A Protestant Theology of Passion

Rev. Dr. Volker Küster was born in 1962. Since 2002 he is Professor of Crosscultural Theology at the Protestant Theological University in Kampen (The Netherlands).Among his publications are: Theologie im Kontext, 1995; Jesus und das Volk im Markusevangelium, 1996 (Korean 2006); The Many Faces of Jesus Christ, 2001 (German 1999); God/Terreur, 2008. contact: vkuester@pthu.nl.

Not only readers interrested in World Christianity or Korean studies, and students of Mission and Ecumenics will find this a helpful book, but also others from the growing Christian community in Korea and overseas will find it an appealing study.

Volker Küster’s A Protestant Theology of Passion: Minjung Theology Revisited is essential reading for anyone interested in contextual and intercultural theology in Asia. This important book provides the first thorough academic discussion of Korean Minjung theology in any Western language, introducing key Korean theologians in the movement, in relationship to one another and to contextual theological developments elsewhere. A unique feature of this study is Küster’s use of visual art as an inculturated expression of Minjung theology in its own right. His contention that contextual theologies are “open systems” suggests the continuing relevance of Minjung theology for our “glocalized” future. This book represents a seminal contribution to the growing body of literature on contextual theology in a global context. - Prof. Dr. Philip L. Wickeri, San Francisco Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union

An indispensable account of Minjung theology told with insights and critical understanding. Dr. Küster skillfully places this theological current in the global context through intercultural lenses. I highly recommend this rich and rewarding text. - Kwok Pui-lan, author of Postcolonial Imagination and Feminist Theology.

"A Protestant Theology of Passion" chronicles an important movement in Korean theology that has significance far beyond the borders of that country. True to Minjung method, Küster includes not only texts, but art and poetry as sources for this theology as well. In doing so, he makes an important contribution to the wider discussion of contextual theology today. - Robert Schreiter, author of "Constructing Local Theologies"

Foreword by David Kwang-Sun Suh

Writing from this place

Prologue: Theology in Context

1 People as the Subjects of History

2 Re-/constructing Korean Identity: The Minjung Culture Movement

3 Theology and Biography: Theological Identity Re-/constructed

4 Jesus and the Minjung: Ahn Byung-Mu (1922-1996)

5 A Confluence of Two Traditions : Suh Nam-Dong (1918-1984)

6 Fools for Christ’s Sake : Hyun Young-Hak (1921-2004)

7 Theology as a Social Biography of the Minjung : Kim Yong-Bock (*1938)

8 A Plea for a Survival-Liberation centered Syncretism : Chung Hyun-Kyung (*1956)

9 Contextual Challenges : Minjung Theology in Intercultural Perspective

10 Contextual Transformations : Minjung Theology Yesterday and Today

Epilogue: Contextual Theologies as Open Systems

Bibliography on Korea and Minjung theology

Index of Authors