Three women beat the odds graduating from seminary

By JIMMY KALEBE
THREE women were among 36 students who graduated from the Martin Luther Seminary in Lae, Morobe, on Sunday.
The seminary’s 45th graduation was witnessed by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and other government and church dignitaries.
In his graduation speech, principal Dr Michael Wan Rupulga said Martin Luther Seminary has an obligation to train young men and women who will preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“The word of God must be protected at all costs in its teaching and preaching to avoid being misinterpreted and wrongly applied,” he said.
“Teachers and lecturers who will be providing trainings to pastors and lay people need to have higher academic qualifications and the Lutheran Church is doing this through the seminary.”
The graduates were awarded diplomas, advanced diplomas and degrees in theology.
Rupulga said the church and the Government of PNG must continue to work together to continue the spirit of reformation in all aspects of human life.
He, however, said that the seminary needed financial assistance for infrastructure development.
He commented that the Government, in the process of development, must not lose focus on the word of God.
Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu challenged the graduates not to be fooled by the outside world but to stand firm in administering the word of God to the people.
He told O’Neill that the Morobe government would work with the churches to support and further put emphasis on enhancing some of their programmes.
According to O’Neill, the church represented change which was an on-going process in our lives.
He congratulated Lutherans in the country and worldwide for celebrating the 500 years of reformation last month.
He also thanked the graduates for the sacrifices they have made to come this far and he urged them to be faithful to their vocation of serving the people.
O’Neill was happy with the Martin Luther Seminary for its tremendous efforts in contributing to the leadership of the church in the country. He said the Government would set aside financial support for the seminary’ infrastructure development.