Click to learn about PAAC National Gathering 2026 in LA

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Click to learn about PAAC National Gathering 2026 in LA 〰️

Progressive Asian American Christians

“Progressive” is a relative term, so we recognize that what’s progressive in one context may not be in another. For our community, PAAC minimally means:
- Queer-affirming
- Feminist
- Part of the Asian diaspora (including multiracial Asian folks)
- Christian, formerly Christian, or somewhere in between.
PAAC provides community for progressive Asian American Christians and resources to integrate their identities, reimagine spirituality, and empower them to action.
We believe in belonging, liberation, and empowerment for every Asian American.
Belonging over belief: You have a home here no matter where you are in your faith journey.
Care over control: We have a responsibility to take care of each other, and we meet each other with empathy. We respect the journey you’re on instead of prescribing one for you.
Affirmation over tolerance: We believe our whole selves are sacred, so we celebrate all of our identities, in particular those of our queer and trans siblings.
Collaboration over competition: We see and value each other’s gifts, and we co-create this community and our resources as equals instead of building an empire.
Imagination over certainty: We hold our beliefs and traditions with humility as we redefine them and push toward a liberated, expansive future.
The PAAC Facebook group was created by Lydia Shiu, then a pastor in San Francisco, who was looking for a place to foster conversations among progressive Asian American Christians. Meanwhile, Liz Lin, a writer and educator just outside San Francisco, was working on a piece about how lonely it is to be a progressive Asian American Christian. In September 2016, Lydia and Liz had a fortuitous meeting in which they shared what they were doing — to the other’s surprise! Liz put a link to Lydia’s group at the end of her piece as a way for people who resonated with it to find like-minded folks.
Liz posted her piece on December 22, 2016. Within 24 hours, 300 people had joined the Facebook group; in less than three weeks, the group had 1000 members. Currently, the group has 7000+ members all over the country and the world, with discussions about faith, identity, and politics.
We’re glad you found us! Here are some ways to connect with our community.
- “A Budding Movement Is Helping Progressive Asian American Christians Feel Less Lonely,” HuffPost, May 31, 2019
- “Asian American, Christian, Progressive, and Lonely. Is There a Church for You?” LAist, May 9, 2019
- “These Asian American Progressives Want to Build a New Church Tradition,” KQED (California Public Radio), May 14, 2019ption