regional issues and interests in the Pacific Contents;

  • Fiction & Non-Fiction – in the areas of natura, history, culture, arts politics law
  • Other Academic Writings – Education and other researched areas such as Climate Change, Management, Social Issues etc.
  • Co-editions – The Press will seek every opportunity to obtain co-publishing licenses with worldwide re-known publishers.
  • Monographs, essays, researched articles, essays and journals.
Objective
  • To create and develop a respected publishing house aligned to strategic Mission and Vision of PTC College reflecting a Unique Communities – Based “Whole of Life” approach to learning.
  • To produce and encourage writers locally and regionally promoting Leadership for Justice. ecological and social justice voicing out the vision of the Pacific churches and the ‘household of God in the Pacific’.
  • To develop and implement a best practice model for the publication and distribution of content in all formats for the arears in theology, academic and commercial publishing that upholds the values and visions of the college through its transition to Pasifika Communities University.
  • To be a successful business medium unit of Pacific Theological College in branding the institution through its publishing and distribution across the globe.
  • Conducting and publishing quality research that meets the needs and aspirations in thematic arears of the Pasifika Communities.

For most people life is governed by power and rule, but behind these there always lies the mystery of human nature, doubtful and mysterious, and right now and again to go off at an angle and disrupt the soft working of coordinated practice. Some man or woman will appear who departs from the normal method of practice, who follows values rather than rules, and whose methods are unpredictable, and often, in the eyes of onlookers, unwise. They may be weak or fragile, and in their own estimation of no account, yet it is often they who are used for the accomplishment of important ends.

This book examines the theology of God from an Oceanian point of view, using a Tuvaluan relational philosophy called ‘Vaa fesokotaki’ which literally means, the relational sacred space. Vaa fesokotaki is used as the hermeneutical lens through which to redefine the theology of te Atua. It refers to the deeply interconnected and multifaceted ‘relational space’ which defines the Tuvaluan (and the Oceanian) worldview. Using this indigenous interpretive lens affirms that any reimagining of te Atua must be grounded in the spirituality of the Oceanian indigenous peoples. Any decolonizing endeavour must be ground-up and grassroots, or else it is just another theological construct imposed from afar.

The authors Marie Ropeti and Tafue Lusama with their books.