Identity, Youth, and Gender in the Korean American Church
Book Description
This groundbreaking study opens a window into the complex spiritual and cultural world of Korean American teenage girls navigating faith within their immigrant church communities. Christine J. Hong embarks on a thoughtful exploration of how young women between thirteen and nineteen develop their sense of self, understand their gender identity, and form their relationship with God while straddling two distinct cultural worlds.
Through careful qualitative research that blends feminist ethnography with indigenous methodologies, Hong illuminates the unique challenges and opportunities these young women face as they grow spiritually within Korean American Protestant congregations. The work addresses a fundamental question often overlooked in religious studies: what does it mean to be a Korean American girl finding her place in an immigrant faith community?
This research offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand the intersection of cultural identity and spiritual development. Religious educators, practical theologians, and community leaders will discover how bicultural experiences shape faith formation in profound ways. The study reveals the intricate process through which these young women construct their understanding of themselves, their roles, and their connection to the divine.
By examining these formative years through both theological and cultural lenses, Hong provides a framework for creating more inclusive and transformative faith communities that honor the full complexity of immigrant religious experience.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~4 hours)
📄 Length: 152 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Korean American children
- ✓ Explore Korea
- ✓ Explore Asian americans
- ✓ Understand psychological principles
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Ethnology
- ✓ Explore History
