Asian American Identity, Theology & Racial Justice - Dr. Russell Jeung

This season, we've been looking at the ways our theology and personal faith can evolve -- and how oppression, disability, trauma and racism can shift the way we understand God, our scriptures and ourselves.

Today, we’re going to be focused specifically on addressing the marginalization of our Asian American communities -- and how living in a liminal space (sometimes not accepted as fully American or fully Asian) has shaped Asian American theology -- and helped us to better understand our God who dwells in liminal spaces, too.

In this conversation, Dr. Russell Jeung talks with us about the history of Asian American studies, the birth of Asian American theology, how oppression and marginalization of Asian Americans has led to a theology of exile, and the disturbing rise of Christian nationalism along with Anti-Asian Racism.

Dr. Russell Jeung is a leading sociologist of Asian Americans, race, and religion. He is professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and author of many books focused on race and religion -- including "Sustaining Faith Traditions: Race, Ethnicity, and Religion among the Latino and Asian American Second Generation" that he wrote with Carolyn Chen, published by NYU Press.

In 2020, Dr. Jeung launched Stop AAPI Hate, a project of Chinese for Affirmative Action, the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, and SF State Asian American Studies. It tracks Covid-19 related discrimination in order to develop community resources and policy interventions to fight racism. His spiritual memoir, "At Home in Exile: Finding Jesus Among My Ancestors and Refugees Neighbors," shares his experiences living among the foreigner and the poor.

Videos and blog:
http://www.mikedelgado.org/podcast/russell-jeung/