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Bong Rin Ro is an American theologian and missiologist. He is a founding leader and former executive secretary of the Asia Theological Association[1][2] as well as former dean of the Asia Graduate School of Theology.[3]

He served as the director of the World Evangelical Alliance Theological Commission from 1990 to 1996.[4]

Early life and education

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Ro was born on 1935 in North Pyongan, Korea and grew up during the Korean War.[5] Following the death of his father, Ro lived in extreme poverty with his mother and five siblings.[6] He completed a year studying philosophy at Seoul National University before moving to the United States with only fifty dollars.[5] In 1956, Ro moved to South Carolina only knowing a few words of English.[6] In 1957, Ro spent three months in New York City and was inspired by a Billy Graham crusade to pursue a liberal arts education.[1]

Ro holds degrees from Columbia Bible College[6] (B.A.), Wheaton College (B.A.), Covenant Theological Seminary (B.D.), and Concordia Seminary (S.T.M. and Th.D.).[7]

Career

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Advertisement by Wheaton College in Christianity Today highlighting Biblical faculty.

Ro served with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship for thirty years and was the first Asian to be sent as a missionary by the organization.[8][9][10] As a missionary he lived throughout Asia including Singapore (1970–74), Taiwan (1975–89), and Korea (1990–2000).[8][11][12] In his early teaching days, Ro taught at Singapore Bible College.[13] While working in Singapore, Ro was crucial to the founding and development of the Asia Theological Association,[14] serving as executive secretary (1970–1990)[1] and dean of the Asia Graduate School of Theology.[3][15] He played a significant role in shaping the program and structure of the Asia Theological Association as the organization emerged in helping develop evangelical theological education in Asia.[14][16] Billy Graham noted how Ro's book Korean Church Growth Explosion "gives insight into the dynamics of the Korean church and suggests ways churches around the world can profit from its example."

Then after moving to Taiwan he taught at Taiwan Seminary and Tunghai University.[11] Ro also went to teach as a professor at Wheaton College.

Ro then served as the academic dean of Torch Trinity Graduate University.[17][18] Since 2000, Ro has taught at Hawaii Theological Seminary and Pacific Rim Christian University. He is also now the president of Hawaii Theological Seminary[19] and president of the Pacific campus of the Asia Graduate School of Theology.[1]

He was named alumnus of the year by Columbia International University.[20]

Since 1990, Ro has been ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America.[7]

Selected publications

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  • Ro, Bong R, and Marlin L. Nelson. Korean Church Growth Explosion. Seoul, Korea: Word of Life Press, 1983. Print.
  • Ro, Bong R. Christian Alternatives to Ancestor Practices. Taichung, Taiwan, ROC: Asia Theological Association, 1985. Print.
  • Ro, Bong R, and Ruth M. Eshenaur. The Bible & Theology in Asian Contexts: An Evangelical Perspective on Asian Theology. Seoul, Korea: Word of Life Press, 1991. Print.
  • Gener, Timoteo D, Stephen T. Pardue, and Bong R. Ro. Asian Christian Theology: Evangelical Perspectives., 2019. Print.
  • Nicholls, Bruce J, and Bong R. Ro. Beyond Canberra: Evangelical Responses to Contemporary Ecumenical Issues., 1993. Print.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Dr. Bong Rin Ro '62". magazine.wheaton.edu. 2016-09-12. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  2. ^ Getting to know ATA, retrieved 2022-05-19
  3. ^ a b "Bong Rin Ro". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  4. ^ "About – Theological Commission". theology.worldea.org. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  5. ^ a b ""인간은 하나님을 떠나서는 온전하게 살 수 없는 존재... 어려움에 처했을 때 더 하나님을 찾아야 하는 이유" - 미주 한국일보". m.koreatimes.com. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  6. ^ a b c "Bong Rin Ro | Columbia International University - Alumni". alumni.ciu.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  7. ^ a b "OUR FACULTY". Pacific Rim Christian University. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  8. ^ a b "Leadership & Faculty – Bible Institute of Hawaiʻi". www.biblehawaii.org. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  9. ^ ""아시아 미전도종족 복음화 답은 '민족복음화운동'이다"". 기독일보. 2014-05-06. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  10. ^ "History of the China Inland Mission and OMF International". OMF | Mission among East Asia's people. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  11. ^ a b "싱가포르·대만서 20년/노봉린박사(해외선교 개척자들:6)-국민일보". news.kmib.co.kr. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  12. ^ "来自韩国宣教领袖的观察 差派20,000名中国宣教士". eats.ac. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  13. ^ Ro, Bong Rin (2008). "A History of Evangelical Theological Education in Asia (ATA): 1970–1990" (PDF). Torch Trinity Journal. 11 (1): 27.
  14. ^ a b ataasiaadmin (2021-01-07). "Developments Leading to ATA Formation". Asia Theological Association. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  15. ^ Lee, Rachael (2014-11-25). "Missionaries and Churches Must Focus Efforts in Building Leaders in Asian Countries". Christianity Daily. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  16. ^ Chen, Yaopeng (October 2015). "亞洲神學教育的馳騁者──盧鳳麟博士". ABS Resources.
  17. ^ "TTGU in Media - Dr Bong Rin Ro Special Lecture on Wednesday". www.ttgu.ac.kr. 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  18. ^ "인터뷰 / 선교연합운동 앞장서는 노봉린 목사". 기독신문 (in Korean). 2004-11-01. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  19. ^ "EWC Mission Seminars". ewcenter.org. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  20. ^ "Alumni of the Year | Columbia International University - Alumni". alumni.ciu.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
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