Examining the concept and practical application of unity in Journey English Church, a multicultural diaspora church in Ulsan, South Korea: A juxtaposition of the biblical notion of unity with the African concept of Ubuntu and the Korean concept of Jeong
- Johannesburg South African Theological Seminary 2020
- 78 PDF A4 Abstract, TOC
The goal of this thesis is to examine the concept and practical application of unity in Journey English Church, a multicultural diaspora church in Ulsan, South Korea. It does so by using a juxtaposition of the biblical notion of unity with the South African concept of Ubuntu and the Korean concept of Jeong. Information was gathered using a literature review, a survey, social media questionnaires and personal interviews. According to the findings, South Korea has experienced a burgeoning economy in the last three decades which has led to a large influx of expatriates. These persons, who form part of the diaspora, are in need of ministry and thus a new field of multicultural diaspora ministry has opened up. An interesting Korean concept called Jeong was found to be remarkably similar to the African concept of Ubuntu and when juxtaposed with each other and Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians, were found useful for fostering unity in diverse settings. Applying the teachings saw positive results regarding unity by the members of Journey English Church. Further study into the fascinating field of Jeong and its effect on Korean people’s religious behaviour is recommended.