Asian-American Christianity is expanding quickly and is the source for many as-yet-untold stories. Asians and Asian-Americans are joining churches of many traditions, but more importantly, they are forming churches, associations, research centers and theological journals of their own. Some denominations — Presbyterians, Baptists and United Methodists — have aggressively reached out to Asians, starting churches to appeal to them. Asians also frequent Catholic, Pentecostal and evangelical churches. The resulting mix of cultures, religious beliefs and values is a rich source of stories.
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Asian fellowship “On campuses across America, student movements like IV (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship) and CCC (Campus Crusade for Christ) have deliberately split into ethnic fellowships. An Asian American group is almost always one of those groups.Most large universities also have Chinese or Korean fellowships rooted in ethnic churches.” — Christianity Today, April 2006 |
ISSUES
- Asian Christian converts sometimes wrestle with balancing cultural values with their new religious values. For example, Asian cultures emphasize respect for elders, but new Christians may find they are disappointing or disobeying their parents by converting to Christianity.
RESOURCES
- Many denominations and organizations have ministries focusing on Asian-Americans, such as the National Korean Presbyterian Council or InterVarsity’s Asian American Ministry.
- Associations include the Chinese American Christians Forum; Ministries for English-Speaking Asians; and Pacific, Asian and North American Asian Women in Theology and Ministry.
- The American Academy of Religion has an Asian North American Religion, Culture and Society Group. The Asian Pacific Americans and Religion Research Initiative meets annually.
- Numerous universities and seminaries have centers for Asian-American ministry, including the Pacific School of Religion’s Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian North American Religion, the Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, the Center for Pacific and Asian-American Ministries at Claremont School of Theology, McCormick Theological Seminary’s Center for Asian American Ministries and the International Theological Seminary in Los Angeles.