Kwok ’n’ Roll

The Anti-Communist Origins of Korean Christian Zionism and Theological Ethics

Dr. Keun-joo Christine Pae teaches religion and ethics, and women and gender studies at Denison University in Ohio. In this episode, she discusses transpacific imagination in theology and ethics, and her field research on spiritual activism in Korea. As a coeditor of Searching for the Future in the Past: Reclaiming Feminist Theological Visions, she explains why feminist theology continues to be a critical tool for women-identified and gender-minoritized people to overcome violence and oppression. She helps us understand the growth of Christian Zionism in Korea, pointing to the literal interpretation of the Bible and anti-communism, as well as growing Christian nationalism in the country. As an Episcopal priest and a scholar, she discusses how churches can be involved in the pursuit of social justice.

Dr. Kuen-Joo Christine’s book: A Transpacific Imagination of Theology, Ethics, and Spiritual Activism

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

How I Became the First Professor of Black Theology at Oxford

Dr. Anthony Reddie became the first professor of Black Theology at Oxford University in its nearly 900-year history. Born in the U.K. to immigrant parents from Jamaica, Reddie describes racism in the British church and society and how black theology developed in Britain since the 1990s. He argues that Black theology in the U.K. is inseparable from British colonial history and must adopt a postcolonial stance. He offered the first course on Black theology, focusing on James Cone, at Oxford in 2023. He directs the Center of Black Theology at the Regent's Park College and works with churches and organizations to deconstruct whiteness and develop decolonial theological education and pedagogy. He will publish Living Black Theology in the fall of 2025.

Dr. Anthony Reddie's book Living Black Theology

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

My Vocation as a Latina Theologian and Priest

Dr. Loida I. Martell is Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky. She was trained in veterinary medicine before pursuing a career in theology. In this episode, she discusses the development of Latina theology and the challenges to theological education. As one of a handful Latina in leadership positions in theological education, she looks back at her career and encourages churches and schools to value the contributions of Latinas. She is about to retire in the summer of 2025 and shares how she treats the classroom and school as a pastorate and offers advice to the upcoming generation.

Dr. Loida Martell's book

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

Climate Justice, God, and the Church

Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim is a writer, theologian, and professor at Earlham School of Religion. This episode discusses her forthcoming book Earthbound: God at the Intersection of Climate and Justice. She shares her experience of participating in the World Council of Churches and ecumenical conversations on the environment and climate justice for many years. She was in Assisi, Italy when Pope Leo XIV was elected. Her group went to Rome and witnessed the pope’s first speech from the balcony of St. Peter Basilica. She shares her excitement about the new pope and hopes that Pope Leo will be involved in environmental issues, as Pope Francis was. Dr. Kim also describes the journey of writing her book Invisible, which discusses the invisibility of anti-Asian racism because Asians are not black, and their concerns are often overlooked. She presents a theology of visibility in the final chapter of her book.

Dr. Grace Kim's book Earthbound

Dr. Grace Kim's Madang Podcast

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

LGBTQ+ Christians Reclaiming Their Bible and Faith

Dr. Mona West, a leading queer biblical scholar and Metropolitan Community Church pastor, discusses how the Trump administration policies seek to drive a wedge in the LGBTQI+ community. Citing from the work of Judith Butler, she cautions that the LGBTQI+ community must learn to listen to and stand in solidarity with one another. She recalls the beginnings of queer biblical scholarship and her coedited volumes, Take Back the Word and The Queer Bible Commentary. As a senior pastor and leader in the MCC for many years, she recalls how MCC contributes to theological education and becomes a home for LGBTQI+ Christians. She discusses issues MCC wrestles with in terms of sexism, racism, and the wider acceptance of queer people in church and society. She encourages younger LGBTQI+ people to respond to the call to ministry, saying that we live in a time of change and need courageous people who can make a difference.

Dr. Mona West's book, The Queer Bible Commentary

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

From Scholarship to Action: The Stop AAPI Hate Story

Dr. Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, was a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, which documents anti-Asian racist incidences during COVID-19 and beyond. In this episode, he discusses what prompted him to start Stop AAPI Hate. He combines his scholarship on Asian American studies with his long-time activism on behalf of the Asian American community. He shares his experience studying Asian ethnic and multiracial churches and how he grew up in a fundamentalist Chinese church. He wants to witness to Jesus, who was an immigrant, an incarcerated, and who cares for those at the margins. His work for Stop AAPI Hate prompts him to stand up in solidarity with other racial and ethnic groups who face deportation and discrimination. His book At Home in Exile documents how living in a poor refugee neighborhood in Oakland, California, helps him understand God’s grace and forgiveness.

Russell Jeung’s At Home in Exile

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

The Church's Hidden Bias Against Black LGBTQ Women — A Theologian Responds

Dr. Teresa L. Smallwood is a public theologian and Academic Dean at United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia. She discusses her book Public Theology and Violent Rhetoric Examined in a Queer Womanist Critical Ethnography. Before studying theology, Dr. Smallwood was a criminal defense lawyer for over two decades. She shares her reflections on the pushback against affirmative action and DEI programs, as well as the "No Kings" protest. As a veteran scholar and activist, she offers advice to young people who want to fight for social equality and human dignity.

Dr. Teresa Smallwood's book 

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com

How to Start a Podcast

Dr. Kwok Pui Lan started her podcast Kwok ‘n’ Roll in February 2025 and produced 20 episodes. She teams up with SueAnn Shiah, a Taiwanese American songwriter, podcast producer, and filmmaker, to discuss what to consider if you want to start a podcast. They discuss the content and structure of the podcast, the editing and technical aspects, and distribution and promotion. No, you don’t need fancy equipment to start. You can begin with your cellphone and what you have! SueAnn Shiah is available for consultation, and you can reach her at her website.

SueAnn Shiah’s website

Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Watch full episodes on YouTube

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X

Website www.kwokpuilan.com