Sensus Divinitatis

“‘Redemptive influence’ is a posture that is more winsome and, in my opinion, more likely to win hearts.”

• Shiao Chong

Shiao Chong (and he prefers to be called Chong) has been hired on as GSC’s first ever Associate Director. With three new scholars joining GSC in the last six months and executive director Peter Schuurman spending more time on the executive committee of the Society of Christian Scholars, it was time to expand from three part-time staff to four. “I like to be part of building things for God’s kingdom,” said Chong.

Chong has recently expressed a resonance with the GSC mission and its language of “being a redemptive influence” in university settings worldwide. Finding the terminology winsome, he compares it to Jesus’ language of being “salt” and “light” for the world. He recognizes the need to move beyond the “West to the Rest” mindset and the imperialistic model of the colonial era. He also writes that “GSC’s holistic view of God’s mission, as encompassing the reconciliation of ideas in academia, and not reduced to only interpersonal evangelism, certainly aligns with my own view of a holistic 3-dimensional Christian mission.”

Born and raised in Malaysia by Chinese diaspora parents, Chong became a Christian at the age of 14 mostly through the youth ministry outreach of a local church. His older siblings preceded him in converting to Christianity. His parents too were eventually baptized a few years after Chong’s own baptism. 

Chong’s father worked as a shopkeeper with a grade school education. “My father wanted to make sure all his children had the opportunity he never had—to go to university,” said Chong. God seemed to have a specific plan for Chong as he was rejected by all the universities he initially applied to. Eventually, only the University of Alberta (U of A) in Edmonton, Alberta admitted him. So, at age 21 Chong left home to be an international student to do his bachelor’s degree there. While there, he gravitated toward the Christian Reformed Chaplaincy group, where they lived out a “Reformational worldview” that urged him to integrate his faith with his studies in English Literature. The idea of bringing his faith to both classroom and assignments inspired him, and he was mentored deeper in faith and study by the campus chaplain.

Equally important, this campus ministry group introduced him to Martha Schreiber, who went on to complete a PhD in biochemistry and became his wife. Together now, living in Mississauga, Ontario, they have three grown daughters, two of which have completed undergraduate university degrees. 

Chong himself continued his education with an M.A. in English Literature (U of A), focusing on the writings of George Herbert, the 17th century Anglican poet-priest. Examining his devotional poems, Chong’s thesis argued that the best window into Herbert’s work was through a theology of communion—with both God and each other. Using the Russian literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of “dialogism,” Chong teased out that Herbert’s strongest theme was that we are made for relational inter- dependency, for a life shaped by reciprocity, dialogue and collaboration – in sum, love.

Since then, Chong has worked as a registrar and admissions advisor at Redeemer University in Hamilton, as a campus minister at York University in Toronto (sponsored by the Christian Reformed Church) and as the editor-in-chief of a bi-national denominational magazine called The Banner. Chong’s many writings can be found on the internet, and in particular at his blog page, entitled “3-D Christianity” and subtitled “An Asian-Canadian Christian seeking a wholistic 3-dimensional Christian spirituality.” He has many gifts that he brings to GSC, including his writing and leadership skills, a theological astuteness, and of course his extensive experience in higher education and cross-cultural training.

As Associate Director, Chong will be using his journalistic skills to promote the work of our global scholars and mentor our student interns. GSC will also benefit from his skills in fundraising, his ecumenical spirit, and his familiarity with congregational life. As a gifted preacher and teacher, he will be visiting any church interested in having him as a guest preacher.

Chong expands on what he understands by “redemptive influence” in a recent blog

Christians are not influencing others to bend them to our own agendas. Rather, we are trying to influence people, institutions, and cultures for human flourishing and the common good. We need to understand that God’s mission of salvation is more holistic and this-life affirming than conventionally imagined in Christianity. God’s mission is not simply rescuing us from hell but to restore, to redeem, our lives and our world into a home for God with us (Revelation 21:3).

You can read more of his own reflections at his blog here.

Chong has had other employment opportunities, but he chose to come to GSC. “It feels that GSC’s vision aligns well with God’s gift and calling for me,” said Chong. “I’m excited to serve GSC’s scholars and constituency, and help GSC grow in its global, cross-cultural, and academic ministry.”

We look forward to working together with Chong!

Note: Views on my blog arise in league with my work for Global Scholars Canada (GSC), where I am Executive Director. My writing here, however, does not represent the official position of GSC. GSC supports Canadian Christian scholars to redemptively influence academia and students, especially in underserved countries, for human flourishing and God’s mission. If you wish to support our work at GSC, you can donate at our page and designate it as “General Fund”. Thank you!