Vision for Reform

Rev. Jitsuo Morikawa lit the fuse. As Director of the American Baptist Home Mission Board, he expanded the notion of “individual evangelism” to include a vision for “institutional reforms” of the military, business corporations, prisons, immigration, and other establishments. Jitsuo also fired up the imaginations of students and faculty when invited to preach his vision of Jesus Christ at universities. To transform this vision into reality, Rev. Paul Nagano started the Morikawa Pacific Rim Ecumenical Council. “Pacific Rim” was a trendy slogan of the West Coast in that day.

A Movement Towards Tolerance

Interfaith Dialogue was a pillar of that vision. Dialogue was an extremely controversial movement – asserting not only that religions should learn from Christianity, but that Christians should also learn from other religions. Moreover, in the gradually emerging new world, there was an invisible tectonic ground shift from our exclusive tribal past to a new inclusive religious tolerance of our multi-religious future.

Building a New Community

Through a new appreciation for Asian religions, Rev. Paul Nagano in 1991 suggested the name change to Council for Pacific Asian Theology. In Christ the future must be harmonious communities in the spiritual unity and diversity of race, religions, cultures, and trade.

(You can read more about the life and legacy of Rev. Nagano here.)