Faafetai Aiavā is a Samoan theologian, educator, and academic leader whose work is deeply rooted in decolonial Pasifika theology, indigenous ethics, contextual hermeneutics, and transformative theological education. He currently serves as Academic Dean at Pasifika Communities University, where he provides leadership in academic planning, curriculum development, research, faculty support, and postgraduate supervision.

Faafetai brings to this role a strong commitment to justice-oriented, culturally grounded education that is attentive to the lived realities, wisdom traditions, and spiritual worlds of Pacific communities. His academic work reflects a sustained engagement with questions of identity, theology, ethics, spirituality, ecology, and the decolonisation of Christian thought and practice in Oceania.

He holds a PhD in Theology and a Master of Theology with Distinction from Pacific Theological College, Fiji, and a Bachelor of Theology from Malua Theological College, Samoa. He is also an ordained pastor of the Congregational Christian Church Samoa.

Before becoming Academic Dean, Faafetai served as Head of the Theology & Ethics Discipline and was promoted to Associate Professor in recognition of his academic leadership, research contribution, and institutional service. Over the years, he has taught and supervised across a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, mentoring students in theology, ethics, hermeneutics, ecotheology, and Pacific contextual thought. His supervision has included successful Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD theses, reflecting his commitment to nurturing emerging Pacific scholars.

Faafetai’s scholarship is widely recognised for its originality, contextual depth, and interdisciplinary relevance. His research interests include decolonial Pasifika theology, indigenous ethics, Pacific spirituality, contextual theology, ecotheology, leadership and social transformation, and the role of theology in responding to contemporary Pacific realities. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, and international theological collections, and continues to contribute to scholarly and ecclesial conversations across Oceania and beyond.

In addition to his teaching and research, Faafetai has actively contributed to academic and church life through conference presentations, workshops, curriculum design, external examination, editorial review, and collaborative theological initiatives. His work reflects a passion for theological education that is intellectually rigorous, socially engaged, and deeply accountable to Pacific peoples, communities, and futures.

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Qualifications

• PhD in Theology, Pacific Theological College, Fiji
• Master of Theology (Distinction), Pacific Theological College, Fiji
• Bachelor of Theology, Malua Theological College, Samoa
• Certificate in Philosophical Competence, Pacific Theological College

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Research Interests

• Decolonial Pasifika Theology
• Indigenous Ethics
• Contextual Hermeneutics
• Pacific Spirituality and Identity
• Ecotheology
• Theology and Social Transformation
• Leadership, Culture, and Community Formation

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Publications

1. Book Review: “The Trinity: Global Perspectives, Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. Lousville, London: Published by Westminister John Knox Press.” Pacific Journal of Theology, Series II No.54 (2015)
2. Book Review. “Randall G. Prior. 2019. Contextualizing Theology in the South Pacific: The Shape of Theology in Oral Cultures. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications.” Pacific Journal of Theology, Series II No.59 (2020)
3. “From Inbetween to Inness: Dehyphenating Diasporic Theologies from a Relational Perspective.” In Relational Hermeneutics: Decolonising the Mindset and the Pacific Itulagi, edited by Upolu Luma Vaai and Aisake Casimira. Suva: University of the South Pacific and the Pacific Theological College, 2017, 121-142. (Peer reviewed)
4. “Taking Selfies: Honouring faces (Alo) in Theology and Hermeneutics.” In The Relational Self: Decolonising Personhood in the Pacific, edited by Upolu Luma Vaai and Unaisi Nabobo-Baba. Suva: University of the South Pacific & Pacific Theological College, 2017, 257-270. (Peer Reviewed).
5.  “Take the Staff…Command the Rock: A Healing Paradox for Moses’ pain through a Fofo Alamea reading. Pacific Journal of Theology, Series II No.57 (2019)
6. “Si’i le Tuā’oi: Shifting Perceptions on Exodus 1:8—2:10 through a Samoan/Pasefika Reading” Pacific Journal of Theology, Series II No.58 (2020)
7. “Mission and Evangelism.” In Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity: Christianity in the Pacific, Edinburgh University Press (2021).
8. “Eleele interrupts the Eden Wedding: From Mother Earth to Mistress.” In Decolonizing Eco-theology: Indigenous and Subaltern Challenges, edited by S. Lily Mendoza and George Zachariah, 93-107. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications (2021).
9. “Pacific Christianity online or on the line?: Renewing church, sacrament and worship amidst the pandemic.” In Christianity and Covid-19: Pathways for Faith, edited by Chammah J Kaunda et. al., 129–139.NY: Routledge publishers (2022).
10. “Talking God in a Divided House: Renewing Spirituality in God’s Pacific Household.” In Shifting Climates Shifting People, edited by Miguel De la Torre, 143–156. Ohio: Pilgrim Press (2022).
11. “Afterword.” In How Do We Become Green People and Earth Communities?: Inventory, Metamorphoses and Emergenc(i)es, Claudio Carvalhaes, 145–153. York, Pennsylvania: Barber’s Son Press (2022).
12. “Christian and Cultural Identity amid Socio-Economic Change.” In Restoring Identities: The Contextualizing Story of Oceania Christianity, edited by Upolu Vaai and Mark A. Lamport, 235–248. EU, Oregon: Cascade Books (2023).
13. “Taught to fish but still starving: Unsettling Theological Hermeneutics in Oceania.” In Unsettling Theologies: Memory, Identity, and Place, edited by Michael Mawson and Brian Kolia, 175–188. Palgrave Macmillan (2024).
14. “Be Still and Know: Contextual Lessons on Delayed Gratification from Pasifika” In The whole of life way, edited by Upolu Vaai and Aisake Casimira. Suva, Fiji: PTC Press (2024).
15. “Motugā’afa: Timely Reflections on Colonial Developments in the Pacific.” In Decolonizing Development and Religion: Theoretical Frameworks, Case Studies, and Theological Models, edited by Joerg Rieger and Sanjana Das, 74–86. London: SCM Press (2025).
16. Aiava, Faafetai. 2025. “Navigating Academic Privilege: Theological Insights for Pasifika Communities.” The Journal of Contemporary Pasifika Theologies, (1):125–142.
17. Aiava, Faafetai. 2025. “Demonetizing God through a Pacific ecotheology of life, rest, and restraint.” Indonesian Journal of Theology, 13(2), 155–169. https://doi.org/10.46567/ijt.v13i2.644
18. Forthcoming: “Our Mother Tongues: Liberating Indigenous Languages in Contextual Theology.” The Journal of Contemporary Pasifika Theologies, Issue 2 (May 2026).
19. Forthcoming: “Ava Fatafata: Indigenous Mediations on Sacred Spaces and Living Texts” In Theological Resources from Oceania for World Christianity, edited by Sathi Clarke. TBC Publishers.
20. Forthcoming: “Sivaloa ma le Fa’atau Paia: A Sacred Dance of Negotiation from Samoa.” In Re-rooting Leadership and Diplomacy in Pasifika Philosophies and Ethics, edited by Aisake Casimira. Suva: PCU Press.
21. Forthcoming: “A Whole of Life Mission: Re-Housing Oikumene in Pacific Spirituality.” In Towards an Ecumenical Missiology, edited by Michael Biehl and Claudia Jahnel. Germany: Kolhammer Publishers (2026).
22. Forthcoming: “Unmasking ‘the knowers’ of the Old Normal: A Post-COVID Response from the Pacific.” In Theologizing in a Post-COVID Era, edited by Jeff C. Corpuz and Hadje C. Sadje. MI: Ekpyrosis Press (2026).

Non-Academic Contributions:

• “A Sacred Return to Choose Life,” translated in German by Michael Biehl. In What is Sacred to Me? EMW Special Issue 2023. Hamburg, Germany: Evangelische Mission Weltweit (2023).
• “Climate Change: Gen 3:1-7; Matt 4:1-11” In Sundays with CWM: Rising to Life. CWM Lectionary, Singapore: Council for World Mission (2020).
• “Human Trafficking: Psalm 137” In Sundays with CWM: Every step Together. CWM Lectionary, Singapore: Council for World Mission (2019).

Supervisions

• 10 Master’s (MTh) students
• 3 PhD students
• 1 Bachelor’s (BD) thesis student