Asian American and Christian: A Theological Identity

Описание: Recently, the growth of Asian American Christianity, including this noticeable Asian American evangelical growth, has raised some concerns. There's this concern about lack of distinctiveness. There's the sense in which, "What are the Asian American evangelicals offering that other evangelical groups or white evangel groups are not offering? Isn't it the same thing?" And so there's been these serious concerns raised, especially in light of the current pastoral leadership crisis, and the future of the Asian American evangelical church.

Now, it is important to note that these critiques that are coming in are actually meant to empower Asian Americans. They're actually meant to give Asian Americans a voice in their own understanding of what it means to be both Asian American and Christian at the same time.

So one of the things that we are beginning to see is that Asian American evangelicals, in ethnic-specific or pan-ethnic churches, who embrace the components of evangelical faith, who embrace the Christian tradition to a large extent, actually may be in the best position to express a theological identity that is simultaneously Asian American and Christian. These Asian American evangelical thinkers, pastors, and theologians have emerged from the shadows, and they're beginning to pave new theological paths by carrying out in-depth theological reflections. It is this kind of independence, creative thinking, and self determination that a new wave of Asian American evangelical theologians are calling for.

In conclusion, in the changing face of global Christianity where Christianity is actually growing much faster in the global South, and in light of evangelicalism, also growing, both in the American context as well as abroad, the question is not about the need to hear from diverse voices, but as Soong-Chan Rah points out, "Will these voices speak up?" Will these voices be heard? And when these voices speak up, will they speak in their own voices?

From the episode:
"Gaining a Voice" w/ Esther Chung-Kim
   • "Gaining a Voice" w/ Esther Chung-Kim  

Read the transcript:
https://sola.network/article/gaining-...

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