by Luke Butner
Although Dr. Heejun Yang is a new full-time addition to the Religion, Ethics, and Philosophy (REP) department, he is no stranger to campus. After serving as an adjunct professor teaching intro to ethics for a year, Dr. Yang officially joined the faculty last semester. He has already made waves by helping breathe fresh life into REP’s course offerings and revising the department’s Master of Arts program.
Through the efforts of Yang and his colleagues in the REP department, GC now offers a much more diverse set of REP classes. “In the catalogue [the classes] were there,” he explained. “I thought that it was not fair [they were not being offered].” Yang explained that he and his colleagues are pushing to offer over six diverse courses as opposed to the three basic general education courses offered in the past. The results of their efforts thus far have been a smoother, more student-focused and diverse curriculum that makes better use of the department’s offerings. Yang said, “I think it turned out well and I had good support from our faculty, staff and even [the] student body.”
One such proposal already in the works is a unique course on religion in Korea, designed as a travel course offered once every four years. The class would theoretically allow students to visit significant religious sites in Korea, engaging directly with both traditional practices and Asian-American theology.
Though he is clearly a man of vision, Yang wants this rehaul to last a little while before another major reboot. “I have some visions,” he said, “we do not need to change our curriculum too often because that will confuse our students.”
Outside the classroom, Yang is a scholar and burger connoisseur. He has published several books, including one on theological method and another on the doctrine of God. He is currently working on a new book exploring Christology and Christian life. He also enjoys playing basketball at the school gym and going for a walk. However, food is where Dr. Yang’s heart lies. “I am a foodie, you know… the primary reason I cannot leave this country is [because-] burger.” Whether it be from a fast-food restaurant like Cook Out or Five Guys, Yang admits he must get his weekly burger fill from somewhere.
Originally from Korea, Yang came to the U.S. to study at Duke University. He cites both academic opportunity and work for staying. “I had a calling from God [to be a paster, but]… it’s much more competitive there,” he said, “and yet I realize there [is so much] work I can do here… [the] community [is] broken… [and] we need racial reconciliation, I can contribute some way with my ethnicity and racial identity.”
Before joining full-time faculty, Yang taught at GC as an adjunct for a year, mostly teaching intro to ethics courses. He decided to take a full-time position because the faculty shared many of his academic interests, specifically citing Dr. Kuo, who left GC last semester.
Despite his introverted nature, Yang is warm and engaging with students and colleagues alike. He has an incredible sense of humor and is sure to make you laugh. Yang is also incredibly knowledgeable in his field, so he is sure to know the answer to your REP-related questions. Although he jokes that his dream is “to be retired,” his passion for teaching and research suggests he will stick around for a while.
When asked what advice he would give students, he did not hesitate to answer: “Do not give up,” he said. “If you have a passion, you should follow it. If you ignore your passion, it will haunt you. So, keep going until you achieve it.” Wise words from a professor who has already made a big impact—and who is just getting started.
The Collegian 