Alan Lai

Alan Lai

I was born and raised in a non-religious family in Hong Kong. I became a Christian when I was a young adult. In 1982, I came to Canada by myself as an international student, and now I am a Canadian citizen. In Canada, I finished a B.A. degree, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Sacred Theology degree. In 2004, I earned a Doctor of Education degree from Columbia University (Teachers College), conferred jointly with Union Seminary in New York City. I have over 20 years of pastoral experiences in North America; serving both Chinese-speaking and English-speaking congregations. I am a former professor at Vancouver School of Theology and Waterloo Lutheran Seminary at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. My areas of expertise include educational ministries, pastoral theology, global citizenship, and Jewish-Christian relations. Currently, I am the minister for Toronto Chinese United Church. I have a family and they live in Vancouver. I am also a good pianist and photographer.

I care about the development of Christianity in China. This trip takes me back to my cultural roots and it allows me to update my understanding of contemporary Chinese Christianity. I value deeply this opportunity to listen to the Chinese Christian leaders, and at the same time, engage myself as a Chinese Christian living in the West. I care about respectful dialogue and mutual learning. I look forward to deepen our working relationship with one another.