I am excited to write a book on cross-cultural wisdom: The Architecture of Wisdom: Constructive, Deconstructive, and Integrative Paths in Biblical and East Asian Traditions. This excerpt is from the opening of the introductory chapter:
To be a lover of wisdom is, by definition and calling, to be a philosopher. In the modern academy, knowledge is frequently partitioned into narrow silos; I am officially categorized as a biblical scholar—a New Testament expert equipped with the linguistic and historical tools of the trade. Yet, my vocational impulse has always transcended these boundaries, rooted in philosophia in its most ancient and literal sense. This pursuit is not merely an intellectual exercise but a rhythmic oscillation between two distinct cultural landscapes.
Born and raised in South Korea, I was formed by the East Asian philosophical traditions that permeate the peninsula: the social ethics of Confucianism, the paradoxical flow of Daoist thought, and the psychological depth of Buddhism. My path to the academy, however, was not linear. Prior to my academic career, I served as an international businessman, a role that took me to Latin America and eventually led to my relocation to the United States to establish a new office. It was from this professional vantage point that I transitioned to the academy, ultimately obtaining my master’s and doctoral degrees in Christian scriptures.
Throughout my tenure in the United States, I became deeply immersed in Western critical-historical traditions. Yet, this did not result in cultural displacement, but rather the discovery of a “third space.” In this space, my East Asian heritage remained a vibrant foundation for my inquiry. Whether negotiating a business contract or analyzing a Greek manuscript, my central question has remained constant: How does one live a wise life in an uncertain world? This book is the culmination of that lifelong inquiry, integrating a businessman’s pragmatism and multicultural perspective with a scholar’s rigor.