Bonnie Lin, Ph.D.

Research Interests

• Christian discipleship and pastoral care
• Biblical hospitality for mutual learning across difference
• Culturally responsive teaching and educational psychology
• Trauma recovery and restorative practices
• Asian American Christianity

Ph.D. in Practical Theology (Christian Education and Formation), Princeton Theological Seminary
Th.M. in Pastoral Care, Princeton Theological Seminary
M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary
B.A. in English and Religion (Christianity and Buddhism), Amherst College

• Creative Communication of the Gospel
• Evangelism and Discipleship
• Introduction to Christian Theology
• Teaching for Christian Ministries
• Theology of Ministry

Bonnie E. Lin comes to Messiah University after her doctoral studies at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she developed and taught a course on educational strategy in conflictual contexts, co-led the Asian American Theology and Ministry Colloquium and co-organized the Asian American Theology Conference, directed research for ministry innovation in urban churches through the Log College and Zoe Projects' Trenton Design Incubator, and designed a digital learning tool on the model minority myth for the Zoe Project's Antiracist Design Lab. Bonnie has taught courses at Peking University and the National Tsing Hua University, cared for individuals and families as a crisis counselor and hospital chaplain, and served for over 20 years in the teaching and discipleship ministries of several churches in New Jersey, including at two Chinese American immigrant churches where her husband, Nathan D. Hieb, has pastored for 15 years. For nine years, Bonnie also worked for Scholar Leaders, a Christian nonprofit that supports theological leaders and institutions in the Majority World. She is honored to help build up Christ's church through teaching at Messiah University, and excited to serve and learn alongside students and colleagues who love Jesus and endeavor earnestly to love one another across difference.

• “At-Homeness, Placemaking, and Holy Anticipation: Christian Hospitality in Educational Practice.” International Academy of Practical Theology Conference Series 3 (2023): 63-70. https://doi.org/10.25785/iapt.cs.v3i1.803.
• “Encountering the Other: Postmodern and Barthian Pastoral Theologies in Dialogue.” International Journal of Practical Theology 24, no. 2 (2020): 212-230. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ijpt-2020-0055/html.
• “All This is from God: Augsburger, Lederach, Barth, and Coutts on Forgiveness.” Pro Ecclesia 28, no. 1 (2019): 39-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063851219829928.
• “A Transforming Power: Teaching the Bible in China.” Bible Study Magazine, January/February 2018. http://www.biblestudymagazine.com/transforming-power.
• “Reaching China’s Intellectuals.” Scholar Leaders. May 2017. https://www.scholarleaders.org/reaching-chinas-intellectuals.
• “A Prophetic Voice for the Pakistani Church.” Scholar Leaders. October 2016. https://www.scholarleaders.org/a-prophetic-voice-for-the-pakistani-church.
• “Redeem India: A New Response to Persecution.” Scholar Leaders . August 2016. https://www.scholarleaders.org/redeem-india-a-new-response-to-persecution.
• “Leaders of a Multiethnic Fellowship.” In A Transforming Vision: Multiethnic Fellowship in College and in the Church, edited by Paul V. Sorrentino, 136-145. South Hadley, MA: Doorlight, 2011. (Co-authored with S. Bass, J.A. Lydecker, J.R. Chudy, R.M. Godzeno, J.K. Ha, and M.R. Mascioli.)