Bruce Reyes-Chow

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Bruce Reyes-Chow is an American Teaching Elder (minister) of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Reyes-Chow received his BA in Asian American Studies, Sociology and Religion from San Francisco State University in 1990 and received his Masters of Divinity in 1995 from San Francisco Theological Seminary.[1] He was the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in San Francisco from 1995-1999 and from 2000-2011 he served as the founding pastor of in the SOMA District San Francisco, California, described as a new kind of start-up.[2] In 2011 he was given an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Austin College and that same year was named the 2011 San Francisco Theological Seminary Distinguished Alumnus.[1] He has also served as Transitional Pastor and Head of Staff at Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley, CA (2017-2018)and Broadmoor Presbyterian Church in Daly City. CA (2018-2019).

He is currently the Pastor and Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto (CA) and a Senior Consultant and Coach with The Center for Progressive Renewal, a non-profit, Atlanta-based church development organization. He currently blogs for the religion, parenting, and technology sections of The Huffington Post (2011–present) and formerly for the progressive Christians section for Patheos (2011–2014) and the City Brights on SFGate (2009–2012), the online publication for the San Francisco Chronicle.[3]

Reyes-Chow was elected Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church.[2][4] He was elected on June 21, 2008 from a field of four candidates,[5] receiving 48 percent of the vote on the first ballot and 55 percent of the vote on the second ballot.[6] He was at the youngest Moderator ever elected at 39 years old, and considered to be a representative of the liberal parts of the church ,[7] while some on the conservative church questioned, "Has the General Assembly put the future of the Presbyterian Church (USA) at greater risk by electing Reyes-Chow as moderator for two years?"[8] He has been characterized as a radical centrist thinker in USA Today.[9]

He ended his time as Moderator on July 3, 2010 when his successor, Elder Cynthia Bolbach was elected at the 219th General Assembly.[10]

Reyes-Chow is a blogger and has a large social networking presence.[11] He believes blogging is a spiritual practice[12] and that technology is essential to a young church.[6]

In 2018 Reyes-Chow, a vocal supporter of immigrant and refugee rights,[13] along with 30+ other faith leaders, was arrested at the US Mexico Border as part of an action by the American Friends Service Committee's protest against the militarization of the board and the treatment of refugees.[14]

In 2010 Reyes-Chow was named to the NUMMI Blue Ribbon Commission by CA State Treasurer, Bill Lockyer tasked with convincing the Toyota Motor Corporation not to close their manufacturing plant in Fremont, CA.


Works[]

  • In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World (Chalice Press, 2021)
  • Rule #2: Don't Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children (Bacosa Books, 2016)
  • 40 Days, 40 Prayers, 40 Words: Lenten Reflections for Everyday Life (Westminster John Knox Press, 2015)
  • But I Don't See You as Asian: Curating Conversations about Race (Kickstarted, Self-Published, 2013)
  • The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church (Shook Foil Books, 2012)
  • Insights from the Underside: An Intergenerational Conversation of Ministers (Broad Mind Press, 2008) Contributing author

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow named SFTS Distinguished Alumni". San Francisco Theological Seminar. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Official Biography
  3. ^ Reyes-Chow, Bruce (July 14, 2012). "City Brights: Final post". SFGate.
  4. ^ "Austin College community prepares for commencement activities May 14–15". Austin College. May 13, 2011.
  5. ^ King, Doug (March 3, 2008). "218th General Assembly 2008 Moderator Candidates". Presbyterian Voices for Justice.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Reyes-Chow elected moderator of 218th GA
  7. ^ America Passes the Torch to the Joshua Generation -- What it means for the PC(U.S.A.) Archived November 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Is risk-taker moderator a risk for denomination? Archived April 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Krattenmaker, Tom (27 December 2012). "Welcome to the 'Radical Middle'". USA Today newspaper. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  10. ^ Cynthia Bolbach elected Moderator on fourth ballot Archived July 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ New GA moderator holds post-election press conference
  12. ^ New Presbyterian moderator elected
  13. ^ Campbell, Debe (13 June 2019). "Tucson interfaith rally draws scores to support activist Warren". Arizona Jewish Post.
  14. ^ Vandermillet, Cherie (12 December 2018). "Clergy Protesting US Immigration Policies Arrested at US-Mexico Border". Pulpit & Pen.

External links[]

Religious titles
Preceded by
The Rev. Joan Gray 		Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
2008–2010 		Succeeded by
Elder Cynthia Bolbach
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