Reverend Dr. Hyveth Marjorie Williams (STH ’98) Speaks at Summit on Social Consciousness Hosted by Andrews University
The following is an excerpt from the Lake Union Herald article “Andrews University hosts Race and Religion Summit” by Andrew Francis, published on March 13, 2024.
“The ninth Summit on Social Consciousness took place on Thursday, Feb. 29, and Saturday, March 2, 2024, with the theme “Race. Religion. Reflections. Andrews University: The Institutional Saga (1960–1980).”
Each of the gatherings featured a recorded interview, followed by a panel reacting to the film.
The Summit explored the theme from three perspectives: Andrews University’s female employees, past and present student groups, and the voice of Andrews’ Seminary alumnus Alvin Kibble. At each session, attendees and participants discussed the lived experiences of individuals at Andrews University in the 1960s through the 1980s.
The first segment of the Summit was titled “The Andrews Saga: Through the Eyes of Our Women.” The program centered on Hyveth Williams, PhD, DMin, who is director of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program. Williams is the first Black female pastor and female senior pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
In the video screening, Williams spoke of her call to ministry and how, in response to that call, she enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in 1986.
After completing her MDiv, Williams wished to further develop her skills and understanding of ministry, and therefore sought admission into the Doctor of Ministry program that the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary started in 1989. Despite being otherwise qualified, Williams was denied entrance into the program and told that it was only open to “ordained pastors who were men.” Williams then applied to and was accepted into the Boston University School of Theology doctoral program.
After completing her Doctor of Ministry and serving as a successful pastor, Williams was asked to join the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in 2009 as a professor of homiletics. In a twist of irony and divine guidance, in 2022 Williams became the director of the Doctor of Ministry program, the same program to which she had been denied access. Williams celebrates the increase of women in Seminary and in more leadership roles in the Adventist church. “
Read the full article here.