PRSt special issue, Fall 2027

I am glad to serve as the guest editor for the Fall 2027 special issue of Perspectives in Religious Studies (PRSt), where I am also a member of the editorial board. The issue will focus on the theme: "Reading a Samaritan Story in Luke 10 from Racialized Scholars’ Perspectives: Reclaiming People, Rebuilding Community, Pursuing Justice." For some time, my colleagues and I had been discussing this topic with plans to produce a book. Thanks to this special invitation, we are turning it into a journal issue instead. It is a wonderful match that brings our ideas to a highly accessible platform for readers.

Rethinking Paul

I grew up with a Presbyterian church background. Because of this, I always wished to publish with a Presbyterian publisher during my academic career, even though I have already published many books with other presses. Finally, my edited volume project was approved by Westminster John Knox Press. The project title is timely and important: Rethinking Paul: Critical Conversations for Our World. If all goes well, the book will be out in 2028. It is very exciting!

This collection features critical, contextual scholarship on Paul by seasoned scholars who offer fresh readings and bring them into dialogue with our contemporary world. It explores Paul’s life, theology, and identity; his relationship to Jesus’ teaching; and his views on the cross, politics, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. I hope it will become a milestone contribution to Pauline scholarship and to our understanding of Paul, who is often misrepresented or, at best, only shallowly understood. This book seeks to fill important lacunae in the field.

I extend my sincere thanks to the contributors for their commitment to producing such high-quality chapters.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction
—Yung Suk Kim

2. Who Is Paul? Biography, Calling, and Letters
—Efraín Agosto

3. Did Paul Invent Christianity? Continuities and Discontinuities between Jesus and Paul
—Greg Carey

4. How Does Paul Portray Jesus and the Cross? Salvation, Empire, and Imitation
—Demetrius K. Williams

5. What Did Paul Teach about Faith, Communities, and the Spirit?
—Jung Choi

6. What Is Paul’s Teaching on Gender and Sexuality?
—Janelle Peters

7. How Does Paul Address Politics, Economics, and Ethnicity?
—Sze-kar Wan

Why I Choose Faith in a Crazy World: The Resistant Spirit of Hope in a Harsh Reality

Why I Choose Faith in a Crazy World 

The Resistant Spirit of Hope in a Harsh Reality

Yung Suk Kim

When we face a world whose reality is harsh and unjust—when we see senseless events occurring around us and within us, or when we feel diminished by existential crises—most people respond with sorrow, anger, and despair. That is a legitimate response. The real issue is what follows: whether one is consumed by that despair, or whether one can navigate those cruel realities through reflection, activism, or religious appeal. Different people respond in different ways. This is the view of faith that matters to me.

Faith is not a panacea that resolves all problems, but a response that refuses to give up. It is a continuous search for answers, even when things seem unanswerable. In this respect, faith is a hope that refuses to give in to the harshness of life, whatever it may be. It is a resistant spirit, seeking resilience however impossible it may seem. Faith asks questions in the silence and finds an imperfect clue that life is still worth living. Job continued to question God even when he was shut down; Habakkuk complained to God even as he learned that his task was to live faithfully.

Along the journey of faith, one might see things more clearly than before—deconstructing ideologies and reconstructing life. One may begin to think differently, focusing on the dignity of life and protesting egregious acts.

Ultimately, faith as trust in God is a seed growing through the earth in a bleak world. Faith tells us there is a way forward. Life is worth living. Faith is also the glue or the bond through which we share our lives with others.

Furthermore, faith is never a weapon or a source of pride. It is a process through which we find the energy and hope to continue living in an uncertain world.

 

"The Light Yoke"

True rest isn't just taking a break—it's an intentional choice. In my latest article, "The Light Yoke: A Paradox of Yoke, Rest, and Self-Love," I explore how embracing a "good yoke" gives our struggles deep meaning and unlocks inner peace. We carry our own burdens, but we also hold the agency to heal.

Read the full essay now published in Currents in Theology and Mission.

"True rest emerges from our intentional engagement with divine grace, self-reflection, and meditation on our inner lives." ✨

In my new article, "The Light Yoke," I dive into the paradox of finding rest while carrying our burdens. It is ultimately up to us to actively participate in our own healing and growth by choosing a framework of value and dignity.

#YungSukKim #TheLightYoke #CurrentsInTheology #SpiritualGrowth #SelfCare

The Double Embrace

In The Double Embrace, I bring theological anthropology into a rigorous dialogue with contemporary cognitive science to address the modern crisis of mental fragmentation. By integrating cognition, emotion, and volition, this book provides a coherent framework for the "self-in-relation," bridging the critical gap between spiritual formation and psychological well-being.

A New Book-writing Journey

The Double Embrace: Theological Anthropology, Cognitive Science, and Psychological Integration

I’m excited to embark on a new book-writing journey with a clear roadmap of annotated chapters and determined energy. I am in low gear now, but I know where I am going and my speed will pick up gradually. My goal is to reach the final destination, but I plan to enjoy the scenery along the way. Writing takes discipline but is deeply enjoyable. It cures a sick soul and renews the mind.

In The Double Embrace, I bring theological anthropology into a rigorous dialogue with contemporary cognitive science to address the modern crisis of mental fragmentation. By integrating cognition, emotion, and volition, this book provides a coherent framework for the "self-in-relation," bridging the critical gap between spiritual formation and psychological well-being.

Essential Pillars of My Teaching

Yung Suk Kim
Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity
Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University
May 20, 2026

My ultimate goal is to provide responsive, high-impact education that addresses the holistic needs of every student. I achieve this through three essential pillars:

Critical Integration of Knowledge and Practice: Cultivating deep critical thinking by engaging students with diverse academic and ministerial resources. This ensures they not only master foundational knowledge but also synthesize and apply these truths to the complexities of professional ministry.

Transformational Application to Life and Leadership: Facilitating a learning environment where academic insights directly translate into personal spiritual growth and practical ministerial action, empowering students to lead with competence and authentic character.

Collaborative Formation in a Care-Centered Environment: Fostering a responsive "community of practice" through peer engagement and pastoral mentorship, modeling the love, care, and immediate responsiveness essential for compassionate leadership.

Strengths of Teaching

Yung Suk Kim

Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity

Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University

May 20, 2026

 
I primarily teach foundational courses in Biblical Studies and the New Testament. My teaching strengths are defined by three core pillars:

First, I prioritize critically informed instruction that balances accessibility with academic rigor. My goal is to present complex scholarly views in a way that is understandable yet intellectually challenging. I integrate historical, social, cultural, and contextual analyses of biblical texts, always drawing clear implications for the contemporary ministerial context.

Second, I foster collaborative learning through structured student discussions. By utilizing consistent small-group channels throughout the semester, I create a stable environment where students can follow specific guidelines to report their findings. This allows them to learn with and from one another, making peer engagement a vital component of their critical development.

Third, I utilize intentional reflection tools to ensure the integration of knowledge. I require assignments based on a four-part template: New Knowledge, Unlearning, Aha Moments, and Challenges. This framework encourages students to move beyond rote memorization toward deeper personal and professional reflection. Student feedback consistently highlights this method as a transformative element of their learning journey.

Daylilies

I have daylilies in my garden. They are so beautiful.

 

Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Yung Suk Kim, Ph.D.

Full Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity
Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University

Core Pedagogical Vision: Critical Diversity and The Integrated Self

My teaching philosophy centers on fostering a deep, transformative understanding of who we are in a profoundly diverse and complex world. I do not treat diversity as a static, passive reality to be tolerated; rather, I approach diversity as a vital source of active, critical engagement. My classroom operates as an intellectual ecosystem where students are challenged to examine how their unique identities intersect with ancient texts, contemporary societies, and global communities.

Having transitioned to higher education after a decade-long international business career spanning Latin America, my pedagogy is directly informed by firsthand encounters with global cultural diversity. This cross-cultural background drives my desire to dismantle individualistic models of thinking and education. In every course, I guide students to move past isolating frameworks to confront essential, communal questions: What does it mean to live in this world with each other? How do we read sacred and historical texts together when we differ?

Strategic Pedagogical Goals

To translate this vision into concrete classroom outcomes, I structure my curricula around four core pedagogical commitments:

• Learning from the Other: I teach students to actively engage with perspectives that differ radically from their own, using the text and classroom dialogue as a bridge to understand the "Face of the Other".

• Cultivating Epistemological Humility: I train students to maintain both a critical and self-critical stance toward any absolute claims of knowledge, truth, and reality, pushing them to question internalized biases.

• Affirming Transformative Identity: I design assignments that empower students to recognize, articulate, and affirm their own evolving voice, historical location, and narrative identity.

• Advancing a Common Humanity: I challenge students to translate academic insights into ethical actions that advocate for human solidarity, justice, and collective well-being in the modern world.

Theory and Praxis in the Classroom

My instructional design naturally mirrors my active interdisciplinary research, bridging the gaps between historical-contextual criticism, political philosophy, and cognitive science. In my courses, students do not just memorize ancient history; they apply contemporary cognitive frameworks to analyze the psychological interiority and mental worlds embedded within textual traditions. This method equips future ministers, scholars, and community practitioners with the diagnostic tools needed to address the fragmented identities and mental health struggles facing modern individuals.

Ultimately, my mandate as an educator is to communicate critical diversity and cultivate a transformative identity across a wide variety of life contexts. By demanding rigorous critical inquiry alongside a deep ethical commitment to human solidarity, I prepare students to leave my classroom equipped to engage a fractured world with intellectual clarity, empathy, and a unified sense of self.

Essential Pillars of My Teaching

My ultimate goal is to provide responsive, high-impact education that addresses the holistic needs of every student. I achieve this through three essential pillars:

Critical Integration of Knowledge and Practice: Cultivating deep critical thinking by engaging students with diverse academic and ministerial resources. This ensures they not only master foundational knowledge but also synthesize and apply these truths to the complexities of professional ministry.

Transformational Application to Life and Leadership: Facilitating a learning environment where academic insights directly translate into personal spiritual growth and practical ministerial action, empowering students to lead with competence and authentic character.

Collaborative Formation in a Care-Centered Environment: Fostering a responsive "community of practice" through peer engagement and pastoral mentorship, modeling the love, care, and immediate responsiveness essential for compassionate leadership.

Teaching Strengths
I primarily teach foundational courses in Biblical Studies and the New Testament. My teaching strengths are defined by three core pillars.

First, I prioritize critically informed instruction that balances accessibility with academic rigor. My goal is to present complex scholarly views in a way that is understandable yet intellectually challenging. I integrate historical, social, cultural, and contextual analyses of biblical texts, always drawing clear implications for the contemporary ministerial context.

Second, I foster collaborative learning through structured student discussions. By utilizing consistent small-group channels throughout the semester, I create a stable environment where students can follow specific guidelines to report their findings. This allows them to learn with and from one another, making peer engagement a vital component of their critical development.

Third, I utilize intentional reflection tools to ensure the integration of knowledge. I require assignments based on a four-part template: New Knowledge, Unlearning, Aha Moments, and Challenges. This framework encourages students to move beyond rote memorization toward deeper personal and professional reflection. Student feedback consistently highlights this method as a transformative element of their learning journey.