My daily routine (I do this three times a day)

This is my daily routine. I take my body seriously. It is not merely a physical organism. It is a body that carries me, my soul, my thinking, my health, and my love. No body, no life.

Soma Christou (body of Christ)

I take theology seriously because of its direct implications for our lives today. Specifically, I focus on the concept of the "body of Christ," as a far deeper, more radical meaning of the phrase has been lost. This metaphor directly challenges all forms of imperialism, triumphalism, and oppressive, hegemonic hierarchy. Paul does not merely suggest that the church is an organism akin to a social body; rather, he frames it as a Christ-informed community that adopts an alternative way of living outside the imperial system. I have argued this thesis throughout my books and articles, including my debut book, Christ's Body in Corinth, which directly addresses this ecclesial theology.

God So Loved the World: The Gospel of John and the Care of Creation

In my experience, no effort is ever truly wasted; every idea can be transformed into positive, creative energy. As long as I am able, I will never abandon a project I believe in, provided it remains worth pursuing in some format. While many of my grant applications have been unsuccessful, this does not mean the work lacks value—it simply means the opportunity wasn't the right fit at the time. Consequently, I give these projects new life by publishing them or adapting them for alternative purposes. This particular project on John's Gospel and ecology began years ago as a grant proposal. I have now retitled it, restructured the table of contents, and approached it with a renewed perspective. This reflects my process: a continuous cycle of writing, persisting, and refining.

God So Loved the World: The Gospel of John and the Care of Creation 

trailer (How to Read Paul)

I produced this promotional trailer for my book, How to Read Paul, prior to its release in 2021. Even today, the content feels remarkably fresh. Moving forward, I am looking to enhance my skills in producing high-quality trailers for my upcoming books. Get the book from the press.

Life Moves So Quickly

Thirty years ago, I was working as a branch manager for a Korean company (LG) in Miami, Florida. I eventually left that career to embark on a new journey, pursuing theological studies in Chicago. My entire family accompanied me, sacrificing much along the way—something I still look back on with a sense of regret. Upon earning my M.Div., I transitioned into a doctoral program in Nashville. I successfully completed my PhD in five years and secured my first position in this second career at my current school in Richmond, Virginia. I have now lived here for over 21 years. It has been a thrill to teach such wonderful students and shape them for critical, faithful ministry. Alongside teaching, I have published numerous scholarly works. In the end, my children grew up, married, and blessed me with grandchildren. Life moves so quickly. Someday, I will leave this institution for retirement. What a remarkable life!

AI created image

Walk your path

"Whatever the circumstances, I will walk my path. I may meander and falter, 

yet I will keep moving forward" -Yung Suk Kim

다시 시작하는 성경공부: 예수의 비유 편

예수가 던진 진짜 질문을 찾아서

이 책은 예수의 비유를 역사와 문학 비평적으로 접근함과 동시에 현재의 삶의 정황을 동시에 다룬다. 비유는 예수의 가르침의 중요한 수단으로 당대의 문제점을 꼬집고 도전하는 이야기이다. 그것은 단순히 개인의 구원을 다루는 것이 아니다. 비유를 잘 이해하기 위해서 그 당시 세계의 정치, 경제, 사회지식이 요구된다. 또, 비유해석의 다양한 방법론도 필요하다. 결국은 비유를 통하여 오늘을 재조명하는 것이 목적이다. 이 책은 새로운 성경공부용으로 개발되었다.

시집: 태초와 나, 그리고 삶과 죽음

태초와 나, 그리고 삶과 죽음

Paperback through Lulu

 

나에게 시집은 세상과 소통하는 가장 자연스럽고 의미있는 통로이다. 이를 즐기고 아낀다. 시인이 전문은 아니지만 시를 사랑하고 시를 통하여 나의 이야기를 하고자 한다. “너는 먼지다”라는 시집은 도덕경에 바탕을 두고 썼으며 몇년 전에 출간하였다. 조금의 반응은 있었고 많이 고무되었다. 그걸로 한국시집은 처음이자 마지막이라 생각했다. 그런데 또 다른 작은 시집을 마련하게 되었다. 나도 모르게, 자연스레. 이 시집은 나의 지난 날의 학문여정을 반영하며 개인적인 관심사인 태초와 우주, 그리고 우리의 불안정한 삶과 죽음의 문제를 다룬다. 이것은 나의 불완전한 시이며 이야기이다. 여기에 실린 사상은 오직 나의 불완전함을 전제로 이야기한다. 나는 누구를 설득하거나 내 것이 맞다고 말하지 않는다. 독자는 이것을 읽음으로서 자기와의 대화를 하길 바라고 자기의 이야기를 담아내길 기대한다.

-목차-

태초에 나는 없었다

태초의 의미

지배유혹

빅뱅 이후

자연의 변화

인간의 탄생

어떻게 살 것인가?

담담한 날

죽고 싶을 때

받아들이라

오늘의 삶

확신

나는 나

도토리 키재기

치유

종교

자유

죽음에 대한 관점

어떻게 죽을 것인가?

죽음의 의미

Rooted in Love, Resilient in Mind

Can faith and mental health coexist? Find out in Rooted in Love, Resilient in Mind.

Are you navigating the crossroads of faith and mental wellness? It can often feel disorienting and overwhelming to balance your spiritual life with the realities of anxiety and self-discovery.

In my new book, Rooted in Love, Resilient in Mind, we explore the powerful intersection of mental health, spirituality, and the quest for identity. This isn't just a guide to managing anxiety—it’s an invitation to profound renewal. By integrating insights from biblical studies, cognitive science, and psychological theory, this book offers you a roadmap to engage in a deeper exploration of the self.

It’s time to move beyond "just getting by" and start growing deep roots.

✨ Order your copy on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F3VV7GXC

#MentalHealth #Spirituality #FaithAndScience #AnxietyRelief #SelfDiscovery #RootedInLove

The Lord's Prayer in Greek

We will read the Lord's Prayer in Greek. Dr. Kim will help you to pronounce each Greek word in the Lord's prayer. Reading is a very important first step to learning the language.

The Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly

 

Description

In this video, we explore the Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly (Mark 4:26-29), a short and unique parable found exclusively in the Gospel of Mark. While the Sower's Parable focuses on indiscriminate scattering and the condition of the soil, this parable shifts the focus to the mysterious process of growth and the limitations of human effort (8:58).  

Discover how this teaching applies to our modern lives, communities, and faith journeys through four main actions:

• Sow: Actively using the unique talents and grace given to us by God (7:06).
• Honor: Recognizing the boundaries between human effort and divine control (13:02).
• Trust: Having patience with the painful, step-by-step process of spiritual growth (9:29).
• Harvest: Acting urgently when the right season arrives to feed and give back to our communities (4:49).

Reflection Questions to Explore:

1. How does the Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly differ from the Sower's Parable? (14:51)
2. Where is the boundary between what we should do and what we cannot control in the work of God? (16:18)
3. Why is the slow process of growth and maturity so important in our personal lives and society? (16:41)
4. What does the harvest mean to you, and how can you share your abundant gifts with others? (17:33)

Dr. Kim's Biblical Studies Channel!

Help Us Reach 1,000 Subscribers on Dr. Kim's Biblical Studies Channel! 📖

I am currently at 429 subscribers and need your support to reach my next major milestone of 1,000! On this channel, I draw from my 20+ years of teaching and biblical research to provide short, insightful lectures focused on human transformation, biblical literacy, and social ethics.  

If you believe in accessible, critical, and thoughtful biblical education, please subscribe and spread the word!

👉 Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.yungsukkim 

 

Rooted in Love, Resilient in Mind

This book explores the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and the quest for identity. It invites readers to navigate the challenges of anxiety and self-discovery, acknowledging that the crossroads of faith and mental health can often feel disoriented and overwhelming. Yet, within this struggle lies a profound opportunity for renewal. By integrating insights from biblical studies, cognitive science, and psychological theory, this work offers strategies to not only manage anxiety but also engage in a deeper exploration of the self.

You Are Dust (Poetry in Korean)

It feels amazing and humbling to see that my Korean poetry book, You Are Dust, has sold about 200 copies so far through Amazon. The readers are primarily Korean immigrants living in the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. This success has inspired me to begin preparing another collection in Korean. Having also published an English edition, From Dust to Mystery, I know that poetry is my creative strength. I look forward to writing more and sharing my genuine life journey.

Eclectic ancient texts from East Asia

My hobby is meditation and writing ancient East Asian religious and philosophical texts. Below is my calligraphy featuring passages from Confucius (the Analects), Laozi (the Dao De Jing), and Mahayana Buddhist texts. Each, in its own way, humbly explores human existence, community, and social life. I love Confucius for his profound understanding of human-centered, humble morality. I appreciate Laozi for his sharp critique of traditions. And I embrace Mahayana Buddhism for its deep compassion toward a humanity torn by pain.

I often compare their wisdom with biblical traditions as well. In doing so, it becomes clear that wisdom is transhistorical, cross-cultural, and deeply experiential. It is never owned by a single religion, culture, or people. Ultimately, we need our constructed wisdom—so long as it stands ready to be deconstructed and endlessly reconstructed.

 

 

Analects of Confucius

 

Dao De Jing and Buddhist texts

 

Three Marks of Existence and the Heart Sutra (sunyata)

My Scholarly Journey: Justice, Mercy, and Transformation

What does it truly mean to live a life of transformation? After two decades of research, teaching, and writing, I’ve come to realize that the core of meaningful change lies in a single, complex concept: Justice.

In this video, I share my personal journey as a scholar and a follower of Jesus, exploring how the "good news" is inextricably linked to God’s righteousness. 

We will dive deep into the ten different facets of justice—from distributive and social to environmental and restorative—and look at how the subversive parables of Jesus challenge our normative thinking about fairness, work, and even the "weeds" within ourselves. 

If you have ever asked "What is God?", "What am I?", or "What is the right thing to do?", I invite you to join me in this reflection on the value of today and the ongoing process of transformation. 

 

Why partition theory?

My commentary, Treasures and Thorns, is based on partition theory—the idea that 2 Corinthians is actually a composite of at least five distinct letters. I am fully convinced by this theory because it brings Paul's intense engagement and the complex issues in Corinth into sharp focus. I love this letter precisely because it is so beautifully complex, offering a vivid portrait of the early church's real-world struggles.

new book "Treasures and Thorns"

Consider the dialectic of treasures and thorns within 2 Corinthians, one of Paul’s most profound epistles. For your review, I have provided two scanned pages from my volume, Treasures and Thorns: A Concise Critical Commentary on 2 Corinthians. 

My book is now available in all formats: paperback, e-book, and hardcover! Please feel free to share this information with your school library or consider leaving a review anywhere. You can purchase it from Wipf and Stock or online retailers such as Amazon.

 

Blog visitors

I occasionally check who visits my blog from around the world. This screenshot displays visitors over the last 7 days. There are no consistent traffic patterns by country, except for the US. However, this particular view shows Brazil ranking number one, closely followed by the US. On average, my monthly traffic varies between 30,000 and 80,000 visitors. This global reach is the reason I take my blog so seriously as a way to communicate with the world.

Travel photos and reflections (July 2026)

I returned home after three weeks of travel through Portland, Seattle, and Banff, Canada, spending most of my time in Oregon. I am tired but gradually recovering my energy. I have preserved these memories through photos and personal reflections.

I flew to Oregon from Virginia in July 2026. The first highlight of my trip centers on fruit picking and the surrounding landscapes, showcasing how Oregon is truly blessed with abundant natural beauty and resources. I visited the agricultural regions behind Mt. Hood, which are filled with orchards and vineyards producing apples, peaches, berries, and grapes. The sheer variety of fruits, with their splendid colors and shapes, completely satisfied my palate.

These natural blessings are not of our own making; they are freely given to all of us. What we truly need is genuine appreciation and a willingness to share these gifts with others.

*I give special thanks to my daughter and son-in-law for their heartfelt arrangement and care for our travels.

   

       

 

In Canada, I witnessed the majestic Rocky Mountains and pristine lakes, catching a glimpse of the early stages of cataclysmic planetary changes. I wrote the following poem as a result of my travels through those areas:

The Beginning of a Beginning

— Yung Suk Kim

Being fully present within nature's vast diversity,
I feel like nothing but a small part of its great mystery.
Suddenly, I realized the layers of upheaval born from the first existence,
As the elements of the earth began to take shape.
What I witnessed was a revolutionary scene:
The Rocky Mountains rising from the ocean floor.
Millions of years ago, no one could have predicted such things.
Non-existence does not mean there is nothing to arise;
All things are a temporary phenomenon.
The mystery of power is already everywhere.
While we cannot fully grasp the beginning of a beginning,
We still feel the unfathomable mystery of our being within nature.
The beauty of the Rocky Mountains and untouched lakes not only leaves me spellbound but forces me to question their origins—origins born from millions of past upheavals and geological shifts.
Seeing is not everything; asking questions with curiosity awakens our dormant spirit.
What we truly need is an incessant investigation into who we are.
We must acknowledge our fundamental weaknesses and accept our vulnerability, while still believing in the meaning of our lives amidst our transient nature.
I will never forget the realization that seeing is more than just observing a phenomenon.
It is a gateway through which we must question our fragile yet precious existence.

 

       

  

  

  

  

  

  

After Canada, I visited Seattle.




Finally, I traveled to the Oregon Dunes and the coastal areas. Stepping onto the Oregon Dunes this afternoon, the sheer vastness of the sand took my breath away. A surprisingly cold wind swept across the landscape, constantly reshaping the slopes into fluid, nameless forms. Looking out, I felt a profound peace in knowing that no human hand shaped this place; it belongs entirely to the wild, raw forces of nature.

Ultimately, Oregon is a deeply blessed state. My journey has made me determined to live a simpler, more natural life. Nature, truly, is the ultimate school.

 

  

  

  

I also had a pleasure to practice golf and went out to the field. It was awesome experience since many years ago.

 

   

 

I walked trails in Cooper Mountain Nature Park.

I discovered the beauty of wild nature.