Dr. Yung Suk Kim's Scholarly Journey: About

Yung Suk Kim, PhD

Professor of New Testament & Early Christianity

Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology

Virginia Union University

Email: ykim@vuu.edu

My Scholarly Journey | Perception of Me | The Scholarship Update | Travels | Public

Welcome to my digital home. As a scholar, author, and educator, my lifelong mission has been to build a vibrant bridge between the living church, the wider world, and rigorous academia. In this special feature, I reflect on my 20-year journey—from my corporate roots at LG, through my theological training at McCormick and Vanderbilt, to my current work at Virginia Union University. Explore how this vision comes to life across my teaching, publications, community service, and digital ministries, and join me as I look forward to what the Lord has in store next.

👉 [Read the Full Reflection: Bridging the Church and the World]

Dr. Yung Suk Kim is Full Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University. A prolific author, interdisciplinary visionary, and recipient of the 2024 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Kim's research explores the intersections of Scripture, justice, faith, and human transformation.

He has authored and edited over twenty books, including Treasures and Thorns (2026), Justice and the Parables of Jesus (2026), How to Read the Gospels (2024), and Christ’s Body in Corinth (2008). Alongside his academic tenure, he is the founder of Stone Mountain Consulting and Research. Dr. Kim holds a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University and an M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary, following an early ten-year corporate career with LG in Seoul, Panama, and Miami.

As a teacher and speaker, Dr. Kim is recognized for connecting ancient texts to contemporary existential concerns. His ongoing work continues to explore how Scripture can foster resilience, responsibility, and transformation in both personal and social life.

[Narrative version]

Yung Suk Kim, Full Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University, is committed to transformative teaching, accessible scholarship, and effective service. He is passionate about human transformation, rooted in self-awareness, self-criticism, and human solidarity. During his business career, he traveled to many Latin American countries, where he came to realize the importance of cultural diversity and the need for human solidarity. What does it mean to live in this world with each other (i.e., the meaning of the Other, which resonates with Emmanuel Levinas' "The Face of the Other," Paul Ricoeur's "inter-subjective narrative identity," and Jacques Derrida's "relationless relation")? How can we do theology in our thoughts and deeds while moving pointedly away from individualism? And how can we read biblical stories together when we differ?

Dr. Kim earned his Ph.D. in New Testament studies from Vanderbilt University and an M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary.

With a prolific output of over 20 books, Dr. Kim explores various dimensions of biblical interpretation and New Testament studies. His acclaimed works include Christ’s Body in Corinth: The Politics of a Metaphor (Fortress, 2008), Toward Decentering the New Testament (Cascade, 2018, co-authored with Mitzi J. Smith), and How to Read Paul: A Brief Introduction to His Theology, Writings, and World (Fortress, 2021). His scholarship frequently provides ethical interpretations of biblical texts, emphasizing justice, inclusion, and the perspectives of the marginalized. His most recent book continues with this scholarly direction: Justice and the Parables of Jesus: Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy (T&T Clark, 2026).

Dr. Kim's academic and public service contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, receiving the Scott & Stringfellow Outstanding Professor Award from VUU in 2019 and the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. These accolades underscore his dedication to education, scholarship, and societal impact.

Dr. Kim actively participates in the academic community, inviting colleagues to contribute to monumental volumes such as At the Intersection of Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Transgressive Readings for Transformational Preaching (Pickwick, 2025) and Paul’s Gospel, Empire, Race, and Ethnicity: Through the Lens of Minoritized Scholarship (Pickwick, 2023). He reaches wider audiences through lectures and publications that connect historical texts with contemporary issues, emphasizing cultural diversity and global solidarity.

Dr. Kim's well-rounded academic background, substantial scholarship, and active engagement in both academic and public circles establish him as a respected and influential authority in biblical studies.

한국어 (KOREAN):

김영석 박사는 현재 미국 버지니아주의 리치먼드에 소재한 "버지니아 유니언" 대학교 새뮤열 드윗 프락터 신학대학원에서 신약성서 정교수이며 그동안 20여 권의 책을 저술하고 4권의 책을 기획하며 편저자로 참여하였다. 대표적 책으로는 Christ's Body in Corinth: The Politics of a Metaphor (Fortress, 2008)이며 최근의 책으로는 How to Read Paul (Fortress, 2021) 그리고 How to Read the Gospels (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024)와 Justice and the Parables of Jesus: Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy (T&T Clark, 2026)이다. 그의 관심사는 성서해석학, 초기기독교 연구, 바울서신, 해석과 설교의 접목, 정신건강과 성서 등 다양하다. 경북대학교를 졸업하고 LG에서 약 10년 근무하였고(파나마, 마이애미 지사), 그 후에 삶을 전향하여 신학의 길로 들어섰다. 맥코믹 신학대학원에서 M.Div., 밴더빌트대학에서 신약학 박사(PhD)를 취득하였다. 20년 이상을 한 곳에서 가르치고 연구하고 있다.

The letters in the seal denote a stone-mountain scholar. I like stone. It is strong and hard to break, but it breaks. It is everywhere, used for construction and pavement, and its usefulness is prevalent. I want to be that kind of a scholar—a Stone Mountain Scholar. For me, the mountain symbolizes something big, calm, and beyond myself, yet profoundly important for all of us. Indeed, the image of a stone-mountain has stayed with me since my youth.

INFOGRAPHIC

LIFE MANIFESTO

STVU Faculty

2022

2026

Link

With president of VUU, Dr. Hakim Lucas (Jan 2026)

Teaching Philosophy

During my business career, I traveled extensively across many Latin American countries, gaining insights into cultural diversity and human solidarity. What does it mean to live in this world with each other (i.e., the meaning of the Other — Emmanuel Levinas' "the face of the other," Paul Ricoeur's "inter-subjective narrative identity," or Jacques Derrida's "relationless relation")? How can we do theology in our thoughts and deeds while moving pointedly away from individualism? And how can we read biblical stories together when we differ?

I foster and teach to engage in the knowledge of who we are in this world where we see our diversity and differences. In my teaching, diversity is not a given but a source for critical engagement with each other. I value a critical and self-critical stance toward any claim of knowledge, truth, and reality. I nourish diversity and transformative identity for students' transformation. I emphasize the following as pedagogical goals: learning from others, challenging one another, affirming who we are, and working for common humanity in differences.

A Framework for Scholarly Inquiry

Yorktown, Virginia (2025)

2024 Visit Korea Lecture Events

Adjective

My adjective is "conscientious." I listen to my inner voice as often as possible. I am meticulous in my work. I am impatient and imperfect. However, I am always resilient and come back to do better and more.

What am I?

People form their impressions of me based on what they see. While my colleagues tell me I am a prolific writer, students think I am thoroughly prepared. But I see myself differently. I'm always conscientious and feel like walking a tightrope.

Like vapor, I am evanescent,
Like a reed, I am wavering.
Small as dust, yet not vanity,
There’s more within my being.

I am not a mere academic who digs only into the past. I am a historian, theologian, humanist, realist, lover of wisdom, and advocate for justice and love.

View of Teacher, Student, and Author

A good teacher satisfies students; a wonderful teacher teaches what they need, and an ideal teacher teaches them with love, helping them to prepare themselves.
A good student follows the teacher's instructions, a remarkable student asks critical and self-critical questions, and a formidable student knows that learning is limitless.
A good author satisfies readers, an admirable author stimulates their interest, and an exceptional author creates new needs for readers.

Philosophy of life

"Change is inherent in being human. The key is to understand and embrace it. A creative life comes through a vortex of change." (Yung Suk Kim)

Short Bio and Confession

I worked for LG in the 1990s. I lived in Panama with my family. I traveled frequently throughout Latin America. I liked the food, people, and culture of Latin America. I also enjoyed traveling to the Caribbean. My daughters were young, ages 3 to 5. I lived there for three years and moved to Miami, Florida, USA. Then, I worked there for almost two years and quit my job to pursue theological education. So our family went to Chicago, and I studied at McCormick Theological Seminary. Then, I went to Vanderbilt University for a PhD program in New Testament studies.

After completing my PhD program at Vanderbilt, I got a new job as an Assistant Professor of New Testament at Virginia Union University. Since then, I have been teaching for almost 20 years. I was promoted to Full Professor in 2021. I am still here, Lord. Thanks.

God is love. If you ask where God is, I can say he is not in heaven alone but here and everywhere. Indeed, God is the source of our life. Wherever you go, whatever you do, God is always with you. We must be mindful of God's presence in our lives. We must feel it at every moment. God is not an idea but the power that enables us to live abundantly.