[Revised 9/Mar/2026]
Rev Dr Wendell Karsen, born in Illinois in 1936, held degrees from Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Western Theological Seminary.
After serving as a pastor in Michigan, he spent 25 years as a Reformed Church missionary in Taiwan (1969-73), Hong Kong (1974-84, 1990-98), and Indonesia (1998-2000).
He served two parishes in Michigan for seven years, during which time he married Joyce Hughes in 1960. Joyce held a Masters Degree from the Wheaton Graduate School of Theology. They had four children together – Stephen, Philip, Rachel and Andrew.
They served together as Reformed Church of America missionaries in Taiwan and Hong Kong from 1969-1984.
In Taiwan, Dr Karsen was Director of University Student Work for the Presbyterian Church during the "White Terror" under Chiang Kai-shek. Due to his involvement with the persecuted Church, Dr Karsen was banned from the island for 19 years.
In Hong Kong he taught at Ying Wa College in Hong Kong. At that time, the Biblical Knowledge textbooks in use were uninspiring and focused primarily on rote memorisation and repetition for examinations. Seeking to make the subject more interesting and relevant to students’ lives, he began creating his own teaching materials and trialling them in his classes.
Encouraged to expand his work, he authored the FAITH & LIFE SERIES. By that stage, he was serving as Education Secretary for the Hong Kong Christian Council (1978-84). He wrote additional volumes for revised curricula. The books were subsequently authorised by the Hong Kong Government’s Education Department, published in both Chinese and English, and widely adopted over the following decade.
Dr Karsen developed the SWAP program for high school students, launched NEWS & VIEWS, and directed the Communications Centre.
After a long battle with cancer, Joyce died in 1989.
Returning to Hong Kong in 1990, Karsen resumed his role, coordinated religious broadcasting for the government, and wrote FAITH FOR TODAY, which became the official senior secondary curriculum. He also helped establish a Teachers of Religious Education organisation aimed at offering further training and sharing ideas among Biblical Knowledge teachers.
In 1991, Wendell Karsen married Renske Greve. She was from the Netherlands and held degrees from Wheaton College and College of DuPage. She had careers in teaching, nursing and business. Together Wendell and Renske served as RCA missionaries in Hong Kong and Indonesia from 1991-2000, and in Thailand in 2023.
During their time in Hong Kong, the Karsens lived in a house on Cheung Chau (House #2), 1975-1998.
Post-retirement to the USA in 2000, Dr Karsen directed the Master of Theology program at Western Seminary.
He received awards for his contributions to democracy in Taiwan and religious education.
A man of many interests and pursuits, he published thirteen books and numerous articles, many with a focus on China, and remained active in teaching and writing in Florida.
Dr Wendell Karsen died in Florida in January 2026, aged 89.
Sources:
Broadus Raines website (with Pic)