Centering: The Asian American Christian Podcast

Christ in the Abyss: A Conversation with Jean Neely Daniel and Yulee welcome Jean Neely—Korean American writer, writing instructor at Azusa Pacific University, and author of Christ in the Abyss—for a deeply personal conversation about faith, mental illness, and what it means to encounter God in suffering rather than be rescued from it. The conversation covers: Why Jean wrote the book: growing up i...

In this episode of Centering: The Asian American Christian Podcast, Daniel and Yulee welcome back Kevin Doi—Assistant Professor of Asian American Church Studies and Director of the Asian American Pastoral Formation Initiative at the AAC—for a conversation about a question that’s been on Daniel’s mind: if we add up all our “spiritual” activities, they might only account for 5% of our lives. So wher...

In this episode, Daniel and Yulee welcome Jenn Suen Chen—author of Dim Sum and Faith and Yulee's Khora Collective co-founder—for a conversation about story, formation, and what it means to know yourself in God. The episode opens around the dim sum table itself: must-order dishes, the comfort of walking into a restaurant full of people who look like you, and why "dim sum" isn't a cute device for th...

In this episode of Centering the Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Daniel Lee and Yulee Lee sit down with church historian and theologian Dr. Kenneth “Ken” Woo, author of John Calvin, Refugee Theologian: Introducing a Reformer in Exile. Together, they explore what happens when one of Christianity’s towering Reformation figures is read through the eyes of an outsider, a refugee, and an Asian...

“The question ‘What are you?’… it’s a question that’s asked as a demand for this person in front of you to make themselves legible to you… ‘You don’t fit my categories; I don’t know what to do with you.’” In this episode of Centering: The Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Daniel Lee and Yulee Lee talk with Courtney Turner, chair of the Department of Global Studies and Assistant Professor of...

Peace and Forgiveness…For God’s Glory In the final episode of the season, Yulee and Daniel share personal reflections on their healing journeys and emphasize the necessity of having support systems, practicing discernment, and engaging in healthy spiritual leadership that aligns with the gospel of grace. They also touch upon the 'whisper network,' the importance of fruit of the spirit, and practic...

No Sabbath…For God’s Glory? This episode of Centering features a conversation with special guest Dr. Alex Jun, research professor of Korean American Ministry and Church Leadership Studies at Fuller Seminary, and director of the Asian American Center’s soon-to-be-launched Korean American Ministry initiative. With hosts Daniel and Yulee, the group delves into the concept of Sabbath and sabbaticals,...

Using People…For God’s Glory? In this episode of the Centering, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee are joined by special guest Dr. Kevin Doi, Director of Pastoral Formation at the AAC and Affiliate Assistant Professor of Asian American Church Studies at Fuller Seminary. The conversation delves into the temptation to use people for ministry growth, the importance of honoring individual callings, and cr...

Fetishized Suffering…For God’s Glory? In this episode of Centering, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee, are joined by guest Dr. Jessica ChenFeng, Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy and Director of the Asian American Wellbeing Collaboratory at Fuller Seminary’s Asian American Center. Together they dive into the problematic glorification of suffering, especially within Asian American Chr...

Sacrificial Faith…For God’s Glory? In this episode of Centering, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee discuss the concept of sacrificial faith, critiquing the unhealthy pressure to sacrifice personal well-being for ministry. They emphasize the importance of discerning genuine spiritual practices, recognizing God's presence in all aspects of life, and living with integrity. Join the conversation to rethi...

Spirit’s Anointing…For God’s Glory? In this episode of Centering, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee explore the unlikely convergence of the biblical story of Samson, fermentation of kimchi, and iconic Jane Austen characters. The topic, Spirit’s Anointing…For God’s glory? highlights the dangers of conflating giftedness with divine favor, the importance of character over charisma, and the critical need...

Authoritarianism…For God’s Glory? In this episode of the Centering: the Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee are joined by guest Gabriel Jay Catanus (Director of the Filipino American Ministry Initiative and Affiliate Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics at Fuller Seminary; Lead Pastor of Garden City Covenant Church - Chicago), who shares insights on the pitfalls...

This Giving Tuesday, support the work we do at the AAC! Your monetary support sustains our vital work and expands Asian American research, leadership development, and pastoral formation for the Church in the year ahead. Donate here: fuller.edu/giveaac Spiritual Gaslighting…For God’s Glory? In this episode of Centering: the Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Daniel Lee and Yulee Lee explore sp...

In the latest episode of Centering: The Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee delve further into the challenging topic of toxic ministry. The conversation highlights the necessity of discernment in ministry, distinguishing between toxic and simply unhealthy environments. They introduce the concept of “spiritual bypassing,” where spiritual language and “Christianese” is u...

In this episode of Centering: The Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee introduce the season's focus on toxic ministry. They discuss how abuse is often justified in God's name, turning obedience into oppression. The conversation delves into the discernment needed to identify toxic leadership and move towards healing and healthy spiritual leadership. They share personal e...

9x08 - Representation: Empowerment, Healing, and Hope by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x07 - Coherence: Narratives & Reconciled Identities by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x06 - Nuances: Pathologies & Ideals by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x05 - Lenses: Because Not Everything's Cultural by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x04 - Knowledge: When Personal Experience Isn't Enough by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x03 - History: Do Asian Americans Have a History? by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x02 - Panethnicity: What is Asian American? by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

9x01 - Language: Asian American Identity and Experience by Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church

In the final episode of Season 8, Dr. Nijay Gupta joins Janette for a passionate conversation about his work making Biblical scholarship accessible and available to those in the Church - the joy of melding spiritual life, academic research, and teaching others - and embracing the messiness of negotiating Asian cultural heritage and Biblical conviction.

This week, Dr. Chloe Sun joins Janette to speak about Song of Songs: why is such an abstract lyrical work included in the Bible? And what can this text, without a single explicit mention of God, reveal about God's seeming "absences"? Dr. Sun is Professor of Old Testament Studies at Logos Evangelical Seminary in Los Angeles.