The 30th anniversary of my new journey into theology

It occurred to me that 30 years ago, in 1996, I decided to study theology. My family—my wife and three daughters under 7—and I moved from Miami to Chicago; at the time, I was a branch manager for LG in Miami. After earning an M.Div. at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, I got my first second-career job at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, in 2005. I’ve taught here for more than 20 years now, and I was promoted to full professor a few years ago.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of my new journey into theology. These have been such successful years, teaching thousands of students, writing more than 20 books, and still blooming with so many book ideas. I know I won’t stay here forever. All I know is I am here and alive. The next moves will come someday, whatever they may be. Thank God.

Reflection on Psalm 13 and Prayer

Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Reflection:
In times of terror, uncertainty, and all kinds of disgusting things happening around us—both far and near—we often sigh a deep breath of hopelessness. We feel crushed and ready to give up. But in this lament of Psalm 13, the psalmist does not end with negativity or dereliction. The psalm begins with laments but ends with God's faithfulness. It is faith.

In the midst of chaos and merciless changes in our world, both within and outside, we acknowledge who God is. We acknowledge how feeble we are, how much love we need, and how much connection we need. We accept who we are, we love who we are, and we move forward—trusting God and believing in ourselves. That is faith.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for your presence, even when we don't feel it strongly. We trust you because you listen to us. Help us pour out our hearts in all matters. Guide us through good times and bad, trusting in you and believing in ourselves, for you provide us with strength. Help us in our weaknesses and in our unwavering work; instill in us the spirit of truth and courage so that we may stand strong in all we do. In Christ's name, Amen.

Christ-united, Christ-embodying

Paul argues that the followers of Jesus must be united with Christ in such a way that they share his faith and spirit. Therefore, they must live like Christ; they are a Christic body. This is Christ-united living. Paul’s idea does not stem from Stoicism, which uses the body metaphor to support hierarchical unity. His concept of being “one in Christ” is not that of concord in the empire; rather, it is an ethical union with Christ. The empire’s model and Paul’s vision are thus fundamentally disparate. I therefore argue that Paul’s point is never about being merely Christ-centered or Christ-unified, but about being Christ-united or Christ-embodying.

For more about this scholarship of mine regarding the body of Christ, see 1) Christ's Body in Corinth; 2) How to Read Paul, and 3) A Theological Introduction to Paul's Letters.

Colleagues

I had the pleasure of having a rich conversation with two of my longtime colleagues in gorgeous weather. We have been working together in biblical studies, supporting one another throughout our journey for more than 20 years. We are more than colleagues; we are brothers. The elder (Dr. Boykin Sanders) is from South Carolina, with deep roots in the African American struggle for justice passed down from his grandparents; the other (Dr. Robert Wafawanaka) is from Zimbabwe, and I am from Korea. We started off talking about weather and community, and ended up sharing a common interest in collaborative publication. We are all serious about scholarship; we are more interested in real people and community. It is a blessing that we have been sharing so many things together. We share a common culture, rooted in the people we come from. We care about what we do because of the people we come from. We share a spirit of union and solidarity, rather than a unity-driven ideology or the practices of empire.

The author bio

Yung Suk Kim (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. A prolific scholar whose distinguished contributions have earned various professional awards, he is the author or editor of over twenty-four books and edited volumes. These include significant works such as Justice and the Parables of Jesus: Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy (T&T Clark, 2026), How to Read Paul: A Brief Introduction to His Theology, Writings, and World (Fortress, 2021), Biblical Interpretation: Theory, Process, and Criteria (Pickwick, 2011), and the edited volume At the Intersection of Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Transgressive Readings for Transformational Preaching (Pickwick, 2025).
     Dr. Kim is a leading voice in biblical hermeneutics, known for his interdisciplinary scholarship that integrates historical and literary analysis with insights from psychology and cognitive science. His work consistently advocates for an interpretive approach that centers on human transformation, moral agency, and justice. This unique methodological foundation makes him exceptionally well-positioned to introduce the Critical Mind Framework.

The Root of the Gospel

Many Christians believe the gospel originates solely with Jesus. They often proudly speak of "the gospel of Jesus," implying that Jesus is the gospel. Yet, we must remember that Jesus himself proclaimed "the gospel of God" (Mark 1:14). Paul similarly states in Romans 1:1 that his apostleship is set apart for the gospel of God. In verse 2, he explains that God promised this good news beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures. This promise is first seen in Genesis 12, when God called Abraham. Ultimately, the good news begins with God and is received through trust (faith).

Faith begins with the story of Abraham in Genesis 12; it does not begin with Jesus or Paul. At the foundation of the economy of salvation lies the grace of God. God called Abraham out of nowhere. He was nobody when he was called and did not deserve anything. Abraham's part was his faith—acknowledging and accepting God's blessing and call through trust, which was a lifelong commitment. Jesus showed this same kind of faithfulness as the Son of God when he demonstrated God's righteousness to the world (Romans 3:22). He came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them (Matt 5:17). He argued that God loves all; therefore, all people need faith (pistis).

Again, the "good news" begins with God and the story of Abraham (cf, Gal 3). God started a new story and history with him. Thus, the good news of God is paramount. The first thing Jesus proclaimed was the good news of God (Mark 1:14). Similarly, Paul stated that his calling as an apostle was set apart for the good news of God (Romans 1:1). We should not forget about this continuity of the good news.

In Galatians, Paul affirms that the root of the gospel lies in God's promise (Gal 3:1-29). For more about the theme of the "gospel" (euangelion) in Galatians, see my book, Rereading Galatians from the Perspective of Paul's Gospel.

Commentaries on John's Gospel for Working Preacher (Apr 2026)

Commentary on John 13:1-17; 31b-35 (Maundy Thursday)

Commentary on John 18:1—19:42 (Good Friday)

The Intersecting Life

I am excited to have come up with another edited book project. This will be exciting because I have long thought about this kind of book. I will seek formidable, potential scholars for this one. I don't know how many books I am working on right now. I also remember that I am not superhuman. But I do what I can and want to do, no matter how long it takes. We'll see to it then.

The Intersecting Life

Autobiographical Inquiry and Biblical Interpretation

edited by Yung Suk Kim

For decades—and in some sense, still today—the guild of biblical studies has operated under the shadow of a detached, "objective" ideal—one that often silences the interpreter. This volume breaks this silence, arguing that the most profound exegetical insights emerge not from detachment, but from the visceral collision of life and text.

This volume introduces a rigorous framework of autobiographical inquiry and discovery. Each contributor—ranging from established voices to emerging scholars—navigates a specific three-fold movement: the critical discovery of a life-altering personal reality, the rigorous interpretation of biblical texts through that lens, and the resulting transformation of both the reader and the reading. From the depths of trauma and the complexities of identity to the shifting landscapes of global migration, this volume demonstrates that the scholar’s subjective journey is not a bias to be overcome but a hermeneutical catalyst to be embraced. Ultimately, this volume aims to spark pedagogical and guild-wide transformations.

This collection is a vital intervention for anyone seeking a biblical criticism that is as intellectually demanding as it is humanly transformative. It is an essential resource for scholars, educators, and students navigating the "subjective turn" in twenty-first-century hermeneutics. 

Rethinking Jesus

My mind is blown, erupting like a volcano. One idea trails another, and every proposal evokes the next; everything happening in my mind is chemically reacting. This morning, in that space before waking, my mind was at work for two hours. Out of that, I developed this book idea: Rethinking Jesus: The Embodied Mind and the Art of Radical Empathy.

"Justice Amidst Tragedy: Jesus’s Parables in Dialogue with Itaewon and Sewol"

This morning, I revised my essay titled "Justice Amidst Tragedy: Jesus’s Parables in Dialogue with Itaewon and Sewol." This piece demonstrates the contemporary resonance and profound challenges of justice by bridging specific parables with modern crises, specifically examining the Korean tragedies of Itaewon and Sewol. These case studies expose the critical interplay between retributive and restorative justice in the urgent pursuit of accountability, compensation, and restoration.