Fall 2018 Review (before the eve of Christmas) by Charing / Wei-Jen Chen

Fall 2018 Review (before the eve of Christmas) by Charing / Wei-Jen Chen

This coming Christmas is very different than it should usually be.

I have finished the first stage of the doctoral program at Chicago Theological Seminary, which means I have taken the required 12 courses and gotten ready for my field and comprehensive exams, the stage of Pre-Candidate of Ph.D. As a minister of UCC (Member In Discernment, Chicago Metropolitan Association), it has been the first-year anniversary journey. I have a deeper insight into my preparation for my local church ministry and cross-cultural evangelical works. I presented an academic paper at Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), one of the most important organizations in the US. I also kept engaging in the reformation movement via the Chicago Chapter, The Reformation Project, and Queer Theologians Illinois (QTI).

The last course I took is Theological Method, taught by Prof. Seo at CTS. This course helped me have a deeper and wider understanding toward Hermeneutics. I also presented three short lectures during the class, Radical Orthodoxy: the thought of John Milbank, Derrida/Deconstruction, Post-Colonialism and Theology: the thoughts of R.S. Sugirtharajah. The topic of my final paper is Story-Theology and Cultural-Linguistic Model: the dialogue between C.S. Song and George Lindbeck. I’m still working on that.

I also learn a lot from the TA of Pastoral Care and LGBTQ Experience. The instruction, Rev. Dr. Cody J. Sanders, has lots of insights and publications which inspire me to improve my learning and academic developments. I also gave a lecture in the class, titled Equal Marriage debates in Taiwan and the challenges of pastoral care.

Conference for Seminarians of Color 2018 (PCUSA)

I was recommended by CTS to attend a special conference hosted by PCUSA for the seminarians of colors in October, Knoxville, TN. I can realize PCUSA and other mainline Protestants have tried hard to respond to current changes in the US and the global. Although the membership and number of the congregation did not come back from the dead, the decline has now slowed down. After the surveys for years, UCC and PCUSA have learned the way to transform themselves is to be open to the diversity and affirming to race, gender, and sexuality, get rid of the hegemonic authority from the hierarchy, and the dogmatism. The more important issue is the re-interpretation of the theology in to real contexts. The worst time has passed; however, the future is still waiting for folks’ exploration. On the contrary, the Evangelical denominations are now experiencing serious decline and have no ideas how to stop that. The era of Post-Christianity and Post-Christian has come.

With Prof. Seow from Vanderbilt University
and the PhD candidate Yiu from Hong Kong.
(Nov 17, 2017. Denver, CO)

I attended the annual conference of Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and American Academy of Religion (AAR) at Denver, CO, in November and presented my academic paper at LGBT/Queer Hermeneutics Unit, titled A lesbian-identified hermeneutics re-reading of Paul’s interpretation of Sarah and Hagar in Galatians 4:21-31 (https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/abstract.aspx?id=47159). I met lots of amazing queer scholars and knew more about the methods and issues they are working on. The topic of “Trans-Hermeneutics” will be the focus next year. I also need to be ready for that to shape my learning. It’s so glad to have met my STM advisor, the former president of Chicago Theological Seminary, Dr. Alice Hunt. She is the current Executive Director of AAR. Prof. Seow from Vanderbilt University called my name, Charing, before I reached out to him. He told us the second volume of his Book of Job commentary will be published next year; he is really happy to finish this project before he “sees the face of God”. Prof. Seitz from Taiwan Theological College and Seminary also attended my section and gave me lots of encouragements. Friends from Wabash Center gathered and had a meal together. It’s always great to meet old friends, especially the Ph.D. candidate Yiu from Divinity School, Chinese University, Hong Kong, who devoted himself in eco-hermeneutics before we met in 2013 via HKCC’s ecumenical project in Hong Kong. I really enjoyed my conference and I got new inspirations from LGBT and Queer study section, Book of Judges, Book of Joshua, Deuteronomic History, and Post-Colonialism sections. Although I assumed, I had known something, I realized I am but a beginner in these areas.

With Prof. Seow from Vanderbilt University

I am still the moderator of Heyward-Boswell Society at CTS. In this semester, we had a special meeting with Rev. Dr. Michael Adee, who is one of the key persons for the LGBTQ equality in PCUSA, co-hosted with CMA office, Transgender Day of Remembrance Service (TDoR) chapel, and a potluck at our place. Otherwise, we also reached out to the LGBTQ student societies among Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS) and started a new platform, called Queer Theologians Illinois (QTI) (https://www.facebook.com/queertheologiansillinois/). QTI has hosted several events to support each other and encourages queer study in theological settings, including a special lecture, titled In The Water: Queerness and Dissidence in Black Working Class Religious Culture (lecturer Dr. Johari Jabir) and Queering Interdisciplinarity Conference in February 2019. We hope to publish those essays from the conference, too.

I was a member of the Search Committee in my current congregation, Hyde Park Union Church, from June to December. We have voted for our new ministers in the early December. It was a very important experience for me. I feel I’m a real member of my congregation and I also learn how to listen to the congregation, discuss with folks, and the interviews with the candidates. I also learn how to prepare myself for the ministry in the near future. Lots of the candidates reveal their LGBTQ identities within their resumes which means “our congregation has shown to the wider Church that we are the place for folks who are seeking for diversity, inclusivity and justice.” We are proud of it. Due to the loading of the search committee and several conferences, I did not resume my service in the Sunday School this fall.

I was invited to Taiwan Christian Church in Great Chicago, PCUSA, to give a sermon once a month. It’s my privilege to preach in Taiwanese, have worship with friends with experiences in common, and earned the support from each other. I enjoyed the Taiwanese style lunch there and those shopping expeditions to the Asian market and Japanese bakery. I love it! I will continue to give sermon next year.

Chicago Chapter, The Reformation Project (2018)

I am now one of the organizers of the Chicago Chapter, The Reformation Project (TRP). I enjoy leading the conversation in theology and training. I also help to translate four booklets into Mandarin and now are available for download. They are (1) The Bible and Same-sex Relationships, (2) The Bible and LGBTQ Inclusion, (3) The Inclusion Continuum, (4) The Connection: LGBTQ inclusion and racial justice. Download today: https://www.reformationproject.org/heresthepassword. I think because of that, I was elected as Reformer of Month in October, right before TRP’s annual conference at Orlando. I hope to do more in this cross-denominational ministry next year.

My engagements in the United Church of Christ (UCC) are amazing. Since this fall, I am the treasurer of Cluster Six, CMA. This September is the first-year anniversary of my role as a Minister (Member In Discernment) in CMA, UCC. I have updated my documents, attended related meetings and conferences, and made an appointment for the further conversation with the MID Team members next year. One of the team members asks me during the meeting, “what will you do after you get your degree?” I said to her: I would like to (1) become a local church minister in great Chicago area to share my theological reflections and put them into practice, (2) become the theological instructors via the sharing of knowledge and publication, and (3) become a cross-cultural missionarian, especially in Taiwan and Asian areas, to share progressive theological messages and praxis.

Sign of Love: The Guide to Deaf Ministry
(expected to be published in Jan 2019, Taiwan)

The book I have translated into Mandarin, titled “Sign of Love: the guide to deaf ministry,” will be published next January 2019. It has been a long while waiting because we keep editing and adding new materials. It will be an important handbook for the deaf ministry in Mandarin area. Thanks to all the colleagues’ efforts to make it come true.

The weather in Chicago this year is very mild. Adam and I are now in a good relationship. I appreciate his companionship, especially his unconditional support and showing me the diversity of the culture in Chicago and beyond. I kept my part-time job in the library this semester. With the scholarship from UCC and the stipend from the TA, I do not need to worry about my tuition. Many thanks to the friends from Taiwan who sent me different kinds of food and stuff to cheer me up. And friends on Line and colleagues from TKC Front, we work and encourage each other in all different ways.

The local election and referendum in November in Taiwan made me realize, again and again, the urgent need to transform Christianity in the fields of theology, pastoral care, and public theology and social practice. Especially while gender/sexuality and basic human rights are the targets of Christianity, the harm and wounds made by the Christians are far more beyond our burden and imagination for my generation. Christianity is more notorious now than ever. What does Christmas mean to us this year? May God have mercy on us and give us the strength and wisdom to go through it.

 With Adam (Dec 2, 2018, in Chicago)

Please pray for my mom who is still in Taiwan. She is always the key person for all the issues in my life, including how to cook a delicious meal that Adam worshiped so much. Hope her lead good health in body and spirit all her life.

May God bless us all.

Sincerely, Charing.

Dec 22, 2018, in Chicago