e78 Earthbound: God and the Intersection of Climate and Justice: A Conversation w/Grace Ji-Sun Kim

🧑🏽 Your Host, Bruce Reyes‑Chow

Rev. Bruce Reyes‑Chow is a 3rd‑generation Filipino/Chinese American speaker, writer, and coachsultant exploring topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA, surrounded by too many animals and houseplants.

✊🏽 About Our Guests

Grace Ji-Sun Kim was born in Korea, educated in Canada and now teaches in the USA as Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is the author or editor of 25 books, most recently, Earthbound, When God Became White, Invisible, and Spirit Life. Kim is the host of Madang podcast which is sponsored by Faith and Reason. She blogs on her Substack: Loving Life and has written for Huffington Post, The Nation, Sojourners, Baptist News Global, Faith and Leadership and TIME. Kim has appeared on MSNBC, PBS and C-Span. She has been a guest on BBC Radio, ABC Soul Search Radio, WBEZ Radio, and Keep Hope Alive Radio.

She is a book series Co-Editor for Palgrave Macmillan Series, “Asian Christianity in the Diaspora,” and has served on the American Academy of Religion’s Board of Directors. Kim is honored to be included in the Englewood Review of Book‘s list of “Ten Important Women Theologians That You Should Be Reading”.

🎧 Episode Summary

In this lively and deeply insightful conversation, host Bruce Reyes-Chow sits down with his longtime friend and self-proclaimed "PCUSA twin," Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim. Together, they explore Grace's journey from feeling embarrassed by her Korean heritage as a child to fully embracing her culture as essential to her identity and theological work.

Grace opens up about her prolific writing life—including the origins of her latest book "Earthbound" and how her bestselling "When God Became White" helped her finish its conclusion. She shares why she writes without a strict schedule, often completes books before signing contracts, and resists pressure to write like others. Bruce challenges her to see how her unique process might actually be a strength and negotiation tool.

From climate justice theology to juggling roles as parent, professor, public speaker, and theologian, they discuss the intersections of creativity, calling, and culture. They explore how books find their way into classrooms and communities longing for justice, and share the truth that their spouses make this demanding work possible.

This is a conversation full of laughter, honesty, craft talk, and two friends reflecting on what it means to do public scholarship while staying true to yourself.

🔗 Episode Links & Resources

1. Asian Christianity in the Diaspora,
2. Ten Important Women Theologians That You Should Be Reading”.
3. Substack: Loving Life
4. Madang podcast
5. https://gracek.substack.com/