Adventist Seminary in Inter-America Celebrates Ministers Who Completed Post-Graduate Degrees in 2020

March 2, 2021 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Nearly 100 ministers across the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America were celebrated for completing postgraduate training conferred by the Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary (IATS) during a special online event, on Feb. 27, 2021.

The academic celebration drew church leaders to congratulate pastors who were forced to enroll in virtual classes to complete their degrees during a year of pandemic restrictions which cancelled in-person summer classes at affiliated campuses across the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory in 2020.

“The Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary gathers us today in a large virtual room for a grand ceremony that has a significant meaning in the time we are living,” said Dr. Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America and chairman of the institutions board. “I want to congratulate all the professors who have worked diligently to help our pastors gain more biblical-theological knowledge to understand God’s revelation.”

Dr. Henry congratulated graduates for their commitment and efforts during a year marked with crises but also mission opportunities. He affirmed that IATS has continued advancing with creativity, strength, and talents for teaching and theological preparation for ministers across the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory.

IATS and its commitment

A moment of silence was observed for a number of professors, student pastors, and former students who have died from the coronavirus since last year.

The online event was the first time since its independent establishment in 2004, that IATS held a graduation celebration outside of its affiliated Adventist university campuses throughout the IAD territory, said Dr. Efraín Velázquez, president of IATS.

“IATS is the only institution in the Inter-American Division that offers higher education degrees in theological, biblical and ministerial areas,” said Velázquez. “Our commitment is to be able to deepen the knowledge of the Word, raise the doctrinal pillars, and proclaim hope by the grace of heaven.”

IATS can confer degrees thanks to the recognition it has received and acquired in the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, explained Velázquez.  The programs offered include a master degree in pastoral theology, a master degree in biblical theological studies, and a doctorate of ministry.

The degrees and diplomas are recognized by the accreditation of the Adventist Accreditation Association and the Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada, as well as a license from the Puerto Rico council of Education.

Those who graduated as of 2020 include students from campuses in Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Trinidad.

Challenges during the pandemic crisis

“These are difficult times, challenging times, but in the midst of these circumstances God keeps calling ‘Who will I send?’” said Velázquez. “By having these titles, we are not automatically qualified for this mission that God has given us. He is calling you again because it is not an experience that you graduate from or that you have a degree conferred, it is a daily experience.”  It is about every day saying ‘I Will Go’ here I am, send me, added Velázquez.

In spite of the transition adjustments from on-campus teaching to online classes remotely, the year proved to be like no other, said Dr. Velázquez. Before the pandemic, professors traveled for weeks of classes on the campus of the 10 Adventist university sites to students enrolled in the graduate programs. But last year, students in the three programs connected online from their countries to study together. “That proved to be a wonderful opportunity for friendships and ministry exchange that saw many pastors preaching at different congregations via online throughout the year,” he added.

Online connections proved to be challenging in Cuba, added Velázquez. “Some of the students in the seminary there had friends download the classes from other countries and have them sent through text so they could take part in the required courses,” he said. “We are overjoyed that so many successfully completed their students even in the midst of so many challenges last year.”

Each of the 77 graduates and their conferred degrees were named throughout the online program by IATS Registrar Ketlie Henry.

This year’s graduates add to the more than 1,200 pastors throughout the IAD who have been conferred degrees from IAD throughout the past 16 years.

Post graduate students will receive their diplomas in the coming weeks, IATS leaders said.

About IATS

The Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary is the postgraduate theological studies institution established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a non-profit institution registered under Florida and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. IATS was created to provide fundamental knowledge and values by training people for Christian ministry and proclaiming the hope of the Advent to the world.

IATS was first formed through an affiliation with Andrews University in 1996, and later in 2004, began offering graduate programs as an independent theological seminary for ministers nominated by their regional church territories for postgraduate training.

To learn more about the programs and initiatives at IATS, visit setai.edu

To watch the IATS academic celebration of Feb. 27, Click HERE