ISAAC Asian American Continuing Education Seminar

“GOD IS ROOMY: GENERATIONS, GENDER, AND THE FUTURE OF ASIAN AMERICAN MINISTRY”

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know the love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” — Ephesians 3:17

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2010, 9:00AM-5:00PM

FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Payton Hall, Room 303

Pasadena, CA

CO-SPONSORED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF ASIAN AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ISAAC-SoCal) AND FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

As a follow up to the inaugural Asian American Equipping Symposium (AAES) held last November 2-3 at Fuller Theological Seminary, SoCal ISAAC is pleased to announce a one-day continuing education seminar for Asian American pastors, para-church leaders, and lay leaders.  Once again, Fuller President Richard J. Mouw will be with us to continue the dialogue we began last year and will address “The Future of Theological Formation.”  We will expand upon and unpack the content presented at the AAES, specifically the topographic analysis done by respondent Dr. Charlene Jin Lee  (Assistant Professor of Christian Education and Director of Student Formation, San Francisco Theological Seminary/Southern California) of one of the themes discussed by keynote speaker Dr. Jonathan Tran (Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics, Baylor University)–the “Roomy-ness of God”–to address gender, generations, and the future of Asian American ministry.  We look forward to seeing you all at this one-day event to experience God’s “vastness.”

THE PROGRAM AT A GLANCE

9:00am            Registration

9:30am            Introduction (Young Lee Hertig & Mary Hubbard Given)

10:00am          Future of Theological Formation (Richard J. Mouw)

10:30am          Q & A

10:45am          Roomy-ness of God and Gender in the Church (Charlene Jin Lee)

11:45am          Q & A

Noon               Lunch

1:00pm            Intergenerational Fish Bowl (Peter Lai, Kevin Doi)

2:00pm            Breakout sessions (generation, gender, and future)

3:30pm            Breakout session plenary and Reflection (Young Lee Hertig)

BREAKOUT SESSION QUESTIONS

The Roomy-ness of God and Gender in the Church:

• Who is at your table?
• Are we willing to image God and to speak and teach of God as beyond male?
• Are we willing to image the ministry of God and theological agency entrusted to all made in God’s image?
• Are we prepared to critically examine the male-bodiedness of our pastoral staff, of our sessions or governing boards, our elders, our leaders?
• Are we prepared to widen the circle of our Theology and open the invisible gates in our churches to invite unintended, complex voices that might disturb and make messy whatever neat categories we’ve knowingly or unknowingly established?

The Roomy-ness of God and Intergenerational Relationships in the Church:

• What pastoral traits does the pioneer generation want to impart to the succeeding generations?  (Peter Lai)
• What are the most important issues that you want the pioneer generation to understand about your pastoral ministry? (Kevin Doi)

The Roomy-ness of God and Constructing Asian North American Theologies: The Power of Context, the Power of Story, “Historical Locatedness”

• What are the priorities for God’s mission in today’s world?
• Who are at the table of theological discourse?
• Who are missing at the table?
• What are the unifying stories?
• Is there Asian American Christianity apart from European Christianity?

ADMINISTRATORS

* Young Lee Hertig: Director of SoCal ISAAC (Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity) and AAWOL (Asian American Women On Leadership)

* Mary Hubbard Given: Associate Vice President of Alumni/ae and Church Relations, Fuller Theological Seminary

PRESENTERS

* Richard J. Mouw: President of Fuller Theological Seminary

* Charlene Jin Lee: Assistant Professor of Christian Education and Director of Spiritual Formation, San Francisco Theological Seminary/Southern California

* Peter Lai, Pastor of Alhambra True Light Presbyterian Church, Alhambra, California

* Kevin Doi, Pastor of Epic Church (American Baptist), Fullerton, California

REGISTRATION

Regular registration fee: $50.00

Student registration fee: $20.00

(Note to M.Div. students:  This seminar can qualify for field education units.  Please contact your seminary’s field education office to apply.)

Register online:  http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2swg0rb4ffd593b

Asian American Equipping Symposium at Fuller Theological Seminary (Nov. 2-3, 2009)

REGISTER ONLINE HERE

Some highlights from Dr. Young Lee Hertig (scroll down to view updated schedule)

October 22, 2009

Dear Participants,

We are so excited about your participation in the first Asian American Equipping Symposium co-sponsored by Fuller Theological Seminary and ISAAC (Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity) on November 2-3, 2009.  On Monday November 2, onsite registration will start at 1:00pm just outside of Payton 101 at Fuller.  On Tuesday, we will meet at the University Club on campus.

Let me share with you some highlights of the AA Equipping Symposium:

1)    Dr. Jonathan Tran will offer us inspiring lectures on both challenges and hopes of Asian American Christianity which will generate wider discourse both in Academia and Asian American churches.

2)    Panelists will be followed by Dr. Tran’s lecture interacting with the themes covered in his lecture.  The panelists include faculty from Fuller’s three schools and local Asian American Pastors.  On Monday the panelists include Dr. Jehu J. Hanciles (School of Intercultural Studies), Rev Dr. Mark Lau Branson (School of Theology), Dr. Miyoung Yoon Hammer (School of Psychology), Rev Dr. Kenneth Fong (Evergreen Baptist Church LA), Rev Dr. Michael Lee (YoungNak Celebration Church).  On Tuesday the panelists include Dr. Charlene Jin Lee (Faculty at SFTS), Rev. Dr. Timothy Tseng (Executive Director of ISAAC), Rev. Melanie Mar Chow (USC Campus Pastor for JEMS), Rev Benjamin Shin (Talbot Seminary, and EM Pastor of Open Door Church), Rev. Charles Lee (the lead cultural catalyst and pastor for New Hope South Bay Church and Los Angeles).

3)    At the Monday night banquet, President Richard J. Mouw will address a keynote speech on “Theological Imagining With Asian American Churches.”  Also Drs. Se Yoon Kim and Yea Sun Kim will be awarded the “Asian American Scholarship/Leadership Legacy Award.

4)    There will be special music and liturgical dance at the banquet (Ashley Thaxton and Noah Lau Branson, and Debra Williams)

5)    Closing Worship will take place on Tuesday at 2:15 with a Charge from President Richard J. Mouw.

6)    There will be a Business meeting at 3:00pm on Tuesday, November 3 for those who want to collaborate with next year’s Summer Equipping Program and the second annual Asian American Equipping Symposium in the fall of 2010.

In God’s grace,

Rev Young Lee Hertig, PhD

Director of ISAAC-SoCal and AAWOL (Asian American Women On Leadership)

OVERVIEW

This year’s symposium, “Living Out the Gospel,” will address continuity and change in the on-going development of Asian American church ministries. It will specifically question the difficult and often painful relationship between innovation and faithfulness in the lives of Asian Americans and Asian American churches. What reconciliation is possible between generations that define themselves by, on the one hand, immigration, tradition, and family, and on the other hand, individualism and autonomy, integration, and friendship by internet? If newly emerging Asian American churches remain loyal to their first-generation predecessors, will they be able to continue to move forward? What are Asian Americans sacrificing by leaving behind their mother churches and striking out on their own? What will “the Gospel” look like within the “living” context of changing Asian American identities, problems, and dreams? Richly theological and deeply personal, this year’s symposium will prove to be constructive.

This year’s lecturer will be Dr. Jonathan Tran (PhD Duke University) who is assistant professor of theological ethics in the Department of Religion at Baylor University, one of the largest Christian universities in the world. A former ministry practitioner with Asian American churches and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, he is author Faith on the Edge (IVP, 1999), The Vietnam War and Theologies of Memory: Time and Eternity in the Far Country (Blackwell, Fall 2009) and Theology and Foucault (T & T Clark International, Fall 2010). Emigrated from Vietnam at an early age, Dr. Tran’s journey into Christianity has been coupled with an ethnic awakening that has thoroughly influenced his theological life.

2009 Symposium Schedule

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2

1:00 pm   Registration

1:30   Introduction and Announcements (Young Lee Hertig and Mary Given)

1:35   Welcoming address by the President Richard J. Mouw

1:45   Dr. Jonathan Tran, lecture 1: “Why Asian American Christianity has no future: The Over Against, Leaving Behind, and Separation from of Asian American Christian Identity”

2:45   Break

3:15   Panel & Q&A

4:15   Break out session

6:00   Banquet at the Tournament of Roses House/Wrigley Mansion

Banquet Schedule­

6:00   Reception at the Tournament of Roses House
6:30   Congregational Songs led by Fuller Asian American Worship Team (Elisa Oh, Elliot Chung, and Rebekah Chang)
6:40   Welcome & Announcements: Young Lee Hertig and Mary Hubbard Given
6:50  Invocation by Rev Dr. Heemin Park
6:55   Dinner
7:30   AA Scholarship/Leadership Legacy Award to Drs. Se Yoon Kim & Yea Sun Kim (Presented by President Richard J. Mouw)
7:35   Dr. Se Yoon Kim’s Response
7:40   Inspirational music and liturgical dance, “In This Very Room” (Ashley Thanxton, Noah Lau Branson, Debra Williams)
7:45   Keynote address, Dr. Richard J. Mouw, President, Fuller Theological Seminary: “Theological Imagining with Asian American Churches”
8:00   Introduction to Lecture II “Asian American Church as Future” (Dr. Jonathan Tran)
8:20   Words of Encouragement & Benediction (Bishop Steven Leung)
8:30   Inspiration music: Ashley Thanxton, Debra Williams, Noah Lau Branson

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3

9:00 am   Dr. Jonathan Tran, Lecture II: “Why Asian American Christianity is the future: Holding it together in Yellow Christianity”

10:00   Break

10:15   Panel & Q & A

11:15   Break

11:30   Breakout session

12:30    Lunch

1:45p    Break out session plenary

2:15p    Closing worship led by (Angel Wu,  Dave Yu, Hannah Lee)

2:15    Congregational songs led by Asian American Worship Team

2:25     Charge by President Richard J. Mouw

2:40    Congregational response

2:45     Announcement and Benediction

2:55    Closing Hymn

3:00    Business meeting (open to all who would like to support ISAAC So. Cal.’s future programs)

Online Registration: CLICK HERE

The Symposium

The Asian American Christianity Symposium has been established in order to address the unique challenges facing Asian American Christians and churches in all their generational, cultural, and theological differences. Co-sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity (ISAAC), the Urban Initiative, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Fuller’s Office of Alumni/ae and Church Relations. Fuller Seminary serves the largest and most diverse Asian American population in the United States, the annual symposium will provide an invigorating series of lectures by leading Asian American voices in theology and ministry.

The Objectives of the Symposium

• To engage in conversation with Asian American theologians and practitioners.
• To investigate and invest in the complex relationships between Asian American Christians, Asian American churches, and predominantly white seminary education.
• To challenge and construct Asian American theologies for the church.

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