Rev. Dr. Hyuk Cho

Biography

Hyuk’s family name, Cho, means “nation (趙),” and his given name, Hyuk, means “shine (赫).” His name reflects his parents’ hopes and dreams, which he holds dear on his faith journey. His spiritual roots likely trace back to the blue oceans surrounding Docho Island, off the southwest coast of the Korean Peninsula. This is where fishers and farmers raised their children during the harsh years of Japanese colonialism, followed by the American military dictatorship and colonial culture. Hyuk matured during the democratic movement for Korean unification and was deeply influenced by Korean liberation theology, specifically minjung theology, during his university years. Now, he seeks to envision and practice a Canadian version of this theology. Recently, he was elected as a member of the Central Committee (2022-2030), the governing body of the World Council of Churches, by the 11^th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany. His research interests include the history and theology of the United Church, intercultural theology, inter-religious dialogue, missiology, ecumenism, pneumatology, and decolonizing theology.

He brings rich pastoral experience from various pastoral charges, including Toronto Korean and other churches in Southwestern, Central Ontario, and Vancouver. Hyuk looks forward to sharing persistent hope in times of discouragement, daring faithfulness amidst disinformation, and radical love that embraces differences. He is eager to share his pastoral experience and passion for theology that speaks to the joys and pains of discipleship and to learn alongside the thoughtfully engaged and generous Christian leaders at VST. In his leisure time, he enjoys working with wood and is currently building a West Greenland kayak from Alaskan yellow cedar and carving paddles from Western red cedar.

Education

BTh, MDiv, Hanshin University, Seoul, Korea

MTS, ThD, Emmanuel College, University of Toronto

Most Recent Peer-Reviewed Publications

Books

Hyuk Cho, Relation without Relation: Intercultural Theology as Decolonizing Mission Practice (Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2024, forthcoming).

Hyuk Cho and JungHee Park, Decolonizing Diakonia: From Servanthood to Companionship (Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2025, forthcoming).

Articles

Hyuk Cho, “Have You Eaten? Decolonizing Theology in the Context of the Philippines and Korea,” International Journal of Asian Christianity 7, no 2 (August 2024): 191-213.

Hyuk Cho, “A Quest for Intercultural Theology: Converging Faith and Culture in Minjung Theology,” Madang: Journal of Contextual Theology 41 (June 2024): 43-76.

Hyuk Cho, “Never-Ending Mission of God: The Evolution of the Concept of Missio Dei in Our Ever-Changing Landscape,” International Review of Mission 113, no 1 (May 2024): 173-90.

Hyuk Cho, “‘O Korea, You will be a Shining Light To All the East’: A Study of William Scott’s Theological Background and His Ministry in Korea,” Theological Studies 60, no 2 (December 2023): 327-62.

Hyuk Cho, “Engaging with the Other: Reflection on Faith in Chinul’s Sŏn Buddhism and Douglas John Hall’s Christian Theology,” Current Dialogue: Special Issue of The Ecumenical Review 75:5 (December 2023): 546-61.