Dr Celine YEUNG Assistant Professor (Theological Studies)

celinesy.yeung@cgst.edu

Theology has always been Celine's passion. She entered CGST in 2008 for the Masters in Christian Studies program. In 2014 her dream to study systematic theology in Scotland came true, although it took her away from her hometown Hong Kong during the Umbrella Movement. For her MTh dissertation at Aberdeen, the political situation of her home prompted her to write on Karl Barth's understanding of church-state relation and its possible implications for HK. When HK found itself in more uncertainty and protests sparked by an extradition bill in 2019-20, Celine was writing on the theology of the Lord's Supper. She was struck by the strong socio-political implications of the historical allusions of the last supper to the Passover and to the Sinaitic covenant. Her dissertation challenges the traditional metaphysical (both mystical and symbolist) approaches of the Lord's Supper, but instead argues for an interpersonal and historical, hence ethical and liberal, approach. As she returned to CGST in 2020, she is aware that her years away meant that her teaching must primarily listen to student voices

Celine believes that theology is not a privilege of the academia, but must be done for, and on behalf of, lay people. Apart from her family who has given her the nurturing and freedom to engage in biblical and theological inquiry, she is also indebted to her home church, Emmanuel Chinese Church. It gave her a non-denominational upbringing that encouraged fresh engagement with different traditions. Its grassroots context reminds her that theology must always be down to earth and speak relevantly to all walks of life.