Significant Number of AAPI Evangelicals Breaking for Biden
For Immediate Release
AAPI Christians for Biden
October 20, 2020
Broad Asian American (AAPI) Christian Support for Biden
Significant Number of AAPI Evangelicals Breaking for Biden
With the release of a sign-on letter that contains over 100 names of Asian American Pacific Islander Christians there appears to be a swelling of support among Christians for the Biden/Harris ticket.
While the sign-on letter contains a broad swath of leaders from across the Christian traditions as well as a pan-Asian representation, an interesting trend emerges.
Notably, the statements from Asian American Pacific Islander evangelicals signal a deviation from white evangelicals — one of President Trumps most consistent supporting groups.
Rev. James Cho, a pastor in Fullerton, CA summarizes it by saying, “Last election, I could not vote for either Clinton or Trump. My reason for not voting for Trump was my concern was xenophobic rhetoric that was coming from him. However, I was willing to suspend judgment when he was elected. This election, based on the decisions and continual negative rhetoric that has had very personal consequences, I’ve decided to vote Democrat for the first time in my life. I could not resolve supporting such a person as a Christian no matter the positive benefits to the church.”
This sentiment is echoed by Rev. Dr. Elmo Familiaran, from Palmer Theological Seminary, “The last 4 years have seen an unprecedented assault on democratic norms and constitutional values of the United States, and corruption is now rife in all the major institutions of the government, root to branches. The ruling political party has proven to be a divisive presence in the body politic, pitting Americans against each other, and fomenting racial and class animus that has drawn the country away from the common good and a noble national identity. The country needs to heal very badly. It needs leadership that embodies the opposite qualities of all that afflicts it now. A Biden-Harris ticket will lead us away from our national and international affliction.
Christian leaders gave several reasons for their endorsement but prominent themes include concerns about Trump’s inciting of racial violence, valuing the honesty, integrity, and civility of Biden, concerns about the treatment of immigrants and people of color. Many cited a concern about the state of democracy and civility. Others state that their faith values most align with the Biden/Harris ticket.
Nikki Toyama-Szeto, a Christian leader based in Arlington, VA, “My Christian faith tells me that all people are made in God’s image, and I am appalled at how the current administration treats immigrants, refugees and people of color as disposable. Biden cares about people.”
Alice Lor, of Saint Pail, MN states, “Even if I differ with Biden on certain issues, I am voting for him because Trump lacks the experience and integrity to lead. If you don’t have a leader working with the people but instead working for his own self-interest, he should not be in public service.”
Notable signers (both Evangelical and from the broader Christian Community) include: (organizations are for identification purposes only):
· Bishop Grant Hagiya, United Methodist Church
· Nikki Toyama-Szeto, Christians for Social Action (Evangelicals for Social Action)
· Al Tizon, North Park Theological Seminary
· Jeffrey Kuan, Claremont School of Theology
· Bishop Hee Soo Jung
· Daniel Lee, Fuller Seminary
· Rev. Sandhya Jha, Oakland Peace Center
· Dr. Joyce del Rosario, Pacific School of Religion
· Bill Watanabe., Asian American & Pacific Islander Christians for Social Justice
· Rev. Young Bong Kim, United Methodist Church, VA
· Rev. Nori Ochi, American Baptist Churches
· Pastor Piula Alailima, Wesley United Methodist Church, Honolulu
· Kathy Khang, writer, speaker and CSA
· David Chao, Princeton Seminary
· Dr. Kyunglim Lee, Vice President of Wesley Theological Seminary
· Hyepin Im, FACE
· Uriah Kim, Graduate Theological Union
· Steven Park, Little Lights Urban Ministries
· Soong-Chan Rah, North Park Seminary
*Organizations are for identification purposes, and do not reflect an organizational endorsement
Al Tizon
North Park Theological Seminary
Chicago, IL
Alice Lor
Saint Paul, MN
Allison Mark
Faith United Methodist Church of Torrance
Torrance, CA
Amelia Chua
Albany, CA
Andrew Park
United Theological Seminary
Trotwood, OH
Aryani Ong
Chinese Americans for Biden
Rockville, MD
B. Yuki Schwartz
Keystone Congregational UCC
Seattle, WA
Barbara Yonemura
NAACP
Sacramento, CA
Bill Watanabe
Asian American & Pacific Islander Christians for Social Justice
Los Angeles, CA
Boyung Lee
Ilif School of Theology
Denver, CO
Brenda Wong
Castro Valley, CA
Charles Buck
United Church Funds
New York, NY
Christie Heller de Leon
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Sacramento, CA
Christine Hong
Columbia Theological Seminary
Decatur, GA
Cynthia Yoshitomi
St. Anthony’s Catholic Community
Santa Barbara, CA
Daniel Cho
HA:N UMC
New York, NY
Daniel Lee
Fuller Theological Seminary
Temple City, CA
Daniel Lee
Bethel Presbyterian Church
Beaverton, OR
Daniel Lee
Bethany Korean Church
Burbank, CA
David Chao
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton, NJ
David Niu
Nevada City, CA
David Wang
One Life City Church
Fullerton, CA
Donald Hayashi
United Methodist
Vandalia, OH
Elaine Cho
United Methodist Church
Santa Clarita, CA
Elaine Moy
General Commission on the Status and Role of Women — UMC
Chicago, IL
Elmo Familiaran
Palmer Theological Seminary
Bordentown, NJ
Eugene Park
San Francisco Theological Seminary
San Anselmo, CA
Evie Fong
San Franciso, CA
Ezer Kang
Howard University
Washington, DC
Florence Li Maldonado
American Baptist Home Mission Societies
King of Prussia, PA
Gale Yee
Episcopal Divinity School
Claremont, CA
Grace Kao
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, CA
Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Earlham School of Religion
Bethlehem, PA
Grant Hagiya
United Methodist Church
Los Angeles, CA
Hannah Estrella
Methodist
Stockton, CA
Hee Soo Jung
Sun Prairie, WI
Hyepin Im
Faith and Community Empowerment (formerly KCCD)
Los Angeles, CA
James Cho
Grace Mission University
Fullerton, CA
James Jung
Catholics 4 Biden
Pittsburgh, PA
Janet Fujioka
United Church of Christ
Hilo, HI
Janna Louie
Monrovia, CA
Jason Chu
GGE Media
Pasadena, CA
Jason Park
San Jose, CA
Jason Takagi
California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
Atascadero, CA
Jeff Eng
Plano, TX
Jeffrey Kuan
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, CA
Jeremy Chia
L’Arche
Chicago, IL
Jerry Park
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Jerry West
Oakland, CA
Jerry Yoshitomi
Saint Anthony’s Catholic Community
Santa Barbara, CA
Jessica ChenFeng
Loma Linda University, Fuller Seminary
Montclair, CA
Jin S. Kim
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Minneapolis, MN
JoAnn Fukumoto
United Methodist Church
Pearl City, HI
Joshua Tom
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle, WA
Joyce del Rosario
Pacific School of Religion
Berkeley, CA
Justin Fung
Christ City Church
Washington, DC
K. Christine Pae
Denison University
Granville, OH
K. Samuel Lee
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, CA
Kathryn Choy-Wong
American Baptist Churches USA
San Francisco, CA
Kathy Khang
Christians for Social Action
Libertyville, IL
Keith Inouye
Wesley United Methodist Church
San Jose, CA
Ken Fong
ABC/USA
Sierra Madre, CA
Kevin Chau
University of the Free State
Middleton, WI
Kil Sang Yoon
Koean American National Coordinating Council, Inc.
New York, NY
Kirsten Oh
United Methodist/Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA
Kyunglim Lee
Wesley Theological Seminary
Washington, D.C.
Kyung Min Lee
Walking Faith Christian Church
Sunnyvale, CA
Leslie Cheng
First Baptist Church Pasadena
Pasadena, CA
Lindy Li
American Association for Cancer Research
Philadelphia, PA
Max B Surjadinata
United Church of Christ (UCC)
New York, NY
Melissa Borja
Indianapolis, IN
Michael Campos
De La Salle University Manila
Manila and San Francisco, CA
Monalisa Tuitahi
Pacific Islander National Caucus UMC
Santa Ana, CA
Nancy Kobayashi
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Evangelicals for Social Action/CSA
Arlington, VA
Nori Ochi
American Baptist Churches
Los Angeles, CA
Peter Huang
The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Pasadena, CA
Peter Phan
Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Philip Chiu
Southern Baptist Church
Cerritos, CA
Piula Alailima
Wesley United Methodist Church
Honolulu, HI
Rae Huang
Presbyterian Church USA
Los Angeles, CA
Raj Nadella
Columbia Theological Seminary
Decatur, GA
Randy Choi
Union Church of LA
Los Angeles, CA
Rita Nakashima Brock
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Alexandria, VA
Russell Jeung
New Hope Covenant Church
Oakland, CA
Sabrina Chan
Durham, NC
Sandhya Jha
Oakland Peace Center
Oakland, CA
Sandy Samaile
San Lorenzo, CA
Sarang Kang
PC(USA)
Warren, MI
Sejin Oh
United Methodist Church
San Pedro, CA
Shingshiong Chang
First United Methodist Church
Pasadena, CA
Soomee Kim
UMC
Placentia, CA
Soong-Chan Rah
North Park Theological Seminary
Chicago, IL
Steven Park
Little Lights Urban Ministries
Washington, DC
Theresa La
Fountain Valley, CA
Tom Tseng
Alhambra, CA
Tracey Gee
Tracey Gee LLC
Los Angeles, CA
Uriah Kim
Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, CA
Young Bong Kim
United Methodist Church
Clifton, VA
Young Lee Hertig
ISAAC
Los Angeles, CA
