Welcome to Imagine Otherwise!
A Magazine by the Center for Asian American Christianity
Welcome to Imagine Otherwise, the relaunched online magazine of the Center for Asian American Christianity (CAAC) at Princeton Theological Seminary. This platform fosters conversations on all things related to Asian American theology. Imagine Otherwise showcases how God is at work in and through the lives of East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian Christians. Our editorial vision recognizes the interconnected faith and migration journeys at the heart of our intergenerational communities across the U.S. and North America.
Imagine Otherwise frames Asian American Christianity through a transpacific lens, challenging the dominant Anglo-European histories that narrate Christianity in the U.S. and North America. By highlighting migration histories and racialization, this magazine uncovers the rich, complex faith practices shaped by these transpacific journeys.
Our approach de-centers the following dominant binaries that often constrain the stories we tell about Asian Christians in North America:
Racial: White–Black
Political: progressive–conservative
Theological: mainline–evangelical
The racial, political, and theological lives of Asian American Christians resist these narrative constraints. By showcasing the biblical, spiritual, and lived theologies of our communities and their ties with homeland politics in Asia, Imagine Otherwise amplifies what the Spirit of Christ is doing through our lives as Asian Americans.
As you explore Imagine Otherwise, you will find a user-friendly and easily readable platform, perfect for staying engaged via Substack’s mobile app. We migrated the existing content of both the CAAC Podcast and Magazine to Imagine Otherwise. This is now our one-stop shop for CAAC content. The CAAC Substack provides a rich, integrated experience that equips and empowers our audience with contextually relevant theological resources for life and ministry. Be sure to adjust your notifications to stay updated on our latest posts and follow the CAAC on Substack.
Join us in this dynamic community as we continue to expand and deepen the conversations around Asian American theology.
Dr. David C. Chao is director of the Center for Asian American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. He teaches courses related to Asian American theology and organizes programs in Asian American theology and ministry. His research and writing focus on the faith and practice of ordinary Asian Christians in diasporic context as well as the uses of Christian doctrine for liberation, the convergence and divergence of Protestant and Catholic dogmatics, and the theology of Karl Barth. His research on Asian American religious life and politics is funded by The Henry Luce Foundation, the Louisville Institute, and APARRI.
Read more about the director of the CAAC here.
Very excited for this!