Korean Resources for Pastoral Theology

Synopsis:
In a time of life-and-death challenges to the human spirit--global economics, nuclear dangers, environmental threats, and religious polarization and war--Christians must look for resources that provide new insights of God's power and care for all people. What are the forms of suffering and hope in the world today, and how can Christians respond with healing resources? Korean Christians have unique contributions to make to our understanding of pastoral theology and counseling. Pastoral counselors and theologians from the United States should look to the South Korean Christian churches and other Asian churches for conversation partners about the nature of care and healing in today's world. In this book, the authors explore important ideas--such as han, jeong, and salim--from Korean history and culture that can inform the healing ministries of the churches.

Synopsis:

"Korean Resources for Pastoral Theology makes a significant contribution to the field of pastoral care and pastoral theology in the United States . . . The authors introduce Koreans who are actively searching for God's spirit at work in healing, liberation, and reconciliation . . . It is like seeing a newly created world of God, in which all diversities dance together."
--Heesung Chung, Professor of Pastoral Counseling, Ewha Womans University

"This book is full of insightful and enthralling information about Korean cultural values . . . Poling and Kim present invaluable tools for pastoral counselors, Christian leaders, and theologians to enrich the horizons of pastoral theology and counseling at the global level."
--Andrew S. Park, Professor of Theology and Ethics, United Theological Seminary

"Korean Resources for Pastoral Theology is an excellent resource for those interested in finding the way back to practices of spirituality of care that foster sustainability, interdependency, justice-making, healing, and freedom without violence. Critical and constructive in their analysis, Poling and Kim present a promising intercultural and interreligious perspective for Christian pastoral theology through the particular lens of Korean Christianity."
--Wonhee Anne Joh, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

"We have learned that how to conduct one's cultural experiences, not as a footnote, but as a main body of shaping one's pastoral theology, has been no less significant to us than how to conduct universal, psychological inquiry. I do believe Korean Resources for Pastoral Theology might be a timely, great asset to the broader, main body of building pastoral theology."
--Soo-Young Kwon, Professor of Pastoral Theology, United Graduate School of Theology

Author Biography:

James Newton Poling is a retired Presbyterian minister and Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Counseling at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He is author of Rethinking Faith: A Constructive Practical Theology (2011).

HeeSun Kim is a Presbyterian minister and PhD candidate in pastoral care and counseling, with a feminist theology minor, at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Kim has been a pastor in Korea and in the United States.