Welcoming Dr. Soojin Chung

For Dr. Soojin Chung becoming the eleventh director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center, is a chance to advance boundary-pushing programs, particularly those that focus on women in World Christianity. OMSC’s first woman director since 1972, Chung’s devotion as director will be that of equity and justice.

Dr. Chung previously served as Associate Professor at the School of Theology and Director of General Education at Azusa Pacific University where she gained experience working with missions in researching the relationship between ethnicity and religion while in India, Thailand, Japan, and China.

An accomplished author and Associate Editor of Missiology: An International Review, the American Society of Missiology journal, Chung will take on the role of editor for the International Bulletin of Mission Research next year.

Chung graduated from Boston University School of Theology (2018) with a PhD in World Christianity and received a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (2012) as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia (2008).

In her book Adopting for God: The Mission to Change America through Transnational Adoption (New York University Press) Chung brings light to the connections between race and missionary work during the years of 1949-1960. Dr. Chung’s work has also been published in Christianity Today, International Bulletin of Mission Research, Evangelical Missions Quarterly, as well as in chapters of various books.

Outgoing director of seven years, Dr. Thomas John Hastings, applauds the search committee’s decision in appointing Chung stating, “We are delighted by the search committee’s appointment of Dr. Chung. She brings significant gifts of mission experience, scholarship, and administration to OMSC@ PTS, and as she continues the legacy of this unique ministry and helps to shape its future, she will be assisted by the extraordinary academic and administrative gifts of Dr. Easten Law and Ms. Caitlin Barton.”

As incoming director, Chung elaborates that “The importance placed on theological praxis—where scholarship and practice are necessarily entwined—makes OMSC a unique host for a community that lives and learns together.” Learn more about Dr. Soojin Chung here.