Congratulations to Dr Daniel Sihombing

Pilgrim Theological College is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Daniel Sihombing to the position of Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Pilgrim Theological College.

Daniel will take up the Pilgrim faculty role in January 2025. He will share in the Uniting Church Studies intensive in February, and teach “Jesus, Discipleship and Justice” in the first semester, and “Christianity’s Big Ideas” in the second semester.

Daniel has taught as sessional lecturer and guest lecturer at colleges in Indonesia: Amanat Agung Theological Seminary, South East Asia Bible Seminary, Duta Wacana Christian University, and Jakarta Theological Seminary. This year Daniel assisted Geoff Thompson as Tutor for Christianity’s Big Ideas, Pilgrim Theological College.
Daniel’s PhD was titled “Barth and The Shadow of Nothingness: A Post-Soeharto Contextual Reading”, awarded this year by Protestant Theological University, Amsterdam. Daniel evaluated the attitude of Indonesian Protestant churches before, during and after the Soeharto “New Order” regime, mirroring the theological development of Karl Barth before, during and after Hitler’s “Third Reich”. Daniel’s interest in liberation theology is grounded in his own experience in grass roots activism and political journalism in Indonesia.

Daniel became a member of the Uniting Church soon after moving to Australia in 2019, and became involved in Glen Waverley Uniting Church. Daniel served on the Church Council, preached regularly, and led a fortnightly intercultural Bible study. Daniel has been providing supply ministry since 2021 in three different congregations: Monash Uniting Church, Korean Church of Melbourne, and Caulfield Indonesian Uniting Church. He has been appointed a Junior Fellow with the Wesley Centre for Ethics, Theology and Public Policy.
Daniel is currently a candidate for ordained ministry at Pilgrim Theological College and will be ordained by Port Phillip East Presbytery in December. This Pilgrim faculty role will be his first Uniting Church placement.

Daniel’s appointment is following Geoff Thompson’s retirement at the end of 2024. More detail on Geoff’s retirement will come shortly.