In consideration of these and many other ways in which language is wielded, this issue explores the multi-dimensional meanings of naming and being named. There are limits and imaginations to language. There is subjugation and reclamation, clarity and obfuscation, power and possibility to reimagine. These stories name, rename, and unname such experiences.

We face our fears, anxieties, worries, and try to learn from what they’re telling us.

I grew up learning that forgiveness was what you should offer someone when they said they were sorry. That it was how Jesus would respond and taught his followers to respond. There was no question that forgiveness was the right thing to do. It was a given.

The API (Asian/Pacific Islander) Caucus at Union Theological Seminary in the city of New York has a ritual during important events to recite their group’s genealogy, an adaptation of the Matthean genealogy. It honors the activists, spiritual leaders, and alumni who shaped them, and includes API students who have walked the halls of Union into their ancestors’ legacy.

“Stories we tell” is a fascinating documentary about the filmmaker Sarah Polley’s mother and their family. As different siblings, relatives, and family friends are interviewed and their stories interweave, the viewer begins to see different facets of a deeply complex person.

Whether we want to or not, we all participate in a capitalist system that places the majority of wealth and decision making in the hands of very few. The world’s richest 1 percent own more wealth than the rest of the global population combined, while those in poorer countries see their natural resources exploited.

I used to be more hopeful, when I bought into the model minority myth. I believed that things would just work out if I put my head down and tried harder.

Contextual theology is the idea that one’s social location must be taken into account in how one understands God and reads Scripture. When social locations change, the questions change. When questions change, the theology changes.

I used to think that all churches should become multicultural. I openly criticized the Taiwanese immigrant church I attended, especially our English-speaking congregation, for not being diverse enough.

Surveys agree: The first year of marriage is one of the hardest. Whether it’s getting used to living with another person or working out new financial priorities, it’s no wonder that the first year can sometimes feel like the opposite of marital bliss.

The idea for Inheritance began with a simple mandate. Already publisher of a popular Chinese Christian magazine, Sean saw an opportunity to do the same thing for the “second generation”. Share some testimonies, encourage readers.

THE LAST VISIT to my parents brought up some feedback they had for inheritance: “Why are all the stories so sad? Can’t you tell a story with a happy ending once in a while?”

HAVING JUST LOST all of his wealth, daughters, and sons, Job falls to the ground and cries out, "The Lord has given; the Lord has taken; bless the Lord's name."

MY PARENTS MOVED to Maryland seven months after they got married. Fresh out of his doctorate program, my dad was connected by his mentor to two possible job opportunities — one in San Francisco and one in Maryland.

AS PART of our public relations undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California, we were required to take a broadcast journalism class.

THE TWO-CAR GARAGE of my three-bedroom condo only had enough space to fit one car. What took up space wasn't the random assortment of furniture, knick-knacks, and kitchen appliances I had slowly accumulated over years of living at that place. It was the cardboard boxes that these things came in.

IT'S REALLY HARD to have a good conversation about our sexuality. We tend to be on our guard, warily anticipating how something shared may challenge our own perspectives.

I WAS QUITE ANXIOUS as I walked from my car to the mosque. I had no personal desire to be there, save that it was a mandatory assignment for my seminary class.

I HAD A STORY in mind, about the time I was in a cast for six weeks. A moment of cockiness, compounded by wet grass from the morning dew, led to a full arm plaster cast for four weeks and a fiberglass cast for another two.

IN THE LATE 1970s Marvel Comics began publishing their "What If?" series with this simple premise: Take significant events in the Marvel Universe and explore what might have happened if there were different outcomes.

THE FIRST WARNING SIGN should have been the label attached to the solid wood tabletop I was planning to use for my desk: "Should be treated with BEHANDLA wood treatment oil for indoor use prior to usage."

OUR ORCHESTRA WAS SLOTTED to play at a concert hall in New York City when I was a high school freshman. At the time, I knew nothing about the world of pornography and masturbation.

"FROM MY TRADITION," the priest began, "We believe in the resurrection of the dead, that there is life in heaven, and that we will one day be reunited with our loved ones."

KAN SHEN ME, XUE SHEN ME. My mom would shake her head at me whenever I picked up the antics of certain movie characters. “Monkey see, monkey do.”

IN THE PAST YEAR, I’ve enjoyed the unexpected privilege of being invited by various Christian organizations and churches to share my thoughts on how they should navigate impending uncertainties.

I’VE ALWAYS PRIDED MYSELF on how much work and stress I could handle. For a good portion of my life, I brought this mentality into church.

I STILL REMEMBER the first time I voted. Our entire first grade class lined up single file to go downstairs and down the hall to the school library, where we were each handed paper ballots.

MY FAMILY LOVES FOOD. When my mom visits me in Los Angeles, she has to get her fill of In-N-Out, pastrami burgers from Tops, and Korean barbecue.

MY INITIAL REACTION to the 2014 film “Selma” was one of disappointment. Don’t get me wrong — the casting and acting were top notch, the cinematography was beautiful, and I was definitely moved to tears in certain scenes.

THE PEOPLE WERE SKEPTICAL of “Brandon” from the first moment he stepped on the church campus. Maybe it was because he seemed overly excited to be attending Sunday service.

THE NEWS THAT BALDWIN AVENUE would be closed for construction for two years took me by surprise.

One of the most difficult parts of crafting a solid résumé is knowing what to leave in and what to leave out. Proofreading is important, of course, but a rookie mistake is to overwhelm the paper with vast amounts of work experience, to include every single job ever held — no matter how old it was or how … unique.

Juvenile delinquents are visiting Litchfield Federal Penitentiary, and the inmates have been enlisted to scare them into setting their lives straight. “You think this is a joke? You want to end up here? You wouldn’t make it one night in here.”

WE LIKE TO CALL ourselves the children of God. It's a name that reminds us of how dearly loved we are by God. That we are all sons and daughters and have a great heavenly inheritance.

I FOUND MYSELF in Colonial Williamsburg last December while visiting my sister's new apartment in Virginia. My parents had gotten a good deal on annual passes — perfect for whenever they would visit my sister.