Micronesian Counselor, Issue 72

Hezel, Francis X. (2008-05-01). Micronesian Counselor, Issue 72. Micronesian Counselor (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Micronesian Seminar. pp. 1–10.

• Has attachment: File:V88XAVYL.pdf

Abstract: The lead article, The Church in Micronesia: A Fine Pedigree, by Francis X. Hezel, S.J., traces the history of Christianity in Micronesia. It emphasizes that churches, introduced over 300 years ago, predate schools, government offices, and other modern institutions, and have become a permanent part of island life. The essay reviews the growth of Catholic, Congregational, and evangelical churches, as well as later arrivals like the Seventh Day Adventists and Latter-Day Saints, showing how imported Christianity has been digested and localized.

Additional content highlights the prominence of church buildings across Pohnpei and Chuuk, denominational diversity in Kosrae and Yap, and the formative influence of churches in education and social life. The issue also considers missionary activity in the Marshall Islands and Palau, underscoring the church’s deep and continuing role in shaping Micronesian society.