In this volume, an attempt is undertaken to highlight the genesis, progress, and transformation of the Asian contextual theology of minjung, introducing its historical point of departure, its development, and its transformation in light of younger Korean and Korean American scholars' endeavors. In this regard, the new Asian contextual theology, which is emerging, strives to integrate both minjung and the wisdom of World Religions into its own framework and direction, assuming the character of a public theology and remaining humble and open before God's mystery, while featuring its association with minjung in a holistic way.

Postcolonial Public Theology is a tour de force, a study in theological reflection in conversation with the most compelling intellectual discourses of our time that offers prophetic challenge to the hegemony of economic globalisation. While evolutionary science searches for an ethically responsible practice of rationality, and inter-religious engagement forces Christians to grapple with the realities of cultural hybridity, Postcolonial Public Theology makes the case for public theology to turn toward postcolonial imagination, demonstrating a fresh rethinking of the public and global issues that continue to emerge in the aftermath of colonialism. Paul S. Chung provides students and scholars with a fascinating framework for imagining a polycentric Christianity as well as for discussing the continuing importance of Christian theology in the public arena.

Magisterial in scope and scrupulous in its investigation and attribution of sources, "Church and Ethical Responsibility in the Midst of World Economy" is a detailed examination of the history of capitalism, its defenders and its critics, with the aim of developing a theological critique of both the material and spiritual failures of the modern global economy. Professor Chung traces the development of capitalism from the sixteenth century onwards, how it shaped and was shaped in turn by European colonialism and Enlightment ideas of the Social Contract. He examines the strengths and weaknesses of the Marxist critique of industrial capitalism, and analyses the rise of globalism as a form of economic imperialism underpinned by the ideology of neoliberalism. Although Chung acknowledges the role played by the Christian churches in promoting and defending the capitalist ethos, he points to the existence of theologically-grounded alternative visions of a fairer, more responsible world economy, and defends the view that the promotion of economic justice is a key part of the prophetic ministry of the Church. "Church and Ethical Responsibility in the Midst of World Economy" will take its place as an important document in the ongoing ecumenical debate over economic justice, challenging those who are comfortably complacent about our global economic system and unwilling to be disturbed. Paul S. Chung is Associate Professor at Luther Seminary, St Paul, Minnesota. His books related to a prophetic theology of God's mission, transcultural hermeneutics, and justice in the public sphere include "The Cave and the Butterfly" (2010) and "The Hermeneutical Self and an Ethical Difference" (published by James Clarke & Co, 2013), among others. "Chung creatively constructs a usable theological tradition to challenge the assumption of the economic status quo as our inevitable future, integrating inter-religious and cross-disciplinary resources in the struggle. How can the ecumenical church serve as leaven for imagining and implementing alternatives to global business as usual?" Craig L. Nessan, Academic Dean and Professor of Contextual Theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary.

In his creative and original book, Paul S. Chung interprets Karl Barth as a theologian of divine action. Chung appreciates Barth s dogmatic theology as both contextual and irregular, and he retrieves neglected aspects of Barth s thought. The book clarifies Barth s early interest in social and political thought. It also explores the political dimension in his later dogmatic writings, particularly in relation to his theology of Israel and issues of theologia naturalis and religious pluralism. Barth s theology can only properly be understood through his social commitment, and Chung, drawing together German and Anglo-Saxon theology shows how Barth s political ideas relate to his theology. Chung portrays Karl Barth as a radical theologian with a convincing aptitude. I personally appreciate the kinship this independent reading has with my own footsteps, identifying Barth as a resisting theologian.

'Martin Luther and Buddhism: Aesthetics of Suffering' carefully traces the historical and theological context of Luther's breakthrough in terms of articulating justi?cation and justice in connection to the Word of God and divine suffering. Chung critically and constructively engages in dialogue with Luther, and with later interpreters of Luther such as Barth and Moltmann, placing the Reformer in dialogue not only with Asian spirituality and religions but also with an emerging global theology of religions. "After reading, I decided to recommend all students and anyone interested in theology in Europe, America, and Asia urgently and repeatedly to read it." - Jurgen Moltmann, Professor Emeritus, University of Tubingen, Germany "Dr. Chung is engaged in a deeply theological re?ection about Buddhism and Protestantism. His work is original and profound." - John B. Cobb Jr., Ingraham Professor Emeritus, Claremont School of Theology "Of all the 'turns' in Luther studies, the turn to Asia, so eloquently and powerfully heralded by Paul Chung, might end up being the most signi?cant one both ecumenically and theologically. As a scholar fully conversant with both the best of Western and Asian traditions, Dr. Chung is uniquely quali?ed to help us read not only in Buddhist context but also in a wider contextual and global horizon. This is the direction of international systematic-hermeneutical theology for the third millennium " - Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Professor of Systematic Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Docent of Ecumenics, University of Helsinki "The book 'Martin Luther and Buddhism' by Paul Chung is a fascinating attempt to develop an emancipatory theology of religions in the Asian context of poverty and suffering as well as of religious plurality." - Ulrich Duchrow, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Heidelberg "Bringing together Luther's theology with Buddhist understanding as embedded in Asian culture is a huge challenge. Dr. Chung takes on this challenge with a far-ranging breadth of knowledge and creative insight, especially for interfaith dialogue." - Karen L. Bloomquist, Director, Theology and Studies, Lutheran World Federation, and Adjunct Professor of Theological Ethics, Wartburg Theological Seminary PAUL S. CHUNG is Assistant Professor of Lutheran Witness and World Christianity at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.

This book presents a heuristic and critical study of comparative theology in engagement with phenomenological methodology and sociological inquiry. It elucidates a postcolonial study of religion in the context of multiple modernities.

About the Contributor(s): Paul S. Chung is Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of numberous books including of Reclaiming Mission as Constructive Theology (2012) and Church and Ethical Responsibility in the Midst of World Economy (2013).

Synopsis: Reclaiming Mission as Constructive Theology offers a compelling case for the need to integrate God's mission and missional church conversation with a public and post-colonial study of World Christianity. Driven by a commitment to publicly engaged theology that takes seriously the reality of Global Christianity, Paul Chung presents a vital new model for understanding the mission of God as a dynamic word-event. This is argued in conversation with contemporary missional theology and analysis of the development of Global Christianity, and as such brings important transcultural issues to bear on contemporary American conversations about the missional church. All of this serves to innovatively stimulate this missional church conversation and more directly address the various questions that arise in pursuing mission in a multiculuralized American society. Endorsements: "Paul Chung proposes fresh ways to envision the mission of the church within its global, multi-cultural, and inter-religious contexts, and he does so with a view to the future. Grounding his thinking in the biblical narrative of God's salvific drama, Chung aligns missiology with other theological disciplines, providing a breadth of inter-disciplinary scholarship. He engages the contributions of contemporary missiologists and listens to the voices of the global church, past and present. All is brought together to advance our thinking within the new contexts of global mission." -Arland J. Hultgren First Theological Degrees Luther Seminary "In these essays, a noted international theologian takes another creative and constructive look at the concept of the missio Dei. He not only reaffirms the importance of God's mission in the current fragmented world but also revamps the concept in light of the latest developments in post-colonial missiology and mission theology. Part of this intriguing interdisciplinary conversation is the reconsideration of the meaning and significance of the notion of "missional church," a topic widely discussed not only in North America but also elsewhere." -Veli-Matti Karkkainen Fuller Theological Seminary and University of Helsinki, Finland "Reclaiming Mission as Constructive Theology locates the contemporary discussion of missional church in its fullest eschatological horizon. Chung advocates for socially engaged mission that attends to the emergence of world Christianity, the imperative of public theology, and the call to serve God's diakonia for the life of the world. Informed by mission history and recent hermeneutical theory, this book deepens and broadens the study of missiology to address the urgent issues of our time." -Craig L. Nessan Wartburg Theological Seminary "For those seeking a theologically-grounded understanding of mission that is equally as concerned with effective practice, Paul Chung's presentation of 'Mission as Constructive Theology' is an impressive, expansive integration of confessional theology and cultural analysis. Dr. Chung argues that because of the embodied narrative of God in Jesus Christ, anthropology is essential to the development of a faithful and effective understanding and practice of mission. In Paul Chung's innovative missiology, confessional commitments are essential to a faithful understanding of mission; equally essential, if mission is to be effective, is that these confessional commitments be understood and interpreted through the concreteness of each particular context so as to become the living voice of God in each time and place." -Roland D. Martinson Luther Seminary Author Biography: Paul S. Chung is an Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity at Luther Seminary. His books related to constructive theology and missiological hermeneutic include Martin Luther and Buddhism (Cascade, 2007) and The Cave and The Butterfly (Cascade, 2010).

"War and Social Welfare: Reconstruction after Conflict" addresses the issues of rebuilding social assistance and pension programs in the wake of war. Arguing that post-conflict reconstruction missions need to pay greater attention to comprehensive social policy formation, the book makes normative and functional claims that social welfare programs articulate the core aspects of citizenship. "War and Social Welfare "uses the case of Kosovo to examine the interaction of international and local political actors in their efforts to rebuild social assistance and pension programs after the 1999 NATO airstrikes. Based extensive field research, as well as the author's experience as a humanitarian field officer in Kosovo in 1999 and 2000, "War and Social Welfare "looks closely at the design and implementation of social policy at both the national and local level.

Description: Magisterial in scope and scrupulous in its investigation and attribution of sources, Church and Ethical Responsibility in the Midst of World Economy will take its place as an important document that contributes much in terms of prophetic praxis--it challenges those who are comfortably complacent and unwilling to be disturbed. Endorsements: "This book is minjung theology gone global It is wise, rich, complex, amazingly learned, and passionate in its call for a prophetic Christian approach to global economics."--Stephen Bevans, Professor of Mission and Culture, Catholic Theological Union"Chung provides the reader not only with an overview of Christian thought on capitalism, but also with a lively explication of and conversation with more than a century of secular political and economic perspectives on capitalism. Helpfully, Chung also broadens the religious contributions beyond Christianity, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism in the conversation. Students of social ethics, pastors, teachers, and laypeople will all benefit from this informed and timely book."--Heidi Hadsel, President and Professor of Social Ethics, Hartford Seminary"Chung creatively constructs a usable theological tradition to challenge the assumption of the economic status quo as our inevitable future, integrating interreligious and cross-disciplinary resources in the struggle. How can the ecumenical church serve as leaven for imagining and implementing alternatives to global business as usual?"--Craig L. Nessan, Academic Dean and Professor of Contextual Theology, Wartburg Theological Seminary"In a situation characterized by global crisis and increasing injustice of the world economy, Chung analyzes the responsibility of the church in the development of modern capitalism. At the same time he describes critical potential within the biblical tradition to enable the church's protest against an unjust world economy. The book represents an important and well-informed contribution to a critique of global capitalism from the perspective of postcolonial theology and economic theory."--Andreas Pangritz, Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the Ecumenical Institute, University of Bonn, Germany"Challenging shallow sloganeering and simplistic and superficial analysis, Chung offers in this thoughtful and thought-provoking work a serious and sustained investigation of the underpinning and overarching economic structures that are an indispensable part of the world in which we live, a world in which we are constantly impacted by these realities. This is a work that is addressed not only to those who are part of the institution that is called the church, but to all those who are willing to pay heed to, and be transformed by, a movement that was called into being by one who paid with his life for his stance against greed, dominion, and the lack of justice."--Rev. Dr. J. Jayakiran SebastianDean of the Seminary and H. George Anderson Professor of Mission and Cultures at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at PhiladelphiaAbout the Contributor(s): Paul S. Chung is Associate Professor at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. His books related to a prophetic theology of God's mission, transcultural hermeneutics, and justice in the public sphere include The Cave and the Butterfly (2010) and Liberating Lutheran Theology (together with Ulrich Duchrow and Craig L. Nessan, 2011), among others.

Christian Spirituality and Ethical Life offers a helpful study of the place of the Spirit in John Calvin's theology. It also discovers a notion of the spiritual life in connection with ethical life. It thus overcomes the prevailing popular pictures about the theology of John Calvin in several significant ways, providing a refreshing alternative to the anemic spirituality so prevalent today. It can be stated confidently that Calvin was a theologian of the Holy Spirit in solidarity with the poor, standing in openness to others.

Description: ""That the God of Israel makes doers of us through the Torah is, in my view, the most beautiful thing we can thank him for: Every lethargy, every melancholy, indifference and moroseness is ended . . . Wherever the Torah claims us as doers, it confronts the nihilism that exclaims: There's nothing I can do. The Torah opposes anti-revolutionary laziness"" (F.-W. Marquardt). This anthology contains a selection of essays by Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt (1928-2002), former professor of systematic theology at the Free University of Berlin, Germany. As a student of Karl Barth in the fifties, Marquardt became one of the most influential pioneers in renewing the relationship between Christians and Jews in Germany after the Shoah, as well as a Barth scholar proposing a new perspective on Barth's theology and political radicalism. Accordingly the essays contained in this volume deal with the two main areas of interest in Marquardt's theological journey: Part 1 presents essays dealing with new perspectives in the relationship between Christians and Jews after the Shoah, promoting for example the significance of ""the Jewish No"" to the Messiahship of Jesus for Christian theology, and the relevance of Talmudic studies for Christians. Part 2 presents examples of Marquardt's approach to Barth's theology, emphasizing the relevance of connecting the theological and the political spheres in general, and the socialist horizon in particular in Barth's theological framework. This perspective is supported by an abundance of historical evidence and by deciphering Barth's unpublished ""Socialist Speeches"" from the Safenwil period. Endorsements: ""Why is the work of Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt so little translated and little known in the English-speaking world? Is this lack due to his radical re-thinking of the Jewish foundations of Christianity after the Shoah? Is it a result of his iconoclastic interpretation of Karl Barth as a political theologian who shatters the constraints of neo-orthodox categories? Or, is it due to his following consequentially the implications of what it means to be a Confessing Church in the political and economic events of our times? This book begins to correct a theological slight. Theological Audacities indeed "" --Craig L. Nessan Academic Dean and Professor of Contextual Theology Wartburg Theological Seminary About the Contributor(s): Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt (1928-2002) was Professor of Systematic Theology at the Free University of Berlin. Andreas Pangritz, editor, is Professor of Systematic (Protestant) Theology and Director of the Ecumenical Institute at the University of Bonn. He is author of Karl Barth in the Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2000). Paul S. Chung, editor, is Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of Karl Barth: God's Word in Action (2008).