| abstract | This thesis explores the challenges that married immigrant women encounter in South Korea and the causes of the socio-religious
oppression that they are forced to deal with in South Korean society. I first examine the women's motivations for their marriages and critically evaluate the
effects of the traditional constructs of Korean patriarchy and hierarchy that generate gendered oppression and socio-political exclusions. Second, I criticize
the theological ideas of the South Korean Christian churches as they relate to the neo-colonial mission-approach, conservative theology, and patriarchal
Christianity, and point out how these theological constructions have been based upon the understanding of a sovereign and masculine God. Third, I probe how
Christian ethics suggests theo-ethical visions for South Korean churches in an intercultural society, and discuss the theo-ethical visions involved in the
interdependence for living-together and the new understandings of God and women for communal liberation. This thesis also attempts to distinguish between the
terms, multiculturalism and interculturalism. Instead of describing a quantitative approach to diversity in multiculturalism, interculturalism urges people to
have a sense of co-existence in interrelationships and intercultural actions. The debate on the lack of intercultural responses in many churches reflects
considerably on their migrant-ministries. While these churches have advocated for the support of diverse programs for these women, the ministries often disrupt
their liberation from religious assimilation, racial discrimination, and gender inequality. The care of these women in the Christian churches is an urgent
concern today and demands the attention of all engaged in South Korean Christianity. |
