Female Images of God in Christian Worship

Female Images of God in Christian Worship: In the Spirituality of TongSungGiDo of the Korean Church examines problems that arise from the use of exclusively patriarchal images in modern Christian worship. The author asserts that female images in the Bible could help worshippers find a relationship with God and provide encouragement and comfort in difficult situations. As a Korean Christian, MyungSil Kim explores the possibilities of employing God’s female images in the services of the Korean Church, noting that Korea’s native religions, the ancient religions and Muism, had many female deities unlike patriarchal foreign religions such as Buddhism and Confucianism. These female deities have comforted the Korean people when they experienced han, a distinctive emotion of deep sadness and resentment that is characteristically Korean. TongSungGiDo, the unique Korean prayer style of communal lament, provides an opportune space and time for the consideration of female images in the Bible. MyungSil Kim examines how female images could more effectively function in the context of TongSungGiDo in accordance with traditional practices to express the complementarity among the concepts of han, lament, female images of God, and prayer. This book is strongly grounded on biblical studies, feminist studies, Christian ethics, and religious studies, including principles of inculturation. The volume is a valuable resource to pastors who are sensitive about language justice in worship and to those seeking to explore feminist theology and particularly feminist liturgical studies.

MyungSil Kim is Adjunct Professor at Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea. She received her PhD in liturgical studies from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. At present, she is a member of the local worship committee for WCC 10th Assembly. In addition, she serves as vice-secretary of the Korean Society for Practical Theology and was a past secretary of the Korea Association of Liturgy. She is a member of the Feminist Liturgy Seminar of the North American Academy of Liturgy and the Korean Association of Women Theologians. Before she earned her doctorate, Kim worked as a member of the Board of Directors in the Korean Christian Women Counseling Center for victims of domestic violence and as a parish minister in Korea.