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Kinjo Gakuin University was started by Presbyterian missionaries
from the United States in 1889. A women's university, it was founded
to give, within a Christian context, equal access to women in
educational pursuits. Now that women do have access to almost
all areas of education, Kinjo Gakuin continues to try to provide
an education with a Christian emphasis.
"I have been serving here for four years now," writes
Bill, "with the next two years already signed on the contract.
I am paid by the university as an associate professor of English.
In a sense then, I am a kind of a tent-maker missionary, following
in a small way, the apostle Paul and others down through the centuries."
"The vast majority of Japanese consider themselves Shinto
and Buddhist. Kinjo Gakuin University considers itself a Christian
university, and there's a greater percentage of Christians here
than in Japan as a whole, which is only 1 to 2 percent Christian.
This makes it a wonderful challenge to be a witness to the truth
and love of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Bill holds an MDiv from Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque,
Iowa; a masters in teaching English as a foreign language from
the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England; a bachelor
of arts degree in elementary education from Washing State University
in Pullman, Washington.
Bill was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in August
1995 and is a minister member of John Knox Presbytery.
Birthday: May 17
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