Yung Suk Kim's Scholarly Journey

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Covid-19 and my teaching

What Covid-19 has given me so far in terms of teaching is ineffable. I am still processing my experience with students, faculty, and myself. The bottom line is that virtual teaching cannot replace face-to-face meetings. One good thing is, however, I may run full online or hybrid courses comfortably in the future because I learned lots of online technology. My students loved my blog posting, podcasts, and PPT with audio narrations.

In the future, I will try to have a few hybrid courses. Then, it would give me some freedom/space so that I may have some necessary academic trips such as attending conferences or delivering public lectures or making book tours for my new book.

Friday, April 24, 2020

Modern Science

I need to study science to deepen my study of humanity and literature.

-Aristotle: the idea of the unmoved mover, and what is natural is standstill. Earth-centered.
-Newton: what is natural is constant motion. Heliocentric.

Galileo Galilei's Invention & Contributions

From Galileo to Newton

Newton's laws of motion:

Classical physics is challenged by Quantum physics/mechanics
Basics about Quantum Mechanics
Introduction to quantum physics

Information about World and Universe
Cool Cosmos

Thursday, April 23, 2020

The Gospel?

The gospel is not primarily about Jesus. It is about God and Jesus. It is also about us in the world.
Be wary of the easy or cheap gospel. There are many forms of the gospel in the world.
The question is, Which gospel do you go for? Or, how do you know your gospel is the right one?

Thursday, April 16, 2020

A peek at my new book

How to Read Paul: A Brief Introduction to his Theology, Writings, and Word

(Fortress, 2021 forthcoming)

In How to Read Paul, Yung Suk Kim portrays Paul as a practical theologian, a missionary, and a community organizer, and explores key theological concepts in Paul’s undisputed letters, in dialogue with Greco-Roman and Jewish texts and contexts. Against a traditional view that the essence of Paul’s theology is “justification by faith,” Kim argues that Paul’s theology begins with “the gospel of God”—the good news about and from God—that was proclaimed and embodied by Jesus, Son of God. In the end, those who share in Jesus Christ’s faithfulness are justified by God. Other theological concepts such as new life, freedom, and “the body of Christ” are built on and developed from this bedrock of the gospel. This book presents a revised form of the new perspective on Paul and emphasizes the faithfulness of Jesus Christ as well as believers’ participation in him. At the end of each chapter, readers engage in questions for reflection. This book probes Paul and his letters in critical, fresh ways that elucidate not only his key theological concepts in context but also his gospel-driven mission in Greco-Roman and Jewish contexts. How to Read Paul is ideal for students engaging Paul and his letters and those who teach and preach Pauline themes.