BERKELEY, CA – September 14, 2023 – The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is pleased to welcome the Center for Faith and Justice and the China Academic Consortium as its newest affiliates.
These institutes are the GTU’s sixth and seventh affiliates, which also includes eight member schools and five academic centers, making it the largest theological consortium in North America.
"We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to both the Center for Faith and Justice and the China Academic Consortium, whose presence will strengthen the entire GTU consortium and offer valuable new opportunities for our students,” said GTU President Uriah Kim. “The expansion of our community in this way offers additional opportunities to amplify global perspectives and champion the values of education, faith, and social justice at the GTU.”
The Center for Faith and Justice (CFJ) in San Francisco offers community-based online theological education with in-person gatherings throughout the year. With its vision of “a seminary for everyone,” CFJ facilitates spiritual and theological exploration for a more diverse, expansive, and liberating vision of Christian faith.
The CFJ originally began as an initiative of the Newbigin House of Studies, the GTU’s fifth affiliate. The Newbigin House of Studies was founded in 2011 by a partnership between City Church and Western Theological Seminary. In 2022, Newbigin House felt it could best achieve its mission as two independent centers, both now affiliates of the GTU consortium: the Center for Church Innovation and the Center for Faith and Justice.
The CFJ also has an established partnership with GTUx, through the Faith + Justice Network content on the platform.
“As a learning community of people seeking more just and diverse expressions of Christian faith, we are honored and thrilled to join the GTU’s long pioneering work in dialogue across lines of religious difference” said Peter Choi, Executive Director. As an Associate Professor of American Religious History at the Center for Faith and Justice, Dr. Choi also is a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty at the GTU.
The China Academic Consortium (CAC), a membership organization, has been engaged with educational institutions and individual scholars in mainland China since 1996. They have developed various programs and research projects to cultivate Chinese Christian scholars to engage in innovative research on Chinese Christianity. The CAC also invites Western scholars for scholarly exchange and seeks to inform the general public’s understanding of China and Chinese Christianity.
The CAC began from the Educational Resources and Referrals - China (ERRChina), a non-profit organization started in 1986 committed to building bridges through education, scholarly exchange, and research. Over the years, they have developed a wide range of programs and events that bring together students, teachers, scholars, and the general public.
"We are honored to associate with a community that is committed to welcoming and learning from diverse cultures and traditions,” said Martha Chan, Founding President of ERRChina and CAC Coordinator. “We are looking forward to opportunities to engage in vigorous multi-disciplinary research about Chinese Christianity within the GTU community.”
Starting this fall, GTU students will have the opportunity to enroll in courses offered by the Center for Faith and Justice, the Center for Church Innovation, and the China Academic Consortium. Similarly, students enrolled at these institutions may cross-register for courses through the GTU, all of which can be found online at https://gtusonis.jenzabarcloud.com/