International Development and Public Religion: Changing Dynamics of Christian Mission in South Korea
Ebook
Overview
Over the past few decades Christianity in the global South has grown exponentially in size and influence, with many centers emerging around the globe, such as Brazil, South Korea, and Nigeria. One remarkable phenomenon in this process is the rise of faith-based, humanitarian, international, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). While traveling to about seventy different countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Haemin Lee has witnessed the surge of faith-based NGOs all around the world. This book explores the role that religion plays in encountering secular society from various angles by drawing upon discourses in mission studies, sociology of religion, and anthropology of development. Specifically, it probes the development practices of two major Korean organizations, Korea Food for the Hungry International and Good Neighbors. This book investigates the following hypothesis: humanitarian care through international development NGOs appears to be the growing interest of Korean Christian mission and this shows a new direction of Korean Christianity as public religion. However, on closer examination, a more complex reality emerges in which diverse theological and developmental ideals motivate the Korean NGOs’ humanitarian efforts.
”The rise of Christianity in South Korea is reflected in the
emergence of faith-based, humanitarian NGOs like Korea Food for the
Hungry International and Good Neighbors. Haemin Lee probes
thoughtfully into the theological underpinnings and development
practices of these organizations. Dr. Lee combines academic
erudition with extensive visits to the field in examining how
Korean Christian mission now includes development goals, and
contributes to a new direction in Korean public religion."
--Richard L. Haney, Executive Director, Presbyterian Frontier
Fellowship
“Haemin Lee’s groundbreaking research and analyses demonstrate that
Korean Christian mission initiatives and, by extension, global
south Christianity in general may be challenging mainstream
missiological trajectories and practices. Growing international
humanitarian approaches in mission are bridging the embarrassing
gap between mission and development, taking Christians from doing
mission for the sake of a narrow Christendom agenda to doing
mission for the sake of the world that God so loved and works to
reconcile through Christ."
--L. Wesley de Souza, Candler School of Theology, Emory
University
Product Details
- Title : International Development and Public Religion: Changing Dynamics of Christian Mission in South Korea
- Author: Lee, Haemin
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications
- Publication Date: 2016
- ISBN: 9781498239905
Haemin Lee is Associate Director at Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship. Originally from South Korea, he holds degrees from Yonsei (BA), Harvard (MDiv), and Emory (ThM; PhD). As an ordained Presbyterian minister, Haemin has served in various ministry areas, including congregational ministry, hospital chaplaincy, global evangelism, and international development. Haemin has traveled to more than seventy different countries in which he oversaw numerous mission programs and taught at Kumi University in Uganda.