Jan Paulsen

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Dr. Jan Paulsen (born January 5, 1935 in Narvik, Norway) is a Seventh-day Adventist church leader. Dr. Paulsen has served in Africa, Europe and America. He served as President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists from March 1999 to June 2010.

Presidential Service

Paulsen was reelected to the office of President at the 57th General Conference Session in Toronto, Canada in 2000. During this term Paulsen's office was responsible for the initiation of such programs as Go One Million, Faith & Science Dialogues, and Sow One Billion. Paulsen has also taken the initiative to open dialogue between the youth of the church through his Let's Talk campaign. On July 1, 2005, Paulsen was again reelected to the office during the 58th General Conference Session in St. Louis, Missouri. His term ended on June 25, 2010 when Ted N. C. Wilson was elected the President during the 59th General Conference Session in Atlanta, Georgia.

Previous Roles

Pastor Paulsen was vice-president of the General Conference from 1995 until his appointment as president. Prior to that he was president of the Trans-European Division from 1983 to 1995. He has also been a pastor, a departmental leader, a teacher, college president, and has authored three books.

Biographical Notes

Paulsen was born on January 5, 1935 in Narvik, Norway to Adventist parents. Baptised at the age of 14, Paulsen attended Vejlefjord high school in Denmark and graduated in 1954. On July 1 of 1955, Paulsen married Kari Trykkerud, with whom he has had three children: Laila (1961), Jan-Rune (1963) and Rein Andre (1970).

Paulsen studied theology in Denmark before obtaining a Bachelor of Theology from Andrews University. He would then go on to obtain his master's degree from Potomac University. Paulsen also has a Bachelor of Divinity from the Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. Paulsen is also the first Adventist Church world president to hold a doctorate degree, which he obtained from the University of Tübingen.

A native of Norway, Paulsen is the third non-American president of the world Church.

In February 2008, Paulsen was the first Adventist church president to be interviewed on a major international television network – by Mike Schneider on "Night Talk", Bloomberg Television.^[1]

He has outlined "three people in particular... who have helped me along the way" – his mother, schoolteacher O. K. Naerland, and "mentor" theologian Ted Heppenstall.^[2]

On 11 November 2011, former Seventh-day Adventist world church President Jan Paulsen was named a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.^[3][4][5][6] The award was presented at Tyrifjord Videregående Skole on 2 June 2012.

Publications

• When the Spirit Descends (Review & Herald, 2001) - ISBN 0-8280-1448-5
• Let Your Life So Shine (Pacific Press, 2003) - ISBN 0-8163-1948-0
• Where Are We Going? (Pacific Press, 2011) - ISBN 0-8163-2509-X

References

External links

• The Jan Paulsen Bloomberg TV Interview
• Articles by Paulsen as cataloged in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI)