In this episode of Awkward Asian Theologians, things get personal - or at least as personal as Asians tend to get: somewhere between offering you fruit and quietly judging your life choices. We begin, as all serious theological reflection should, with the mysterious aesthetics of the Chinese neighbour’s front-yard market garden - equal parts abundance and chaos, bok choy and bitter melon staging a silent protest against suburban landscaping norms. From there, we make a graceful (read: slightly abrupt) pivot into another cherished pastime: contemplating the thinkers who have tilled the soil of Matt and Dan’s theological imaginations.

There are the usual suspects, of course - but also a few unexpected guests at the banquet table. Alongside familiar Western voices, you’ll find fellow Asian thinkers, a hint of French philosophical flair (because what is theology without at least a little existential seasoning?), and a wide-ranging cast of ancient and modern figures who refuse to stay in their assigned categories.

What unfolds is more than a reading list. It’s a conversation about how theology is actually done: how it listens and speaks, how it engages contemporary culture (sometimes like a gentle calligrapher’s brush, sometimes like a wok tossed over high heat), and how it carries wisdom across time and place. As the discussion deepens, something curious emerges - some of the most “Western” influences turn out to be less Western than expected. The lines blur, the labels loosen, and the whole map starts to look a bit improvised.

If you think you can predict who makes the list, the answers may surprise you - like being sent home with Chinese leftovers you didn’t ask for but will digest with delight.

Resources

Simon Oliver: Introduction to Nouvelle Theologie

Matt Tan's book: A Theological Engagement with Pornography