From Separation/survival to Embrace/self-emptiness: Politics, Religion, and the Korean Immigrant Church

Introduction

Korean immigrant churches are often characterized by their mono-faith and mono-ethnic composition. As such, they are commonly deemed “exclusivist.” In this paper, I argue for a necessary shift from the exclusive structure of “separation/survival” to a framework of “embrace/self-emptiness” within Korean immigrant churches grappling with religious diversity. I aim to delve into the formation of the separation/survival structure of the Korean immigrant church and to present a theological paradigm for embrace/self-emptiness rooted in Christ’s ministry. Within this framework, the intersections of political-religious identity and immigration dynamics become apparent. In Korea, identity has shaped structures that exclude those with differing identities. Additionally, the immigration context, necessitating survival in a foreign land, has fostered exclusionary structures driven by the desire for self-preservation. Consequently, amid a pluralistic American society where diverse religions and races coexist, Korean immigrant churches have embraced a structure of separation/survival concerning religious and racial diversity, adopting an exclusionary stance. The issue is that this structure diverges from Christ’s principles of embrace, self-emptiness, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

Context of Korean Immigrant Church

Immigration involves the permanent relocation to another country for various reasons, such as political, economic, or social motives, aiming for survival away from one’s original homeland.[1] The inception of Korean immigrant churches in the United States aligns with the beginning of Korean immigration. Within the close relationship between Korean immigration and Korean immigrant churches, these churches have evolved into communities for immigrants’ lives and survival in a foreign land and have been shaped by a structure of separation/survival, influenced by Korea’s political-religious context and the immigration context.

The political tensions and exclusivity that persisted in South Korea following its independence and the Korean War have been expedited through the partisan political system. The two parties, People Power Party and Democratic Party of Korea, have formulated and implemented policies based on support from different regions, classes, genders, and generations, leading to the proliferation of exclusionary attitudes and heightened tensions within Korean society. However, their efforts were aimed at garnering support from each party’s ideological base, which has contributed to forming an exclusive framework within the Korean context, forming a binary and mutual exclusivity. Consequently, the exclusionary political nature of Korean bipartisanism reflects a prolonged and structured political conflict that has engendered various forms of contention within the Korean partisan political framework.

The separation of political-religious identities has influenced the formation of a structure of separation/survival within Korean immigrant churches. According to Anslem Min, exclusivism has always been a problem in Korean history and has been perceived as a “disease” among Koreans. This is associated with the absolutization of systems forming identities. In other words, when the elements that constitute one’s identity (political, religious, economic, social, cultural, environmental) do not align with other identities, it leads to an exclusionary attitude. This is related to Korea’s political history. Min refers to Korean history as “a history of the tyranny of various exclusive systems of identity.”[2] This is related to histories from various perspectives, such as political stances, gender, and social status, which have tended to absolutize and justify one’s viewpoint over diversity.

Framework: From the Structure of Separation/Survival to the Structure of Embrace/Self-emptiness

The ministry of Christ informs the theology that Korean immigrant churches should adopt, favoring the structure of embrace/self-emptiness over separation/survival toward other religions and races. Firstly, Christ’s ministry begins with accepting humanity, reflecting Miroslav Volf’s depiction of Christ’s love at the cross—an intersection of human sin and God’s love. Volf relates Christ’s love to forgiveness, emphasizing embracing others within oneself, akin to the Trinitarian concept of mutual indwelling.[3] This theological foundation of Christ’s love extends to embracing beings of different essences while preserving one’s identity.

Secondly, Christ’s ministry embodies self-emptiness, demonstrated through servanthood and sacrifice. It eliminates the paradigm of competition, emphasizing self-emptying of identity and value. Christ’s self-emptying leaves room for fulfillment from elsewhere and allows for learning from others. Mark Heim advocates for non-competitive dialogue with other religions, reflecting Christ’s self-emptiness. He emphasizes that dialogue enriches perspectives on salvation, akin to the diversity within the Church.[4] Christ’s presence within the Church does not imply inherent power but rather encourages learning from others. Heim’s theology promotes embrace/self-emptiness over separation/survival. Therefore, Christ’s self-emptiness prevents elevating oneself above other religions and creates space for learning.

Third, Christ’s obedience to God’s will, demonstrated through his death and resurrection, reveals a focus on fulfilling God’s desires rather than determining outcomes. This obedience marginalizes individual desires for the sake of God’s will, granting new life to others. Thus, prioritizing God’s will over personal desires fosters harmony and new life. Jung Yong Lee’s exploration of Yin-yang symbolic thinking suggests transcending exclusive structures and harmonizing differences. The ‘both/and’ thinking of Yin-yang relates to the Trinity, emphasizing plurality and singularity.[5] This approach expands the plurality of the Triune God and enriches understanding through dialogue with other religions and cultures.

Conclusion

Korean immigrant churches, influenced by Korea’s exclusivist political-religious identity and its members’ pursuits of the American Dream, operate under a structure of separation and survival. This conflicts with Christ’s teachings of embrace, self-emptiness, forgiveness, love, and dialogue. Particularly impacting relationships with other religions, this structure fosters exclusionary attitudes in the diverse U.S. society. Encounters with other religions and races are inevitable, yet the exclusive structure hinders healthy interactions. Therefore, a necessary shift towards embrace/self-emptiness is crucial to foster inclusive communities, promote understanding and respect among diverse religious and racial groups, and embody the principles of Christ’s ministry in Korean immigrant churches.

[1] Sumie Okazaki and Nancy Abelmann, Korean American Families in Immigrant America: How Teens and Parents Navigate Race (New York: New York University Press, 2018), 15.

[2] Anselm Kyongsuk Min, “The Division and Reunification of a Nation: Theological Reflections on the Destiny of the Korean People” in Christianity in Korea, eds., Robert E. Buswell and Timothy S. Lee (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2006), 269-270.

[3] Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 128.

[4] S. Mark Heim, Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1995), 139.

[5] Jung Young Lee, The Trinity in Asian Perspective (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 23, 27.