A Study of Contextual Theology and Ethics in Asian-American Theology

Abstract

This study initiates its question about the idea of the orthodoxy theology with criticism of Stephen Bevans' contextual theology, as such theology is contextual. To develop this thesis, this study delves in the theological meaning of Asian-American theology. To begin with, this research studies the emerging identities of Asian-Americans such as suffering(han), marginality, hybridity and mimicry as the foundation of Asian-American theology. The theology of the healing and forgiveness of the suffering is established by the theology of Tao (the way). Second, women's diasporic and historical memories formulates Asian postcolonial feminist theology, like the experience of jeong, as related to Korean and Korean American women's memories of love, related to a postcolonial feminist theology. Furthermore, this study also demonstrates a theological ethics based on Jung Young Lee and Paul Tillich, since theological ethics is also based on experiences of marginality. The awareness of marginality drives people to go to the place of morality based on the notion of human-relatedness and acknowledgement of difference. Finally, theological ethics reaches to the ultimate place of love, agape, the final goal of theological ethics. Theological ethics formulates a new center through the divine love, agape, in order not to have a new ruling power, but in order to build a new community of love. Thus, this study argues that Asian-American theology and ethics contribute to this new possibility of ethics.