VST Appoints New Professor of United Church Formation and Studies
The Vancouver School of Theology is pleased to announce the appointment of The Rev. Dr Hyuk Cho as Professor of United Church Formation and Studies, effective August 1, 2022.
The Rev. Dr. Cho will succeed The Rev. Dr. Steven Chambers. VST is most fortunate that The Rev. Dr. Chambers will continue with VST as Director of Field Education for the next year, as the school embarks upon a major expansion and redefining of its field education program.
About The Rev. Dr. Hyuk Cho
The Rev. Dr. Hyuk Cho is presently in ministry at West Point Grey United Church where he has served since 2018. He brings rich pastoral experience from such various pastoral charges as Toronto Korean and churches in Southwestern and Central Ontario.
As a progressive theologian, he explores contemporary biblical scholarship to provide interpretation of scripture, reflective preaching, meaningful liturgy and compassionate pastoral care. He has a passion for exploring the mission of the church, care for creation, interfaith dialogue, welcoming diversity, intercultural ministry and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Hyuk holds a B.Th. (Hanshin University, Seoul, Korea), M.Div. (Hanshin University), MTS (Emmanuel College, Toronto) and Th. D. in constructive theology and missiology from Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. He has published academic papers on becoming an intercultural church, on mission and on interfaith dialogue. He contributed the chapter, “Practising God’s Mission beyond Canada,” to the textbook, Theology of the United Church of Canada. He is currently preparing a monograph on intercultural theology and ministry based on his thesis and pastoral experience.
In his leisure time, he loves working with wood and is currently building a West Greenland Kayak with Alaskan yellow cedar and carving paddles with western red cedar. He has two children; his daughter is a public health nurse in the Niagara Health region and his son is studying environmental studies at Waterloo University.
I am looking forward to sharing persistent hope in times of discouragement, daring faithfulness when overwhelmed by disinformation and radical love to embrace differences. I am encouraged to share my pastoral experience and passion for theology relevant to the joys and pains of discipleship and striving to learn with the thoughtful, engaged and generous Christian leaders at VST.
– The Rev. Dr Hyuk Cho
“We are thrilled to welcome The Rev. Dr Hyuk Cho to our faculty. His practical skill and depth of scholarship will be invaluable to VST as we educate and form thoughtful, engaged and generous Christian leaders for the church.”
– Richard Topping, President & Vice-Chancellor