Divinity School Dean’s awardee Aitken pursues family pastoral tradition

A pastoral vocation is, he said, “a way to use my passions to help people within a congregation see that they are loved, valued, and invited to participate in the inclusive and liberating love of God in their communities.”

On June 15, Aitken crossed a milestone on his journey to his pastoral goal when he received a Master of Divinity degree from the H.M.S Richards Divinity School. Earlier in the month he also received the Dean’s Award from the divinity school, in part due to his excellence as a student and his achievement of the highest GPA among this year’s cohort of graduate students, noted Maury Jackson, associate dean and coordinator of philosophical studies.

Aitken earned his undergraduate degree from Walla Walla University in 2021 and was subsequently hired by the Washington Conference as an associate pastor in Seattle, on track to ordination. For his graduate studies, Aitken was intentional in selecting La Sierra’s divinity school, although his decision meant forgoing seminary tuition support provided for studies at Andrews University. His decision also aligned with his and his wife’s desire to move closer to family in Southern California.

The couple currently live in Riverside and his wife works as a social worker in Loma Linda. Aitken’s younger brother is an undergraduate at La Sierra.

“I was drawn to the H.M.S. Richards Divinity School because of the accomplished faculty’s research interests and commitment to the care for people on the margins of society within the Adventist context,” Aitken said.

In February he was hired by the Southeastern California Conference to work quarter-time while he completed his master’s degree. In June, he was hired full-time as a pastor on track once again to ordination. He is also currently assisting as an interim youth pastor in Fallbrook.

As a pastor, Aitken is a carrying on a family pastoral tradition established by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, the latter serving as president of the South American Division from 1958 – 1966.

His father, John Aitken II is a pastor with the Southern California Conference and serves at Living Stones SDA Church. His grandfather also pastored with the conference until his passing in 2023.

“Both my grandfather and father have influenced the way that I approach ministry, the Gospel of Jesus, and the way that I see Christ in all,” Aitken said.

For upcoming divinity school students and those desiring to be pastors, Aitken advises, “take seriously this journey you are about to begin,” he said. “I would also express that theology should not begin and end with theoretical conversation, rather it should also be a catalyst to move one to love the world as Jesus did.”