Identity & Faith
How does your Asian American identity shape your faith?
We asked Asian American community leaders how the formation of their ethnic identity impacted their faith journey and/or how their faith has informed their ethnic identity. What would you say?
Paul Lee
Understanding Conflict Trust Fellow at Corrymeela Community and President of Divided Families USA, a nonprofit organization that seeks to facilitate closure for Korean Americans separated from family members in North Korea
“The languages, cultures, and places of my Asian American identity have shaped my faith journey, which is rooted in my Korean Catholic heritage that spans four generations. For as long as I can remember, I remembering hearing the phrase "신앙 (信仰) 의 신비(神秘)," which has served as a reminder of the mystery and wonder at the heart of our universal human longing toward union with the divine. As I find myself in spaces that aim to be more ecumenical and inclusive of those who are seeking and doubting, the biggest challenge has been to reconcile myself with the brand of Asian Christianity that seems to prioritize filial piety and obedience to the law over individual freedom and love that transcends orthodox boundaries. Finally, my recent experience living outside both Asia and the United States has made me cherish the familiar comfort and sense of belonging that Asian American communities have offered since my childhood - places where I can simply be without explaining who I am and where I am from.”
Jimiliz Valiente-Neighbours
Professor of Sociology at Point Loma Nazarene University and writer of documentary play, Kagitingan
“My parents and extended family raised me in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines, where I was born, until I immigrated to Long Beach, California, unceded land of the Tongva Nation, at ten. With much thanks to mentors and friends, to Ethnic Studies and Liberation Theology, I started whittling away at the internalized colonialism, racism, and sexism, among others, which I learned from churches that unknowingly upheld white supremacy. Alongside amazing communities, I have been able to rebuild my identity—as a Pinay immigrant, as an Asian American woman—in the context of my faith as a follower of Jesus. This brown-skinned, dark-haired Jewish man, subjected to Roman occupation in first century Palestine—who loved and lived among the impoverished and the outcasted, who braved imperial persecution to speak out against greed and abuse of power, who danced and dined to cultivate friendship and belonging—inspires me to use my native languages to share good news, to be proud of my wide-set nose and large forehead, and to practice Sonya Renee Taylor’s radical self-love so that I can embrace others as Jesus did.”
Insil Kang
Senior Director of Integration at Village Church in Beaverton, OR
“As a fourth generation Christian and second generation Korean American, I hold a gratitude for my Asian American identity, as it has both gone ahead and followed my faith--causing both belonging and loneliness, the source of pain and pride.”
Sharon Wada
Co-director of Sustainable Faith, a collective of spiritual directors and pastors working to create a spiritually healthy culture among leaders and their communities
"My Christian journey as a Japanese American is an invitation to bless and steward the gifts of my God given particularities and uncover the resources for healthy engagement in a racialized society."