"The Story of Hannah From a Perspective of Han"

One reader matters! I received this message via email from an unknown person:

Good morning Professor Kim,
I just wanted to let you know that I came across your article "The Story of Hannah From a Perspective of Han" while preparing for a short devotional on Hannah’s prayer and honestly I was blown away! I had never either encountered your work or been introduced to this idea of thinking about theological concepts with anthropological embedded ideas and diversity frameworks (Korean-cultural lens). It was beautiful, inspiring, a breath of fresh air, and so exciting. I spent over four hours just reflecting on a couple of your thoughts and can’t wait to spend many more continuing to build on your ideas. I’m writing to say, from one follower of Jesus to another, THANK YOU! I was so blessed by your thinking and writing. May God continue to bless your work and your ministry is my prayer. Blessings on all this week will bring your way.

Faith, Western Christianity, and the New Testament

New article in the Encounter Journal

I forgot that this article of mine was published: “The Politics of Identity in Paul’s Gospel: In the Case of the Antioch Incident (Gal 2:11-14).” Encounter: A Journal of Theological Scholarship 80 (2020): 1-10.

Abstract:
This article seeks to explore the politics of identity in Paul’s gospel with a focus on the Antioch Incident (Gal 2:11-14). While Paul as a diaspora Jew is committed to spreading the gospel to the gentiles, Peter as a Jew based in Jerusalem is dedicated to spreading the gospel to Jews at home and abroad. When Peter visited Antioch, he was not consistent with his fellowship meal with the gentiles. Paul’s argument about proper Christian identity is to affirm both diversity and solidarity. While the former allows for different cultural identities, the latter demands a global identity seeking solidarity with other people, so that the truth of the gospel may reach all people.

Google Scholars informing me

Google Scholars informed me that my works (one book and one article) were cited multiple times in the following article:

Anthony J. Stiff, "Keeping the Feast: The Socializing Dynamics of the Eucharist, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, and Enabling Boundaries for Individuals with Disabilities#," Journal of Disability & Religion (2021), DOI: 10.1080/23312521.2021.1981793

Introduction
From the Apostolic period to the present day, followers of Christ have wrestled with faithfully practicing the Eucharist meal. Paul’s discussion in I Corinthians 11:17-34 of the conflicting social dynamics within the church in Corinth illustrates this point. The first half of this article will explore how the sacrifice of Christ, remembered by the church in the Eucharist feast, creates a socializing dynamic that expands communal margins allowing the church to live as a more inclusive, hospitable community that embraces diversity (Kim, 2014, pp. 23–32). This communal expansion was needed in Corinth, as Gerd Theissen argued. Theissen documented the ways the social and economic stratifications of the Hellenistic city of Corinth challenged how the body of Christ participated in the Eucharist (Theissen, 1982, pp. 69–174). With Theissen, this article claims that the Eucharist as a cruciform meal re-socialized the Corinthian body, pushing against rather than reinforcing the social fragmentation and marginalization brought about by the honor and shame culture of the Ancient Mediterranean world (Theissen, 1982, pp. 145–174). The Eucharist offered the church in Corinth a way to enable a new set of social boundaries by giving the community a cruciform location for its identity recognition. With Christ as Host, all who come through him are welcome at the feast as guests of honor. The power dynamics of old exclusionary social barriers were moved by a new center, enabling access without the social or economic stigma attached to an individual’s value.

My works cited
Yung Suk Kim, Christ's Body in Corinth: The Politics of a Metaphor (Fortress, 2008).
-------, "Reclaiming Christ’s body (soma christou): Embodiment of God’s Gospel in Paul’s Letters," Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 67.1: 20–29.

Writing philosophy

My writing philosophy is to write clearly, concisely, and coherently. I avoid long, complex sentences that are only clear as mud. Writing is a reflection of the mind and heart. Care must be given to the vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and structure of a text. Ideas must be expressed concisely yet vividly. Lastly, writing must be coherent, persuasive, and consistent.

When you think you hit the bottom of yourself

I am here because of my students. I am not perfect, but my passion for teaching and student success in class has always remained the same. I care for them. I care about their learning and unlearning. I believe critical study can reshape their understanding of scripture, society, church, and humanity. Writing is an essential part of rigorous study, and it is indispensable for academic success. I will do everything I can to help them prosper. I will encourage them to learn, teaching them what they need. I will also learn from them. On the first day of class, I begin with the following:

Trust God.
Trust yourself.
Trust your instructor.
Trust each other.
Trust the process.
We are in this together.

When you feel there is no hope within you, trust God. When you think you hit the bottom of yourself, that is not the end of the story. Don't beat yourself up. Look up to heaven. Remember that you are an able student. Trust yourself. Honor your instructor, and you may learn more than you expect. Consider your peers not as competitors but as learning partners. When things go rough--through hump and bump--stay the course. Ask for help. There is always a way out if you ask. Trust the process. We are all in this together.

Confucius sounds like Paul

Confucius summarizes the most basic ethical virtue with one word: 恕 shù, which means "having the same mind with others" (Analects 15:24). That is, one needs to consider others as oneself. One must think from the other's perspective and have empathy with others. This idea is well expressed in his word: rén zhě rén yě (仁者人也), which means: "To love is to become the person" (The Doctrine of the Mean). By the way, love (Ren in Chinese: 仁) appears frequently, 106 times, in the Analects of Confucius.