Strangers No More? The Case of Glory Presbyterian Church (GPC) Chinese-Indonesian Church in the San Francisco Bay Area, California

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/decohori.4.0109
• Pages: 109-160
• Published date: 01 January 2018
• Date: 01 January 2018
• Author: Stephen Suleeman

ISSN 2545-8728 / eISSN 2422-6343

horizontesdecoloniales

Segunda Sección

Migraciones y religiones en el

siglo XXI

horizontes

decoloniales

ISSN 2545-8728

eISSN 2422-6343

Número 4

Año 2018

109

Horizontes Decoloniales Número 4 (2018): pp. 109–160

Strangers No More?

The Case of Glory Presbyterian Church

(GPC) Chinese-Indonesian Church in

the San Francisco Bay Area, California

Stephen Suleeman

Jakarta Theological Seminary

Resumen

Este artículo aborda las dinámicas que se desarrollan dentro de la

congregación Glory Presbyterian Church (GPC) – una comunidad sino-

indonesa en San Francisco, California, EEUU – en torno a las relaciones entre

diversos grupos donde se ponen en juego diferencias culturales, teológicas

y generacionales. Allí se evidencian las tensiones que emergen en relación

a los procesos de inclusión/exclusión entre grupos sino-indonesios – que

son parte de la iglesia – y otros colectivos que llegan a ese espacio eclesial.

El artículo permite visualizar las tensiones y (re)apropiaciones que se dan

sobre la construcción del sentido de «identidad», en un marco inscripto en

tensiones socio-culturales, políticas y religiosas.

Palabras clave: Identidad, racialización, Glory Presbyterian Church,

iglesias étnicas.

Resumo

Este artigo trata da dinâmica que se desenvolve dentro da congregação Glory

Presbyterian Church (GPC) – uma comunidade sino-indonésia em São

Francisco, Califórnia, EUA – sobre as relações entre diversos grupos onde

as diferenças culturais e teológicas estão em jogo e geracional. Lá, as tensões

que emergem em relação aos processos de inclusão/ exclusão entre grupos

sino-indonésios – que fazem parte da igreja – e outros grupos que alcançam

esse espaço eclesial são evidentes. O artigo permite visualizar as tensões

e (re)apropriações que ocorrem na construção do sentido de «identidade»,

num quadro inscrito nas tensões socioculturais, políticas e religiosas.

Palavras-chave: Identidade, racialização, Glory Presbyterian Church, igrejas

étnicas.

Stephen Suleeman Strangers No More?

horizontes

decoloniales

ISSN 2545-8728

eISSN 2422-6343

Número 4

Año 2018

110

Abstract

This article deals with the dynamics that develop within the congregation

Glory Presbyterian Church (GPC) – a Chinese-Indonesian community in

San Francisco, California, USA – about the relationships between diverse

groups where cultural, theological, and generational differences are at

stake. There, the tensions that emerge in relation to the processes of inclu-

sion/exclusion between Chinese-Indonesian groups – which are part of the

church – and other groups that reach this ecclesial space are evident. The

article makes it possible to visualize the tensions and (re)appropriations

that take place on the construction of the sense of «identity», in a frame-

work inscribed in socio-cultural, political, and religious tensions.

Key Words: Identity, racialization, Glory Presbyterian Church, ethnic

churches.

About Stephen Suleeman

Holds a Master of Theology in History and Christian Thought (1992) from

Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia; a Master of Arts in

Theology and Peace Studies (1991) from Bethany Theological Seminary in

Richmond, Indiana; a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies (1987)

from University of Indonesia; and a Bachelor of Divinity (1978) from Trinity

Theological College in Singapore. Currently, he is a Lecturer and Head of

Field Research Unit and Head of the Center for Research and Community

Service at Jakarta Theological Seminary in Jakarta, Indonesia. His areas

of research are religious studies, queer theologies, cultural studies, and

church history.