Why Write Now?

I've taught courses for New College Berkeley on and off for years and have been grateful for the unique relationships it has maintained with the GTU, Berkeley First Pres and other churches in the Bay Area, and with the long, rich tradition of Ignatian spirituality and spiritual direction.

Over the past couple of years, New College Berkeley has rededicated itself to being a "third space" where thoughtful people gather for cultural and theological reflection. This past year Craig Wong, who has taken hold of its directorship with a firm grip, deep prayer, and a great laugh, has pulled together public conversations that span an impressive range of topics, some of them urgent: human dignity and polarization; Christians in an age of empire; harmony with the land and each other; communal discernment; staying centered in election season; gospel faithfulness in the Bay Area; sacred icons; missional hermeneutics; Christians and AI; nationalism and trauma; and facing fear, among others.

The Gospel Here and Now: NCB’s Role in the Bay Area

Christianity is a global, multicultural faith in part because it can and must be translated and adapted to every different time and place. The New Testament is surprisingly non-prescriptive–indeed, barely descriptive–about forms of worship, leaving the door wide open for full cultural contextualization and expression, at least potentially. The origin story of the early church is precisely a narrative of breaking language barriers at Pentecost. The most extensively narrated next story is that of Peter and Cornelius and the crossing of full-height cultural barriers. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman: a time would come when worshippers would not be limited to any particular place but would worship (anywhere) “in spirit and in truth.” 

Meet our new Advisor: Bill Betts

New College Berkeley would like to introduce you to Bill Betts, a new member of our Advisory Board. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Bill moved to San Francisco and joined San Francisco Christian Center. He earned his M.Div. degree at Golden Gate Seminary and served as an associate pastor over Christian Education. Bill is currently a full-time PhD student in Educational Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. We asked Bill to share a bit about himself:

Meet our new Advisor: Rebecca Hernandez

New College Berkeley would like to introduce you to Rebecca Hernandez, a new member of our Advisory Board. This October 17, Rebecca will give an online presentation that provides an introductory overview of the church in Indian County. She’ll share information about tribes in the United States, examples of some historical Christian encounters with them and how Christians can share the gifts of our faith with this particular community today.

Meet our New Advisor: Russell Yee

New College Berkeley would like to introduce you to Rev. Dr. Russell Yee, a new member of our Advisory Board. This October, Russell will teach a mini-course called “Navigating Worship.” For more information and to register go to this link [https://www.tickettailor.com/events/newcollegeberkeley/748175/]. Russell has been a pastor, seminary educator, and is a supporter of New College Berkeley. Let’s hear his story:

An Interview with Robert Chao Romero

Interviewed April 14, 2022

New College Berkeley would like to introduce you to the newest members of our Advisory Board. In this post, we talked to Professor Robert Chao Romero, Associate Professor at UCLA’s

Chavez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies and Asian American Studies. Dr. Romero wrote The Chinese in Mexico, 1882-1940 (now in paperback) and Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity Robert was interviewed about Brown Church in the New Books Network Podcast on June 3, 2022. Have a listen!

We caught up with Robert in April and he shared the following with us.

An Interview with Carolyn Chen

New College Berkeley is delighted to welcome new members to our Advisory Board! We are grateful for the expertise that our Advisors offer as we plan our future offerings. In this post, we’d like to introduce you to Professor Carolyn Chen, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, Co-Director of the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion, UC Berkeley. Carolyn attends First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley and has recently been featured in two KQED Forum broadcasts.

Prepared for Good Works

In 2020 I was selected as one of fourteen California Citizens Redistricting Commissioners. I’m happy to report that despite COVID, unprecedented Census delays, and a holiday-unfriendly final deadline of December 27, we completed our maps and passed them with a unanimous vote. In this coming decade, we hope these new Assembly, state Senate, Board of Equalization, and Congressional election districts serve the Golden State well.

A Rich Legacy

As the new co-directors of New College Berkeley (NCB), we’re in awe of the rich legacy of this Christian study center, much of which is owed to Susan Phillips who has completed nearly three decades of continuous service. Through her wisdom and leadership, Susan has shepherded NCB, and generations of students, to “walk in newness” as disciples of Jesus throughout these many years. We are deeply grateful for this faithful servant. As Susan steps down from NCB directorship, we are delighted and pleased to announce that she will continue as a core doctoral faculty member, leading our spiritual formation programs.

"A New Thing Springs Forth"

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? –Isaiah 43:19

Dear friends,

A new day is dawning for New College Berkeley! After twenty-eight years of leading this ministry, on January 1st I’m passing the reins, with confidence and enthusiasm, into new hands. In 1994 the Board of Trustees participated in a new day for New College by appointing me as Executive Director and Sharon Gallagher as Associate Director. We were the first women to serve in the (previously titled) President and Dean positions. In those years, it was rare for women to lead Christian ministries like New College, and it was and has been a tremendous privilege.

The Fruit of the E. D. Search

And now, after a year-long, international search, the Board of Trustees, on the unanimous recommendation of the Executive Director Search Committee, has—also unanimously—voted to engage Dr. Tim Tseng and Craig Wong as Executive Co-Directors of this precious ministry which is about to celebrate its 45th year. This is cause for great rejoicing in the opportunities that lie ahead!

Advent / Adventure

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

We read about the dislocated people in the Nativity story. Mary was startled by the angel’s announcement of the Messiah’s coming into the world through her. Joseph was told a similar story in a dream, and both of them set off into strange, dangerous, history-making circumstances. The Wise Men followed a star across deserts and mountains to the Messiah’s manger-crib. Sheepherders in the fields—minding their own business!—received the news from a heavenly host. All these people were given signs; and all of them were given companions as they wondered and wandered.

This seems to be how God works: strangely, for sure, yet always compassionately aware of our need for human accompaniment, especially when experiencing divine revelation.

Thanksgiving 2021

Although [Wisdom] is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God….—Wisdom 7:27

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” —John 15:15

Dear Friends,

Jesus called us “friends.” The message of the Book of Wisdom is that even before Jesus walked the earth, divine Logos/Wisdom worked in people’s souls to make them “friends of God.”  As friends of God we become siblings in Christ, a community connected by the Holy Spirit.

I write to you now with immense thanksgiving. Knowing you in this New College Berkeley community of Christian faith and study has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. My husband Steve and I moved to Berkeley just as David Gill, Earl Palmer, and others were bringing the hope for a new college in Berkeley to fruition. We happily joined that community of people seeking to follow Jesus in thought, word, and deed. 

A Return to Church

After being closed since the start of the pandemic, my church opened for in-person worship in July. What a blessing this has been. For those who can attend in-person, we again experience the live, physical presence of fellowship and community with our neighbors. As one, we pray, confess and receive Communion, and together we dance and sing songs of praise to our Creator God. There is an immediacy with the preached Word and testimonies heard in real time.

Exquisite Darkness

People keep telling me this is a “murky season” spiritually. We grope for clarity, for hope, for the Light shining in the darkness. During this long pandemic season, so fraught with social unrest and losses of all kinds, I’ve been amazed that contemplative time with other people—over the phone and by Zoom—have been rich despite physical absence. You may have discovered this, too. Now that we’re venturing out from quarantine, we do so with caution and also with hope of holding onto the gifts of the pandemic.