2019 Fall review and prayer letter
2019 Fall review and prayer letter
School and learning
After sending out grade sheets, the fall semester came to an end. I was the TA for two courses, assisting the teaching, reviewing assignments and giving lectures, especially spent more time in online sections (I got two campuses and three online sections). Thanks to the encouragement and prayer from the professors and friends that help me to go through it.
Global Sensitivity in Ministry, is a required course for second-year MDiv program. This course includes colonialism/post-colonialism, the expansion of Christianity, the development and theological debate outside North America and Europe, inculturalization and interreligious dialogue, Christianity and Capitalism. I also gave a lecture in class, titled Christianity in hybrid Taiwan: from the 17th century till today. I arranged this lecture based on the topics of this course and discuss it with the class.
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Religious Studies, is an optional-select for LGBTQ Studies at CTS. This course still focuses on Christianity, from John Boswell and Carter Hayward, CTS’ faculties, intersectional perspectives from different ethnicities, and concluded at The Queer God written by Marcella Althaus-Reid. Including biblical studies, theology, history and practice. This course discussed and argue not merely about apologetic theology but also queering theology. I also gave a lecture in class, titled Asian Queer Theology: Taiwan and Hong Kong. I shared my observation and experiences in several projects I got engaged. Those are great conversations and learnings.
My study and learning proposal has been accepted and approved! Besides the original three professors, a new female rabbi also joins my committee. My field exams will be: hermeneutics in biblical studies, Hebrew Bible and Deuteronomistic History, the intersectionality of postcolonialism and queer studies, and “how can queer Christians in Taiwan read Book of Judges?” After my French exam, I will continue those four exams instructed by professors in my committee.
I also attended SBL/AAR annual conference at San Diego. I met old friends from Wabash Center and ATSI. I was impressed by the sections of contextual hermeneutics, queer hermeneutics, queer religious studies, Deuteronomistic History, Joshua-Judges, and Bible and Film. Queer Hermeneutics pays more attention in Trans-Hermeneutics and interdisciplinarity, such as with Biblical archeology and queer religious studies. Contextual hermeneutics focuses on adopting Texts and epistemology in different contexts as the lens and argues the alternative paradigm. As to DH and Judges, I found out half of them are European scholars, and half of them have Jewish heritage; however, I was there and that encouraged me a lot. I also met a close friend from Taiwan there. He worked so hard and gave an excellent paper at the conference. I am happy for him.
Church life
I have transferred to the current congregation, United Church of Hyde Park. This congregation affiliates with three denominations, PCUSA, UCC and UMC. My major concern of transition is searching for a senior minister who was ordained in UCC. This congregation fits my expectations. This congregation is quite diverse, from different ethnicities, backgrounds and ages. I got the opportunity to participate in different events and conversations.
This transition got CMA’s support to minimize the impacts. Thanks to many friends' help, I will submit my ordination paper (draft) to the committee and learn from their feedback. Hopefully, I can move forward before the end of 2020. God has the excellent schedule.
Life
I got my driver’s license in October and started to drive myself. This skill opened the door to different conferences and events. Adam is glad because I can finally share the driving. Adam always supports me and becomes the helper for me.
I was invited to lead the prayer at the annual conference of the Taiwanese Association of America at Chicago (TAAC) and Formosan Association for Human Rights (FAHR). I appreciated the opportunity that I can reunion with old friends, especially friends from the Taiwanese church that I gave sermons before. I also got lots of inspirations from the lectures given by Prof. Rwei-ren Wu and Dr. Yi-shen Chen, Curator of Academia Historica (Taiwan), especially many insights of Kaohsiung Formosa Incident (Dec 10, 1979) and decolonizing democracy.
Many thanks to my friends in Taiwan who keep encouraging me and praying for me. Those prayers sustain my journey.
Winter prayers
I will give the sermon at a UCC congregation nearby, once a month. This can help me to prepare my ministries and preaching styles accordingly. I also need to submit a book review to a journal; the due date is the mid-January. I also need to prepare the draft of the ordination paper; the topic will focus on the ministry in the secular and digitalized era. This paper needs to include UCC polity and theology. I also participate in a queer podcast project. Hopefully, this podcase could be put online soon!
My mammy devotes to Buddhist deeper than before. Hope she keeps in good health and spirit.
Taiwan's presidential election is coming. I wish my current president, Dr. I-Wen Tsai, could gain her second term and no place for those pro-China parties nor politicians.
May God bless our paths.
Charing/Wei-Jen
2019 Christmas at Chicago
School and learning
After sending out grade sheets, the fall semester came to an end. I was the TA for two courses, assisting the teaching, reviewing assignments and giving lectures, especially spent more time in online sections (I got two campuses and three online sections). Thanks to the encouragement and prayer from the professors and friends that help me to go through it.
Global Sensitivity in Ministry, is a required course for second-year MDiv program. This course includes colonialism/post-colonialism, the expansion of Christianity, the development and theological debate outside North America and Europe, inculturalization and interreligious dialogue, Christianity and Capitalism. I also gave a lecture in class, titled Christianity in hybrid Taiwan: from the 17th century till today. I arranged this lecture based on the topics of this course and discuss it with the class.
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Religious Studies, is an optional-select for LGBTQ Studies at CTS. This course still focuses on Christianity, from John Boswell and Carter Hayward, CTS’ faculties, intersectional perspectives from different ethnicities, and concluded at The Queer God written by Marcella Althaus-Reid. Including biblical studies, theology, history and practice. This course discussed and argue not merely about apologetic theology but also queering theology. I also gave a lecture in class, titled Asian Queer Theology: Taiwan and Hong Kong. I shared my observation and experiences in several projects I got engaged. Those are great conversations and learnings.
My study and learning proposal has been accepted and approved! Besides the original three professors, a new female rabbi also joins my committee. My field exams will be: hermeneutics in biblical studies, Hebrew Bible and Deuteronomistic History, the intersectionality of postcolonialism and queer studies, and “how can queer Christians in Taiwan read Book of Judges?” After my French exam, I will continue those four exams instructed by professors in my committee.
I also attended SBL/AAR annual conference at San Diego. I met old friends from Wabash Center and ATSI. I was impressed by the sections of contextual hermeneutics, queer hermeneutics, queer religious studies, Deuteronomistic History, Joshua-Judges, and Bible and Film. Queer Hermeneutics pays more attention in Trans-Hermeneutics and interdisciplinarity, such as with Biblical archeology and queer religious studies. Contextual hermeneutics focuses on adopting Texts and epistemology in different contexts as the lens and argues the alternative paradigm. As to DH and Judges, I found out half of them are European scholars, and half of them have Jewish heritage; however, I was there and that encouraged me a lot. I also met a close friend from Taiwan there. He worked so hard and gave an excellent paper at the conference. I am happy for him.
Church life
I have transferred to the current congregation, United Church of Hyde Park. This congregation affiliates with three denominations, PCUSA, UCC and UMC. My major concern of transition is searching for a senior minister who was ordained in UCC. This congregation fits my expectations. This congregation is quite diverse, from different ethnicities, backgrounds and ages. I got the opportunity to participate in different events and conversations.
This transition got CMA’s support to minimize the impacts. Thanks to many friends' help, I will submit my ordination paper (draft) to the committee and learn from their feedback. Hopefully, I can move forward before the end of 2020. God has the excellent schedule.
Life
I got my driver’s license in October and started to drive myself. This skill opened the door to different conferences and events. Adam is glad because I can finally share the driving. Adam always supports me and becomes the helper for me.
I was invited to lead the prayer at the annual conference of the Taiwanese Association of America at Chicago (TAAC) and Formosan Association for Human Rights (FAHR). I appreciated the opportunity that I can reunion with old friends, especially friends from the Taiwanese church that I gave sermons before. I also got lots of inspirations from the lectures given by Prof. Rwei-ren Wu and Dr. Yi-shen Chen, Curator of Academia Historica (Taiwan), especially many insights of Kaohsiung Formosa Incident (Dec 10, 1979) and decolonizing democracy.
Many thanks to my friends in Taiwan who keep encouraging me and praying for me. Those prayers sustain my journey.
Winter prayers
I will give the sermon at a UCC congregation nearby, once a month. This can help me to prepare my ministries and preaching styles accordingly. I also need to submit a book review to a journal; the due date is the mid-January. I also need to prepare the draft of the ordination paper; the topic will focus on the ministry in the secular and digitalized era. This paper needs to include UCC polity and theology. I also participate in a queer podcast project. Hopefully, this podcase could be put online soon!
My mammy devotes to Buddhist deeper than before. Hope she keeps in good health and spirit.
May God bless our paths.
Charing/Wei-Jen
2019 Christmas at Chicago
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