HISTORIAN HELPS ADVENTISTS UNDERSTAND THEIR CHURCH AND THEMSELVES
Milton Hook began his career in the classroom before completing his teacher training. He came to Avondale with experience as a junior teacher at two Seventh-day Adventist primary schools—Manjimup and Victoria Park—in his home state of Western Australia. A Diploma of Theology and Primary Teaching would provide the theory to complement this practice. And lead to a new vocation: pastoral ministry.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in theology, Milton interned in Victoria then accepted a challenging call to serve as district director of the then Tari Mission in the west of Papua New Guinea—he introduced the gospel to the Biami cannibals at Nomad River. A role as Bible teacher and preceptor at Longburn College in New Zealand followed and would mark a turning point in Milton’s life.
He dedicated the next five years to further theological study in the United States, first at what is now Trinity Lutheran Seminary and at Andrews University, where he earned a master’s and a doctorate in religious education. He would also publish his first book, Flames Over Battle Creek. The story of Review and Herald printer George Amadon is also a story about the successes and failures of the early Adventist Church and its pioneers, a recurring theme of Milton’s research and writing.
A stint as head of the Bible Department at Sydney Adventist High School on Milton’s return to Australia preceeded 15 years in local church ministry, also in Sydney.
In retirement, Milton has written four more books—Avondale: Experiment on the Dora, Desmond Ford: Reformist Theologian, Gospel Revivalist, Advent Brass Band: A Brief History and The Rise and Spread of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hela Province. With 472 articles so far, he is the leading author for the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. He has also contributed articles for The Ellen G White Encyclopedia and the Historical Encyclopedia of Western Australia.
The Class of 1964 honours Dr Milton Hook’s “quest for truth,” recognising the role it plays in helping Adventists understand more about their church and themselves.