Spiritual Formation Process through the Parables of Jesus in the Context Of Korean-Canadian Immigrants as Aliens

2018·0.88 MB·English

by  DONGHWI SON

SPIRITUAL FORMATION PROCESS THROUGH THE PARABLES OF
JESUS IN THE CONTEXT OF KOREAN-CANADIAN IMMIGRANTS
AS ALIENS

A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT
FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY
DONGHWI SON
DECEMBER 2017
Copyright ©2017 by Donghwi Son. All Rights Reserved.
To
Kyoung Jin

“We are all pilgrims in search of the unknown”
Paulo Coelho
iv

CONTENTS

TABLES ………………………………………………………………………. vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………….... viii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………….. x
CHAPTER:
1. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING ………………………………….... 1
Introduction …………………………………………………………….. 1
Issues …………………………………………………………………….. 3
Christian Spirituality and Empty Space Versus Time …………….. 3
Christian Spirituality and Journey …………………………………….. 8
Aliens and Their Historical Background …………………………….. 11
Aliens and the Bible Narratives …………………………………….. 17
The Parables …………………………………………………………….. 22
Aliens and Their Community …………………………………………. 29
Settings …………………………………………………………………….. 38
St. Timothy Presbyterian Church’s College and Career Group …….. 38
University of Toronto’s Campus Group, Ebenezer ………………….. 40
2. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS ………………….. 42
Overview of the Chapter …………………..………………………………… 42
General Christian Spirituality …………………………..………………… 43
Alien Christian’s Milieu and Spirituality ………………………………… 46
Biblical/Theological Foundations …………………………………….. 49
Movement …………………………..………………………………… 49
Jesus, the Best Storyteller …………………………..……………….. 51
Jesus’ Story Perceived and Experienced …………………………….. 53
Hearing and Listening …………………………..………………… 58
The Parables for Korean-Canadian Immigrants as Aliens …………….. 61
Mimetic Desire of Aliens …………………………..………………… 63
Aliens’ Everyday Space of Resistance …………………………….. 68
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Story as Medium and Spirituality of the Cross …………………….. 74
Exegetical Exploration of Three Parables Used in the Project …………….. 83
Matthew 20:1-16 …………………………..………………………… 83
Mark 4:26-32 …………………………..………………………… 85
Luke 15:11-32 …………………………..………………………… 87
3. LITERATURE REVIEW …………………………..………………… 91
The Word and Spirituality of Aliens …………………………..………… 92
Prayer and Spirituality of Aliens …………………………..………… 97
Reflection and Spirituality of Aliens …………………………..………… 104
Resident Aliens and New Era of Christianity …………………………….. 113
4. PROJECT METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN …………………………… 118
Participants …………………………..……………………………….. 118
Procedures …………………………..…………………..…………….. 119
Measures …………………………..…………………..…………….. 121
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale …………………..………………… 121
God Image Scale (GIS) ..…………………………………………… 122
Narrative Questionnaire …………………………………………….. 125
5. OUTCOMES AND CONCLUSION ………………………..…………… 127
Results …………………………..…………………………..…………….. 127
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale …………………………..………… 127
God Image Scale (GIS) …………………………..………………… 129
Narrative Questionnaire: Open-Ended Questions …………………….. 134
Movement 1: Dogmatic à One’s Own Life Context …………. 135
Movement 2: Comparison à Community …………………….. 137
Movement 3: Own Effort To Grow à Understanding Mystery …. 139
Movement 4: Towards Bigger Heart …………………………… 140
Movement 5: Towards Proactive Spiritual Journey …………….. 141
Movement 6: Self-Image In Other’s Eyes à
Self-Image In God’s Eyes ……………………………... 142
Movement 7: Community As Institution à Diaspora ……….… 144
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Discussions …………………………..……………………………..… 145
Limitations …………………………..……………………………….. 145
The Two Methods …………………………..……………………….. 146
The Parables and Movements ………………..………………….. 148
Concluding Remarks ………………..………………………….. 152
APPENDIX …………………………..…………………..……………. 155
A. Preliminary Questionnaire ……………….……………………. 155
B. Pre-Test Questionnaire ……………..……………………… 156
C. Post-Test Questionnaire …………..………………………… 160
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………..……………………………… 164
VITA …………………………..…………………..…………………….. 169
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TABLES

1. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Weekly Bible Study Group ……………... 128
2. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Retreat Group ……………………… 128
3. Pre- & Post-Test Raw Score Differences of Weekly Bible Study Group
on God Image Scale (GIS): Acceptance ……………………………… 129
4. Pre- & Post-Test Raw Score Differences of Weekly Bible Study Group
on God Image Scale (GIS): Challenge ……………………………… 130
5. Pre- & Post-Test Raw Score Differences of Weekly Bible Study Group
on God Image Scale (GIS): Presence ……………………………… 131
6. Pre- & Post-Test Raw Score Differences of Retreat Group
on God Image Scale (GIS): Acceptance ……………………………… 132
7. Pre- & Post-Test Raw Score Differences of Retreat Group
on God Image Scale (GIS): Challenge ……………………………… 132
8. Pre- & Post-Test Raw Score Differences of Retreat Group
on God Image Scale (GIS): Presence ……………………………… 133
9. Score Comparison in Increases and Decreases of Both Groups ………. 134
viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my late father, In Mok Son: You greatly cheered for me pursuing this D.Min.,
but responded to God’s call after the first residency. I owe it all to you daddy. Many
thanks and miss you so much.
To my mom: I can’t express enough thanks for your sacrifices. Many little things
seemed to go unnoticed, but like the drops of rain, they became a river flowing in my
heart and life. Thank you mom.
My greatest supporter and life companion, Kyoung Jin Kim: Over the last 15
years, you have provided me insight, encouragement and, most of all, love and trust. You
have made me want to be a better human being and guided me to see a better me. I can’t
expect more from you and look forward to the road yet traveled together. Love and thank
you.
My greatest cheerleaders, Ayn and Ian: You always make my heart pounding.
Over the last months in this total foreign country, The Netherlands, you have shown a
tremendous courage to face the strange new world. You’ve made this journey so much
more joyful.
I am thankful for my father/mother-in-laws and brother/sister-in-laws for their
continuous support, trust, cheer and prayers.
I am grateful to my supervisor, Professor David Currie. Thank you for steering
me in the right direction. Thanks for your support, motivation, prayers and patience. I
could not have imagined having a better supervisor for my whole D.Min. journey. I
would also like to thank Dr. Steve Macchia for his teaching, sharing, encouragement,
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and, most of all, the great smile.
My sincere thanks to all the members at St. Timothy Presbyterian Church in
Toronto, Canada, especially senior pastor In Kee Kim and the pastoral staff, for their
tremendous support – financially and emotionally. You have made me finish this D.Min.
race. It was a greatest joy and honor to journey with you over the last 10 years. Thank
you for allowing me to be your companion pastor, and thank you for treating me like
your own son and brother.
To my dear Ebenezer at the University of Toronto: Thank you for walking with
me and being a worship companion over the last 15 years. Thank you for always
attentively listening to my messages and sharing your feedbacks as well as tears and
laughter. You have formed me into a better pastor/preacher.
I am also grateful to my brother, Young Wan, and his wife, Hyemin, for their
continuous encouragement and prayers. With a special mention to Esther Chang, Maeng
Hong, Michelle Kim, Peter D. Park and Helen Chow, thank you all for your proofreading
for this thesis.
And finally, I would like to give all glory and honor to God for His grace to call
me, the call He has placed in my life, the Bible that sheds lights on my path, the
companions He has provided to journey together, the spiritual hunger that makes me want
to know more of Him, and the passion He has instilled in me to live a life to the full.
x

ABSTRACT

“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11a). At the birth of Christianity,
Apostle Peter understood his and other fellow Christians’ identity as aliens and exiles.
Today, many young Korean immigrant Christians in Canada experience being in between
two worlds – South Korea and Canada – belonging to both in some ways, but not wholly
to either. This project will investigate what provides these young alien Christians a new
identity, what makes their journey sacred and what forms their identity an empowering
and redemptive one. This study will largely focus on Jesus’ parables and choose three
from them to explore the spiritual formation process in the context of Korean-Canadian
immigrants. Surveys were administered to two different groups to explore which ministry
setting would be more effective: one with weekly Bible study and the other with the
overnight retreat. A significant relationship was also found between the parables and the
participants’ spiritual identity formation.