The Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, J.D., Ph.D.

Overview
  • Episcopal priest, canonically resident in the Episcopal Diocese of New York.
  • Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York; J.D. from Harvard Law School; B.A. from Yale College.
  • Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.
  • Senior Vice President of Business Compliance at the Church Pension Group.​​
  • Associate Rector at The Church of the Transfiguration ("The Little Church Around the Corner"), New York City.​​​
  • Author of three books on LGBTQ+ theology, which have been translated into Chinese, Japanese, and/or Korean.

Education
  • Ph.D., Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, New York, NY.
    • ​Ph.D. (2010), M.Phil. (2009), M.A. (2001), Systematic Theology.
    • Doctoral Adviser: Dr. James H. Cone.
    • Maxwell Fellowship; Hansen Award; Union Scholarship.
  • J.D., Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA.
    • J.D. (1993).
    • Magna cum laude.
    • Executive Editor, Harvard Law Review.
  • B.A., Yale College, New Haven, CT.
    • B.A. (1990).
    • Summa cum laude.
    • Phi Beta Kappa.
    • Distinction in the Major, ​English Language and Literature.

Legal Experience
  • New York State Bar.
    • ​Member (1995-present).
  • Church Pension Group, New York, NY.
    • Senior Vice President of Business Compliance (2022-present).
    • Senior Vice President of Client Benefits and Education Compliance (2017-21).
    • Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer (2014-17).
    • Various legal positions, including Senior Vice President and General Counsel (2000-10).
  • Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, LLP, New York, NY.
    • Associate Attorney, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits (1995-99).
  • ​Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP, New York, NY.
    • Associate Attorney, Tax (1994-95).
    • Summer Associate (1992).
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Los Angeles, CA.
    • Law Clerk to the Hon. Stephen Reinhardt, Circuit Judge (1993-94).
  • ​Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston, MA.
    • ​Summer Associate (1991).

Academic Experience
  • See "Teaching" section.
  • Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, New York, NY.​
    • Visiting Professor of Anglican Studies (2023-25).
    • Interim Faculty Adviser to Episcopal Students (2023).
    • Courses taught included Queer Anglicanism, Queer Theology, and Eucharistic Theology.
  • Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY.
    • Visiting Professor of Anglican Studies (2022-23).​
    • ​Lecturer / Adjunct Faculty in Anglican Studies (2020-22).
    • Courses taught included Anglican Studies Capstone Seminar: From Seminary to Ministerial Leadership; Anglican Studies: Discernment of Call; Queer Anglicanism; and Queer Theology.
  • Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL.
    • Affiliated Associate Professor of Theology (2015).
    • ​Courses taught included Queer Theology.
  • ​Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA.
    • Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology (tenured) (2014).
    • Assistant Professor (2010-14).
    • ​Courses taught included Early Christianity; Contemporary Christologies; Introduction to Systematic Theology; Heaven, Hell, and Last Things; Queer Theology and Pastoral Care; Administration and Finance for Congregations; and History, Polity, and Canon Law of The Episcopal Church.

Church Experience
  • See "Ministry" and "Preaching" sections.​
  • The Episcopal Diocese of New York, New York, NY.
    • Chancellor (2024-present).
    • ​Co-Convener, Bishop's Advisory Theology Committee (2024).
    • Chair, Subcommittee on the Theology of Faith Formation (2024).
  • The Church of the Transfiguration ("The Little Church Around the Corner"), New York, NY.​​
    • Associate Rector (2017-19; 2026-present).
    • ​Associate Priest (2015-17; 2021-26).​
  • Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, New York, NY.
  • Saint Bartholomew's Church, New York, NY.
    • ​Assisting Priest (2015).
  • Emmanuel Church in the City of Boston, Boston, MA.
    • ​Deacon (2014-15).
    • Pastoral Associate (2012-14).

Board Service
  • The Corporation for the Relief of Widows/Widowers and Children of Clergypersons of The Episcopal Church in the State of New York.
    • ​Member, Board of Directors (2024-present).
  • The Anglican Theological Review.
    • ​Trustee (2016-24).

Professional Associations
  • Ecclesiastical Law Society.
    • ​Member (2024-present).
  • Episcopal Chancellors Network.
    • ​Member (2024-present).
  • American Academy of Religion.
    • ​Chair, Committee on the Status of LGBTQ Persons in the Profession (2014-15).
    • Member, Committee on the Status of LGBTQ Persons in the Profession (2012-13).
    • Member (1999-present).

Books
  • See "Writing" section.
  • Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality, and Spirit.  New York: Seabury Books, 2013.
  • From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.  New York: Seabury Books, 2012.
  • Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology.  New York: Seabury Books, 2011.
  • Co-Editor, Queering Christianity: Finding a Place at the Table for LGBTQI Christians.  Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2013.

Other Key Publications
  • See Google Scholar profile and "Writing" section.
  • "Queer Theology."  In Ford's The Modern Theologians: An Introduction to Theology Since 1918, 4th ed., 350-63.  Edited by Rachel Muers and Ashley Cocksworth.  Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024.
  • "What Theologians Need to Know: Contributions from Queer Theory."  In Oxford Handbook of Theology, Sexuality, and Gender, 153-69.  Edited by Adrian Thatcher.  Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
  • "Rethinking Sin and Grace for LGBT People Today."  In Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection, 2nd ed., 105-18.  Edited by Marvin M. Ellison and Kelly Brown Douglas.  Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.

Key Lectures and Talks
  • See YouTube page and "Speaking" section.
  • Lecturer, 2021 Pitt Lecture, "Race and Sexuality in the ‘Regions Beyond’: Towards a Postcolonial Queer Missiology,” Berkeley Divinity School, Yale University, New Haven, CT (October 19, 2021) | Video (at 1:09:30) | Transcript.
  • Panelist, "Queerness & Christianity," Stanford University Speaker Series on Queerness, Spirituality, and Religion, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (March 7, 2021) (via videoconference).
  • Symposium Participant, "Queer Life After DOMA: The Triumph of Gay Marriage in an Age of Family Values," Yale University, New Haven, CT (April 25, 2014).
  • Lecturer, Sixteenth Annual Gilberto Castañeda Lecture, "Triangles and Rainbows: Constructing a Queer of Color Theology," Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL (April 26, 2012) | Video.
  • Lecturer, Fourth Annual John E. Boswell Lecture, "The Rainbow Connection: Bridging Asian American and Queer Theologies," Center for Gay and Lesbian Studies in Religion and Ministry, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA (April 28, 2011) | Text.

Professional Development
  • Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
    • ​Chaplaincy Intern, Clinical Pastoral Education (2014).
  • Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, Crawford, IN.
    • ​Participant, Workshop for Pre-Tenure Asian and Asian American Religion and Theology Faculty (2011-12).

Key Grants
  • ​Lead Instructor, Grant awarded by the Arcus Foundation to Episcopal Divinity School for the Queer Theology Academy in Asia Project.
  • Recipient, Conant Grant awarded by the Standing Commission on Ministry Development, The Episcopal Church.
​
Ecumenical Experience
  • Metropolitan Community Churches.
    • ​Ordained and licensed minister (2001-14).

​Foreign Languages
  • Chinese (Mandarin).
  • French.
  • ​German.
  • Greek (Koine).
  • Hebrew (Biblical).
  • Latin (Ecclesiastical).
  • Spanish.