The PAAC Podcast

Sunday, March 6, 2022   "This Land Is Whose Land?"   Deuteronomy 26.1-11 Since most people who identify as progressive, Asian/Pacific Islander/Desi American, and Christian don't have access to a pastor who shares all these identities, PAAC started offering a monthly sermon.  On the first Sunday of every month, at 1pm ET / 10am PT, we have an hour-long virtual gathering where we share a 20-minute sermon from one of the pastors in PAAC, followed by a 30-minute coffee conversation.  More information about how to participate in these gatherings can be found in our Facebook group. For those who aren't able to participate in real time, Jennifer Duann Fultz is graciously uploading the audio from these sermons here in this podcast feed and creating transcripts.  Thank you so much, JDF! Rev. Sandhya Jha shared the second PAAC Sermon on Sunday, March 6, 2022.  The full transcript is available here.

Sunday, February 6, 2022 “So Like, How Do We Pray?” Matthew 9.6-15   Since most people who identify as progressive, Asian/Pacific Islander/Desi American, and Christian don't have access to a pastor who shares all these identities, PAAC started offering a monthly sermon.  On the first Sunday of every month, at 1pm ET / 10am PT, we have an hour-long virtual gathering where we share a 20-minute sermon from one of the pastors in PAAC, followed by a 30-minute coffee conversation.  More information about how to participate in these gatherings can be found in our Facebook group. For those who aren't able to participate in real time, Jennifer Duann Fultz is graciously uploading the audio from these sermons here in this podcast feed and creating transcripts.  Thank you so much, JDF! Rev. Lydia Shiu, PAAC co-founder and pastor at Reservoir Church in Cambridge, MA, delivered the inaugural PAAC Sermon on Sunday, February 6, 2022.  The full transcript is available here.

In the last episode, Melissa and Serena Cerezo-Poon shared their conception journey. In today's episode, we fast forward to parenting. How are Serena and Melissa raising their child? How do they handle division of labor or outside gender expectations? As they discuss, in some ways same-sex parenting can be super ordinary, and yet they also appreciate how much they inspire others who want to raise children of their own. Thank you again Serena and Melissa for sharing a snapshot of your life with us, and for the many ways you are role models not just for Nemo but for the rest of us! And thank you everyone for listening! Music: tubebackr - District 19 DayFox & BraveLion - Soulmates PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "We, the undersigned, united as people of faith, the Asian diaspora, and the spiritual descendants of Asian American activists, choose to write this letter to you, because silence is complicity. We refuse to be complicit in harming your collective communities.” - A Letter to Our Black Siblings, in Solidarity 

Imagine you and your same sex partner decide you want to conceive a child. Navigating the world of fertility options can quickly become a minefield -- from finding the right doctor, to interpreting insurance coverage, to understanding state-by-state legal challenges. And that's all before the expensive and sometimes heart-rending process of IUI or IVF. Melissa and Serena Cerezo-Poon are veterans of this experience, and have come out the other side with their beautiful child. In this episode, they go into detail about their conception journey, hard choices they had to make, and what did and didn't help them get pregnant. Thank you Serena and Melissa for your willingness to be transparent about what remains a murky and confusing topic. Also in this episode, Ophelia Hu Kinney makes her debut as co-host along with Liz. Welcome to the podcasting team, Ophelia! Thank you for your thought provoking questions. And thank you everyone for listening! Music: tubebackr - District 19 DayFox & BraveLion - Soulmates PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “With any of the insurance coverage, they want you to do your own ‘trying' for a year before you're diagnosed with fertility issues. As a lesbian couple, how the hell are you supposed to do that?” - Tatiana Quiroga, https://www.fastcompany.com/90378575/it-cost-more-than-180000-to-start-our-family

cw: language, racism  When Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock was riding the school bus in first grade, a girl stabbed her in the back of her head with a pencil and said, "Don't you ever do that again to me, you dirty Jap." From that dramatic introduction to the United States, Dr. Brock settled into her childhood on a military base in Kansas, before eventually making her way into college and graduate school in California. Dr. Brock's work on moral injury couldn't be more relevant in the time of a pandemic. Her vivid stories of her childhood, activism, worship, and scholarship are just the thing for curling up and listening. Thank you Liz for your great questions, Dr. Brock for sharing your time with us, and thank you everyone for listening! Music: Waimis - Parting Ways Ikson - Coastline PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “No human being can find their way to a new moral identity alone. We become moral people through the love and guidance of our families, and communities from the moment we are born.” - Dr. Rita Brock

Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock was the first Asian American woman to earn a doctorate in theology. As Liz notes in this episode, she is one of the godmothers of the Progressive Asian American Christian movement. In this wide ranging interview, Dr. Brock discusses why the traditional view of substitutionary atonement is an insult to God, how the view actually emerged during the first Crusade in the year 1098, and how progressive Christians can find hope especially in the time of Easter. Thank you for listening! Music: AWN - Nouvelle Lune Jlsmri - A New Way PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “The spark of love is the spark of divinity in us that keeps us alive.” - Rita Brock

While other young adults flocked to flashy praise bands and motivational preachers, Surani Joshua found herself drawn to the unprogrammed worship of the Quaker faith. In this episode, Surani discusses her experience as a Sri Lankan American growing up in Arizona and Virginia, her journey in math education, and living in the present moment as a foster parent. Thank you Surani for your tireless work as a moderator and for sharing your story with us!   This is the last of our moderators series. Don't forget you can always support your tireless moderators through the links below. (Buy them a boba!) Venmo: @PAAC-ModAppreciationFund Paypal: paacmods@gmail.com Music: Milky Way - Joakim Karud Rainbow - JayJen PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

cw: eating disorders and domestic violence Gloria Hu grew up a Taiwanese-Canadian in a majority-minority suburb of Toronto, with a Mormon father and Presbyterian mother, eventually migrating into the United Church of Canada. In this episode, Gloria gets personal about how recovering from her eating disorder coincided with letting go of the rigidity of evangelicalism, why therapy based around Intensive Outpatient Treatment was for her a game changer, and discusses her doctoral research on religion and religiosity as a predictor of health as well as potential intimate partner violence among Asian Americans. Gloria also shares her painful but necessary experience of creating distance and setting boundaries with family members and the moment she realized something needed to change. Thank you Gloria for your willingness to share your riveting story as well as for everything you do for PAAC. And thank you everyone for listening! Support the moderators! Venmo: @PAAC-ModAppreciationFund Paypal: paacmods@gmail.com Music: AWN - Nouvelle Lune Waimis - Parting Ways PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

What happens when you've come out as queer AFTER you've married your cis-hetero husband? As Stella Won Phelps will tell you -- what happens is many well intentioned people will ask you what that means for your marriage and whether you will get divorced. (Answer: No.) In this wide ranging interview, Stella discusses her experience growing up in a Korean immigrant church in Torrance, California, being demisexual and/or gray-asexual, and what it's like to home school her children. Thank you Stella for the "stellar" conversation (sorry - dad joke!). And thank you everyone for listening! Support the moderators! Venmo: @PAAC-ModAppreciationFund Paypal: paacmods@gmail.com Music: Reesm - Where I Am Ikson - We Are Free PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

At first glance, you would think online content moderation is a straightforward (albeit thankless) job—ensure inappropriate content is removed and maintain community guidelines. But it quickly became clear to PAAC's moderators Gloria, Stella, and Surani that moderating necessarily meant asking deeper questions about what PAAC is meant to be, and who it is for. In today's episode, we talk to PAAC's moderators who reveal what happens behind the curtains when making enforcement decisions, why PAAC isn't the best forum for debates, why PAAC bans "dirty deleting," and much more. Thank you so much to Gloria Hu, Stella Won Phelps, and Surani Joshua for all the work you do, and for coming on the podcast. And thank you everyone for listening!  PAAC Guidelines: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FxNfW12pvIZryuVe9q61HpLX1x-DfoECslIVuC4rcs4/edit?fbclid=IwAR3-eZndgnmSBHzAsAtKICK3NfzF6B6aJFUyCINMqOFX54jIRNZby1eGWRQ Support the moderators! Venmo: @PAAC-ModAppreciationFund Paypal: paacmods@gmail.com Music: mezhdunami - The Shining Jay Someday - Never Give Up  PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance." - Karl Popper 

We continue our conversation with Reverend Winnie Varghese, who shares what it was like for her growing up as a South Indian / Indian American kid in Dallas, Texas, her experience being (somewhat unexpectedly) ordained as a queer priest in the Episcopal church, and the subversiveness of preaching in a space where she “isn't supposed to be.” As Liz mentions in the episode, spending time with Winnie is a gift. Thank you so much Winnie for sharing your story with us, and thank you everyone for listening! Music Niwel - Morning Lights MusicbyAden - Forever PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "If we do this work, as we labor, as we hear and tell the stories of our ancient heritages, this land, and our dreams, at this table the resurrected One appears.” - Winnie Varghese

Happy New Year! We're starting the new season of the podcast with a bang with the esteemed Reverend Winnie Varghese. If ever there were a handbook on how to be a Christian activist, this episode would be the one. Rev. Winnie Varghese holds a unique position as priest on the Strategic Clergy team at Trinity Church Wall Street. This role affords her and her team an opportunity to advocate for meaningful change in her community, such as closing Riker's Island. In this episode, Reverend Winnie discusses the importance of jail reform and why incarceration is “tool against the poor," how the church has a unique role to play in activism, and why even social media has a role to play (gasp!) as an effective tool for social justice. As always, thank you for listening! Music LiQWYD - Coffee Jonas Schmidt - Fall Again PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "Even as we make our way to the grave, our song is Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, or, as our Louie [Clay] would say, Joy Anyway!” - Elizabeth Kaeton

We continue our conversation with the illustrious Tuhina Verma Rasche. Tuhina tells us what persuaded her to enter seminary and stick with it (shout out Oakland!), how she became a South Asian female pastor at the historically African American AME Zion church, her thoughts on the future of the ELCA, and her personal experience, struggle, and decision to not have children. Thank you again Tuhina for sharing part of your life's journey with us and for being part of the PAAC community! And thank you everyone for listening! Tuhina Verma Rasche: https://www.tuhinavrasche.com/media Music: Huey Daze - Sweet Nothings Rexlambo - After the Rain PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq  

Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche deserves her own standup comedy special. Her humor is the perfect vehicle for communicating her wisdom on topics like decolonization and white supremacy. Tuhina is a second-generation Indian-American raised in a devout Hindu household and now ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ECLA). In this episode she talks about the need for a decolonized Christianity and what that looks like. She also gets real about being a female Indian-American pastor in an overwhelmingly white denomination, and how she finds ways to press on in the face of systematic oppression. (Hula hooping may be involved.) Thank you so much Tuhina for sharing your insight and infectious enthusiasm on the podcast! And thank you everyone for listening!  Tuhina Verma Rasche: https://www.tuhinavrasche.com/media Music: meshdunami - The Shining Scandinavianz - Around the Sea PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Rev. Thomas Yang grew up in a Korean Christian bubble in the suburbs of Chicago. That is, until the bubble burst and he was fractured from that community. In this episode, Thomas shares of how a queer Christian pastor, the curiosity of kindergarteners, and a series of coincidences led him toward his progressive faith. He also talks about his intent to start a non-traditional church in Seattle, and how that played out in unexpected ways. Thank you so much Thomas and Aya for coming on the podcast. Shout out to the Seattle PAAC community! And thank you for listening!  Seattle PAAC / SPAAC: https://www.seattlepaac.org/ SPAAC SNACC podcast: https://www.divergingmag.com/spaacsnacc/ Music: meshdunami - The Shining SilentCrafter - Reflona PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq  

CW: Domestic violence and suicidal thoughts  As a highly talented photographer, graphic designer, illustrator, block print painter, craft beer lover, music and food aficionado, and maker of off-the-chain gyoza, is Aya Tiffany Sato is, as Liz puts it, “one of the most legitimately interesting people.” In this episode, Aya shares about how a Japanese American hair stylist in Texas introduced her family to Christianity, what it means for her to be a queer Christian, and some of her hottest “hot takes” on the wedding photography business. Thank you again Aya for coming on the podcast! And thank you everyone for listening! Seattle PAAC / SPAAC: https://www.seattlepaac.org/ SPAAC SNACC podcast: https://www.divergingmag.com/spaacsnacc/ Music: MBB - Moving On Scandinavianz - Around the Sea PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq    

Something special is happening in Seattle. Beyond being the jewel of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle seems to have the perfect blend of geography, culture, and people to create a thriving local PAAC community—Seattle PAAC aka SPAAC. Aya Tiffany Sato and Rev. Thomas Yang are two of SPAAC's key members, and they share from their experience the secret sauce that makes a thriving PAAC community. If you want to know how to build authentic relationships and strong connections with people doing life alongside you, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Thank you Aya and Thomas for your generosity of spirit and for coming on the podcast. And thank you everyone for listening! Seattle PAAC / SPAAC: https://www.seattlepaac.org/ SPAAC SNACC podcast: https://www.divergingmag.com/spaacsnacc/ Music: Loxbeats - Finally Ikson - Paradise PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "Come on, this is delicious noodles! Even white people eat noodles. How can you guys be talking about my noodles?!?" - (elementary school aged) Garrett Chan, SPAAC SNACC ep. 2

Sarah Ngu is, among other things, a freelance writer, journalist, deacon, podcaster, and co-founder of Church Clarity. In this episode, Sarah shares her journey of growing up in Malaysia, moving to the U.S. at age 10, coming out to her parents, and moving from Southern California to New York City. She also tells us about her very own podcast "Religion and Socialism," why she identifies as she, he, or they, and why she strongly dislikes Tim Keller. Thank you again Sarah Ngu for coming on the podcast! And thank you for listening! Sarah Ngu:  https://www.sarahngu.com/ Sarah's recent article mentioned on the episode: https://www.vice.com/en_asia/article/kzmpyy/some-asian-governments-claim-lgbtq-culture-is-a-western-invention-heres-why-thats-garbage Music: PeriTune - Emotional Scandinavianz - Summertime PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "When I think about how the Gospel can be a truly liberating force, I think of people like [my dad], and how I deeply wish, he, and all of us, could truly be free." - Sarah Ngu

"Mosaic" is a large and trendy church in Los Angeles. Justin Beiber has been seen there. Its pastor, Erwin Mcmanus, has gotten a lot of attention for his hipster streetwear and sneaker game, as well as his ability to attract millennials. Mosaic also claims to be a church that is "welcoming" to queer believers. They say "anyone and everyone is welcoming at Mosiac," and that many people of varied sexual orientation attend. And yet, behind the scenes, this Southern Baptist church is deeply ambiguous, if not hostile, in its LGBTQ policies. Several people have confirmed that while LGBTQ+ people are welcome to "attend," they cannot volunteer or be seen on stage, and are relegated to serving in roles such as "cleaning bathrooms and floors." In 2015, when asked about Mosiac's stance on homosexuality, Pastor Mcmanus replied, “Our position is, you have to be for each other.” This is precisely the kind of ambiguity that Church Clarity, and its co-founder Sarah Ngu are fighting against. Church Clarity is a crowd sourced database with the mission of making churches more transparent as to their policies when it comes to LGBTQ+ affirmation and women in leadership. Ngu believes that deliberate ambiguity causes real harm to people who attend a church, discover the truth about its policies, and end up feeling betrayed and deceived. In today's episode, we talk to Sarah about Church Clarity, how the idea got started, what it's like to operate day to day, and bigger picture questions about evangelical churches and transparency. Thank you Sarah for coming on the podcast! And thank you everyone for listening! Church Clarity:   https://www.churchclarity.org/ Music: Peyruis - Grapevine   JayJen - Happy Moments PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "Ambiguity is Harmful, Clarity is Reasonable." - Church Clarity

We continue our conversation with Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of NAPAWF, the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum. Sung Yeon shares about her experience growing up in South Korea, Singapore, and India, before coming to the United States. She also shares about living in Chicago, her experience attending Wheaton College, and what it's like to be an ordained pastor working as a community organizer and activist. Thank you again Sung Yeon for sharing your journey with us. And thank you for listening! NAPAWF: https://www.napawf.org/ Sung Yeon: https://twitter.com/schoimorrow Music: Niwel Eneko Artola - Duality Ikson - Take Off PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Chicago's population is staying afloat because of a continued influx of Asian immigrants. The number of Chicago-region residents born in Asia has increased by 60,000 since 2010 … While some traditionally Mexican Chicago neighborhoods like Pilsen have been hit by gentrification pressures, Chinatown and other neighborhoods south of the downtown Loop have generally been shielded, said David Wu, executive director of Pui Tak Center, a church-based community center next to the Chinatown gate.” - Matt Vasilogambros https://www.governing.com/topics/finance/sl-illinois-sees-population-decline.html  

As abortion once again heats up as a national issue, NAPAWF executive director and fellow PAACster Sung Yeon Choimorrow joins us to talk about how to have a conversation about abortion with other well meaning Christians, and why the debate about abortion is fundamentally about controlling women's agency. She also discusses her role as ED of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (“Your life will never be easy again,”), the difficult moral choices it sometimes requires, and the work that NAPAWF did in the case of Purvi Patel. Thank you Sung Yeon for coming on the show! And thank you for listening! NAPAWF: https://www.napawf.org/ Sung Yeon: https://twitter.com/schoimorrow Music: Ikson - Take Off LIQWYD - Summer Nights PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "Anti-abortion legislators cannot hide behind the mantle of 'saving' women of color to advance racist, sexist legislation that impedes the rights of all women." - Sung Yeon Choimorrow

In what feels like a throwback to the early days of the podcast, Liz and Lydia recap and reflect on the 2019 PAAC Conference. Buckle up people -- this episode has all the feels. Update: As you'll hear in the episode, we talk about potential cities for future PAAC conferences. Since we recorded this episode, PAAC announced PAAC Conference 2020 to be hosted by Seattle PAAC! More details here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProgressiveAAChristians/permalink/1085615061626449/ Music: FlitzSuppe - Funkaholic Randy Newman - You've Got a Friend in Me PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

We continue our conversation with Dr. David Congdon, as he walks us through his journey from Portland, Oregon to Princeton Theological Seminary, and eventually to the suburbs of Kansas City. David tells us how his views have evolved since writing his book, the challenges of finding diversity in the Midwest, the current state of the academy (hint: not great), and the joys he finds in writing. David also describes a radically different model of practicing “church” that involves virtually no liturgy but centers around reading newspapers and community organizing. Thank you again David Congdon for sharing your journey with us! And thanks for listening!    David's blog, The Fire and the Rose: https://fireandrose.blogspot.com/ Music: Ikson - Harmony  Cloudchord - Soul Food Horns PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/28gBg1ifrsxAD8ZM1jrzH2?si=Us_mUbbcQJmiSaWWY0z9zg Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Man is always on the way.” - Rudolph Bultmann

Several years ago, Dr. David Congdon published a series of posts on his blog in support of the idea of Christian universalism. Recently, David published a book called “The God Who Saves,” where he sketches out his idea of God's salvation an apocalyptic event rooted in the here and now, rather than a consequence that happens to us in the afterlife (which in his view may or may not exist). Today's episode is the first of what we hope will be a recurring series in the podcast where we talk to academics, theologians, and other thinkers about Christian theology from a progressive lens. Since many of us grew up rooted in childhoods where we were taught conservative doctrine, we wanted to provide a counter-balance that offers a fresh take on Christian principles. Thanks for listening! David's blog, The Fire and the Rose: https://fireandrose.blogspot.com/ Music: Artificial.Music – Before I Forget Samsonite – Rainy Love PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “This much is certain, that we have no theological right to set any sort of limits to the loving-kindness of God which has appeared in Jesus Christ. Our theological duty is to see and understand it as being still greater than we had seen before.” – Karl Barth

As a precocious, queer freshman at Amherst College, Ophelia took it upon herself to join InterVarsity, because she wanted to find out more about this Christian thing. (Because that's what queer young adults from non-religious childhoods do when they attend a secular, liberal arts college, right?) A few years later, she met the women who would become her wife, and they would eventually move to Portland, Maine. In this episode, we ask Ophelia what it's like to be one of the few Asian Americans living in her city, what inspired her and her wife to launch a blog directed towards LGBTQ Christians, what her relationship is like with her non-Christian parents, and how she finds power and freedom in the strength of words. Thank you for listening! Queering the Kin-dom: https://queeringthekindom.com/ Music: Vons - Sunbeam Mosaic - Lahar PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "Christian community doesn't come with an 'Unsubscribe' option." - Ophelia Hu Kinney

  Progress sometimes moves slowly, but there are warriors on the front line of battle. Ophelia Hu Kinney is one of them. As Communications Specialist for Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), Ophelia attended the United Methodist Church General Conference and was witness to the heartbreaking passage of the non-affirming "Traditionalist" plan, which enforces bans on same-sex unions and ordination of gay clergy. Ophelia shares her personal experience from the conference, stories of grace and hope among defeat, and where she and the church go from here. Thank you so much Ophelia for all you do, and thank you everyone for listening! Links: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/denominations-future-under-discussion-quietly https://rmnetwork.org/stand-your-holy-ground/ Music: Artificial Music - Before I Forget Ikson - AM PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "This chapter, of begging people to love us, is over. Now we will lean into God, the one we know loves us unconditionally." - Hannah Adair Bonner  

Aimee had a conservative upbringing in Taiwan, where gender roles were strictly enforced, both at home and school. It wasn't until her early adulthood when she was living in the United States with her husband and child that she fully embraced her queer identity. In this episode, Aimee shares about her journey both from Asia to America and into her sexual identity and how it all fits with her roles as mom, wife, immigrant, editor, publisher, story teller, and PAAC. Thanks for listening! Diverging Magazine: https://www.divergingmag.com/ PAAC Conference 2019: https://paachristians.org/conference-2019/ Music: Ikson - Early Hours Aletro - Secure PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paachristians Email: admin @ paachristians . org Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "Radical love is a love so extreme it dissolves our existing boundaries, whether they are boundaries that separate us from other people, that separate us from preconceived notions of sexuality and gender identity, or that separate us from God.” - Rev. Patrick S. Cheng 

Download this episode. As PAAC turns two and a half years old (already!), there are more ways to connect with other PAACsters than ever. PAAC has officially launched Diverging Magazine, a brand new online publication featuring content specific to the PAAC community. In today's episode, Liz and David talk to Aimee Sher, the editor-in-chief of Diverging, to discuss what Diverging is, and why this was such a personal project for her. Then Liz gives an inside peek into what's in store in the upcoming PAAC Conference, describing in detail what attendees can expect over the weekend. Thank you Aimee for joining us on this episode. And thank you all for listening! Diverging Magazine: https://www.divergingmag.com/ PAAC Conference 2019: https://progressiveasianamericanchristians.org/conference-2019/ Music: Peyruis - Addict Rodrigo Vicente - Keep Walking PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Download this episode. [TW: Interracial, Asian female / white male relationships] There are thread battles, and then there are thread battles. A few months ago someone posted a seemingly casual remark in the FB group celebrating the fact that Henry Golding got to play Blake Lively's husband in the movie “A Simple Favor.” While appearing innocuous, Liz suspected it would lead to a "dumpster fire" — which it did. In this episode, Chris, Liz, and David wade into the discussion of why the topic of Asian female / white male dating can be so heated and acrimonious, why even many progressive men still have some work to do to figure this out, and where we go from here. We wanted to especially thank Chris for his honesty and openness in this conversation. And thank you everyone for listening! Music: LiQWYD - Feel JayJen - Rainbow PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “When an Asian man blames an Asian woman, it still just comes down to Asians blaming other Asians. And that is a very convenient state of affairs for those people who have done us wrong.” - Five Alive

When Chris Paek worked at the United Nations, interns were given unusually wide access to facilities and events. As a result, he sometimes found himself in meetings with world leaders, such as former (and now deceased) Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It was a far cry from his all boys Catholic high school in Orange County. In this episode, Chris shares his journey from the OC to New York to London to South Africa, how PAAC helped break down his cognitive firewall, and his work with the PAAC Writers Collaborative. Thanks for listening! Music: Del – New Beginning Peyrius – Addict PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.” – Nelson Mandela

Many PAAC parents, when deciding which church to attend, may be pulled toward churches with a large “children's ministry.” But churches with the most resources for children also tend to be highly conservative and non-progressive. This leaves progressive Christian parents in a bind. Either commit to a conservative church, or attend a progressive church that has a very small children's ministry, or may not have one at all. In today's special episode, Liz and David recruit PAAC member and professor Grace Kao to discuss how as parents they've approached this issue, the pros and cons of attending a conservative megachurch v. liberal mainline church, what to do about nap time, and how to “build your own” community. Thank you Grace for joining us. And thank you everyone for listening! Join the PAAC Parenting group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1933756633553603/?ref=group_header Music: Oshóva - Natures Voice Happy and Joyful Children PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Every community needs a group of angelic troublemakers.” – Bayard Rustin

Download this episode. Surprise! Lydia, Liz, and David are back for a one night only pop-up podcast. After catching up with what people have been up to this summer, we talk about the idea of entering a new season as a progressive Asian American Christian, and explore ways of moving beyond anger or awareness of injustice (#TooWoke) to next level spiritually grounded progressive Christianity. Thanks for listening! (Warning: Explicit language use.) Music: Waimis – Heaven Voices Chael – Sparks PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Listeners of the podcast know there's been a lot going on in both Liz's and Lydia's lives lately. As a result of the unexpectedly early yet joyful arrival of Liz's baby boy, we're putting the podcast on pause until late summer or early fall. This means an early summer vacation for David (although Lydia and Liz will be busier than ever). More details in today's short episode. Thank you all for listening to the podcast and for your support. We will talk to you again soon! PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Serena came out to her parents in her mid-twenties. At the time, she was living in New York City, while her father was a prominent pastor in the Chinese American community in the Bay Area. They agreed to meet in Miami, where she broke the news over dinner at a nice restaurant. It … did not go well. It takes incredible courage for any young person to come out to their parents and then suffer the consequences. For them to nevertheless maintain their Christian faith is simply remarkable. Serena talks about her coming out experience, her relationship with her parents today, what it's like to be a queer wife and mother, and also PAAC Family, and the upcoming PAAC Family retreat. Thank you Serena for being such a great guest! And thanks everyone for listening! Here's how you can support the upcoming PAAC Family retreat: Venmo: @paacfamily Paypal: Paypal.me/PAACFAMILY (Please use the word “donation” so we can distinguish gifts from registration fees) Email: paacfam@gmail.com Retreat dates: Aug 3-5, 2018 Music: KV - Wild Oshova - Summer Tides PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Community cannot take root in a divided life. Long before community assumes external shape and form, it must be present as a seed in the undivided self: only as we are in communion with ourselves can we find community with others.” – Parker Palmer

With Lydia now in Boston, MA, we talk with Lizzy Lee, Esther C, and Christine Liang from the Philly sub-PAAC group about life as progressive Asian American Christians on the East Coast. We talk about Chinatown, racial intersectionalities, white supremacy, and Esther blows our minds with insight about Christian vs Confucian values.  Thank you Christine, Esther, and Lizzy for sharing some time with us! And thank you all for listening! As I Am: a PAAC writer's collaborative - http://progressiveasianamericanchristians.org/category/as-i-am/ Our Daily Rice: Lent 2018 Devotional - http://progressiveasianamericanchristians.org/category/devotional/ Music Handbook – What Do You Mean Nymano – Departure PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq "I really don't know where they can go. But Irvine is beautiful, and we don't want it to get destroyed." "We have compassion, don't doubt it. None of us are rich. We all have mortgages. We all work hard to have what we have, and we want to assist finding a long-term solution for the homeless."

  For our last episode of the year, Lydia and Liz talk about navigating the dating scene as a progressive Christian. We talk about the purpose of dating, why “Biblical dating” doesn't exist, and share our thoughts on dating non-Christians, where to find potential mates (think enneagram!), and dating in the smartphone age. Finally, as we come to the 1 year anniversary of PAAC, Liz and Lydia share some reflections about this past year. Explicit language warning! Thank you for listening, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!!! Looking for a GF or BF? Check out STUMBL, the Progressive Asian American take on Bumble for single PAACs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stumbl/ Music k o n t e k s  - âme Porter Robinson & Madeon – Shelter PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Online dating is like a second job that requires knowledge and skills that very few of us have. In fact, most of us have no clue what we're doing.” – Aziz Ansari

This episode began as a talk about #MeToo and sexual harassment, but morphed into a discussion about the failure of both modern society and the church to engage sexuality in a healthy way. We talk about the desire for intimacy, the obstacles of shame, and what men in particular need to do to create better norms around sex. Thanks for listening! Music SANDR – Echoes Zplit - Tea Walk PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “Of course he said it. And we laughed along… Along with Donald Trump and me, there were seven other guys present on the bus at the time… None of us were guilty of knowingly enabling our future president. But all of us were guilty of sacrificing a bit of ourselves in the name of success… Today is about reckoning and reawakening, and I hope it reaches all the guys on the bus.” – Billy Bush

After hitting some very heavy topics in recent episodes, the three of us are taking a little breather and chatting about lighter fare. We talk about our plans for the future, Lydia shares what life has been like in Singapore, Liz explains why the food scene in Los Angeles is superior to her own Bay Area's (gasp!), and David can't decide whether the new single, “Likey,” by K-pop girl group Twice is racist. Thanks for listening, safe travels, and Happy Thanksgiving 2017! Music: Mello Soul – Lost in the Clouds Twice – Likey (instrumental) PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq Twice's "Likey" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2hlQkVJZhE “I love the Bay, but I have to admit, the Chinese food in the 626 [i.e., L.A.'s San Gabriel Valley] is unrivaled. From countless Hong Kong cafes open to 4a, quirky and hip boba shops, reliable tea chains, mom and pop hole-in-the-walls, to legit famous restaurants from China/Taiwan testing in LA, the 626 beats SF's Chinatown and Sunset by far. LA WINS. Don't fight it.” – Phil Wang (Wong Fu Productions) “Let some people get rich first.” – Deng Xiaoping

A few weeks ago, someone was removed from the PAAC Facebook group after making comments in violation of community guidelines. Since then, people with genuine and sincere questions about what it means to be a “progressive Christian” may have been afraid to raise those questions online. Many of us were raised in conservative churches with statements of faith, creeds, and confessions. But what are progressive Christianity's statements of faith? What do progressive Christians need to believe to become a Christian? Today's episode is meant to start what will hopefully be an ongoing conversation. We start with the very basics – Do you have to believe in God to be a Christian? And, are all religions equally valid? Thanks for listening! Music Ehrling – Dance With Me Hyde – Piano Rock PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq “The common denominator among the most effective teams is psychological safety, meaning people at all levels feel comfortable being open and transparent without fear of repercussions.” – Shani Magosky

Liz, Lydia, and David discuss the progressive Christian perspective on abortion and reproductive justice, why the fight over abortion is really a fight over patriarchy, and what the Bible ACTUALLY says about abortion and reproductive rights. Thanks for listening! Take action! As mentioned in today's episode, this is a petition from OFA in support of Obamacare: https://www.ofa.us/obamacare/ These are helpful links to emailing your home district's representative and senators: https://ziplook.house.gov/htbin/findrep?ZIP=92604&Submit=FIND+YOUR+REP+BY+ZIP https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/ Additional Links: The link to the original PAAC FB thread re: abortion, rape culture, and terminating pregnancies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProgressiveAAChristians/permalink/629864977201462/ Video, The History Of 100 Years Of Women's Health Care At Planned Parenthood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqYspn7PZmQ A crowd-sourced list of progressive Asian American Christian therapists: http://progressiveasianamericanchristians.org/therapists National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF): https://napawf.org/ Recommended reading: A Room of One's Own, Virginia Woolf Music Ikson – Alive PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Find a church: http://facebook.us14.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=bc0a8e9d2aee28bedcc83bd31&id=0d8addffbf&e=bca77d3fa9 Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

We're thrilled to be back for the second season of the PAAC podcast! Lydia catches us up on her adventures overseas, and then we dive into our main topic of the day, the Las Vegas shooting. Shortly after the attack, Bill O'Reilly said mass shootings were “the price of freedom.” What does that mean, exactly? Remember in the Hunger Games movies, where each district had to sacrifice someone as a “tribute,” essentially to die for the sake of their country? We seem to live in a country where each and every one of us, whether we like it or not, is required to potentially give our lives as tribute in order to protect an extreme, twisted interpretation of the Second Amendment. Today on the show, we ask how we can begin to change the narrative on gun control and whether there is such a thing as a “Christian” position on guns. (Also, this is the first episode where we need to add the E for explicit warning tag!) Thanks for listening! Links: “Want Gun Control? Learn from the N.R.A.,” Hahrie Han - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/opinion/gun-control-nra-vegas.html “In Response to Opponents of Gun Control,” Liz Lin - http://thesaltcollective.org/in-response-to-opponents-of-gun-control/ David's FB post about gun control advocates allying with corporate America, and why the NRA are like the Borg - https://www.facebook.com/davidchang99/posts/10159202934710417 Music KYLI x Krys Talk – I Wish Emapea – Jazzy PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

It's the second half of our season finale! In this episode we talk about affirmative action, and why Asian Americans who are against affirmative action are being duped into a false narrative. We also discuss Jay Caspian Kang's recent article in the NY Times about the hazing death of Michael Deng and whether, as Kang suggests, Asian American is “a meaningless term.” Finally, we wrap up with closing thoughts for the season. Lydia shares her favorite drinks and Liz confesses her affinity for curmudgeonly old Asian men. Thank you everyone for an AMAZING Season One! :) Link to Kang's article: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/magazine/what-a-fraternity-hazing-death-revealed-about-the-painful-search-for-an-asian-american-identity.html?mcubz=0 Music: Emapea – Jazzy Jordan Elgie – Roses PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

With looming travel plans for one of our co-hosts, we're recording one last (two-part) episode to wrap up season one of the podcast. Today we talk about race in the aftermath of Charlottesville, and more specifically what we as individuals or as PAAC as a whole can do to take action, such as self-work, self-help, and concrete steps you can take beyond social media. Also, how is being a progressive Christian different from being a secular progressive? Check it out and thanks for listening! *Quoted from Wong Fu Production's YouTube Red series, “Single By Thirty.” Music: Ruck P - Belvedere Jinsang - Slumpin PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Download this episode. God is not a man. Jesus came to earth incarnate as a man. Meanwhile the Holy Spirit was said to personify the wisdom of God, represented in the Old Testament in the female form as Sophia. As mentioned last week, this is a special episode we recorded while Lydia got ready to walk down the aisle! We talk broadly about Christianity and feminism, the roles of women and men, how Liz reconciles the patriarchy of the Bible with the modern world, and the one thing Lydia would do to change the way we worship God. Thanks for listening! Correction: Lydia recommended two documentaries available on Netflix. “Miss Representation” and “The Mask You Live In.” (Not The Mask We Wear.) Music:Del – Summer MomentsDel – Smells Like Summer PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast!iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

What happens when someone calls themselves progressive, but still holds on to traditional views? What if it's an entire church? When do you stand your ground and when do you call it quits? How do both purists and pragmatists learn to work together, especially if there are deep divisions within the two factions? We talk about these questions in the context of two articles posted in the Facebook PAAC group. One is an article by Frances Lee called "Excommunicate Me from the Church of Social Justice” and the other is an editorial written by Lawrence Ware called “Why I'm Leaving the Southern Baptist Convention.” Shout out to Gabriel Chen and Liz Choi for posting those pieces!   Links: https://www.autostraddle.com/kin-aesthetics-excommunicate-me-from-the-church-of-social-justice-386640/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/opinion/why-im-leaving-the-southern-baptist-convention.html PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Do you have a family member or loved one who voted for Donald Trump? Or thinks women can't be pastors? Or is non-affirming? Things get personal as Lydia, Liz, and David share stories about conflicts with people they deeply care about. And how they wish they handled it better. (Lydia, grab a tissue!)  Today's topic was inspired by an article about an adopted Korean American who stopped speaking to her white mother since the election of Donald Trump. Mother and daughter are featured in a short video where the two talk about their differences and try to find a way to reconcile. Thank you Marian Sunabe for posting about this story on the PAAC Facebook group! Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/divided-family-donald-trump-election-undividing-america-2017-7 Music:YR - The Little Fish's TaleAaditt – Pupa PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast!iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

*This is not a real website. Can the PAAC Facebook group ever become a church itself? Or does church still require IRL, face-to-face interaction among the body of believers? Also, what does finding a church look like for progressive Asian American Christian parents? Should the idea of a “good children's ministry” even enter the equation? These are the questions we tackle in this follow up episode to last week's discussion. PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Let's face it — so many people are hurt by the church. Why should anyone go back to a church that has deeply hurt you? Lydia and Liz don't hold back from critiquing where churches get it wrong, but also what makes for a truly revolutionary, transformative church community. What does a PAAC church look like? What do conservative churches do better than progressive ones? And what makes someone who has been hurt by the church decide to come back? Thank you for listening! Links from today's discussion: Directory of progressive churches: http://progressiveasianamericanchristians.org/find-a-church Kenji Kuramitsu's Book of Uncommon Prayer: http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50158/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=11281 Interview: http://thesaltcollective.org/prayers-protest-dangerous-justice-jesus-interview-kenji-kuramitsu/  Music: A Himitsu - AdventuresZplit - Tea Walk PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

What happens when a white, male pastor posts a job listing on the PAAC Facebook group? It creates an uproar within the community, and forces all of us to consider what the PAAC group really is. Is PAAC a safe space? An affirming space? On today's show, Lydia and Liz share their thoughts on who belongs in the community, what conversations may be in or out of bounds, and their vision and hope for the PAAC group. Thank you for listening! PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast!iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Download this episode. Few issues are as polarizing within Christian circles as the debate over LGBTQIA* and non-heterosexual attraction. Pastors are afraid to talk about it. Churches have seen members leave in large numbers after taking an “Open and Affirming” stance. Today, Lydia, Liz, and I share our thoughts on what is one of the central, defining issues of progressive Christianity in our era. We also talk about the recent PAAC Conference and an exciting upcoming opportunity. Thanks for listening! *LGBTQIA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Transsexual, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual. Music:Mōbe – KyotoJoakim Karud - Say Good Night PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcastEmail: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast!iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq

Terms like “indigenous theology” and “decolonized theology” may be new to many of us. For some, they may sound downright scary. And yet, sometimes what's taught in the pews of first and second generation Asian American churches isn't always the whole story. PAAC Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressiveAAchristians Page: https://www.facebook.com/PAACpodcast/ Twitter: @paacpodcast Email: progressiveaachristians @ gmail . com Subscribe to the podcast! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-paac-podcast/id1243306853 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/david-chang/the-paac-podcast Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iuufwrbkq6dp7eewr3xodbnvfyq