Sejong Chun, "Paul’s New Creation: Vision for a New World and Community" (Lexington Books, 2023)
Feb 23, 2025
auto_awesome
Sejong Chun, a visiting professor of the New Testament at Yonsei University and senior pastor of New Creation Church in South Korea, shares insights from his book on Paul’s vision of new creation. He explores the significance of new creation in Galatians and its implications for modern community dynamics. Chun also ties Paul’s collection to a transformative economic vision, challenging Roman exploitation. Additionally, he reflects on the experiences of Korean Americans during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, offering a deeper understanding of faith and communal suffering.
Sejong Chun highlights how the socio-cultural contexts, particularly the experiences of Korean Americans, reshape interpretations of Paul's new creation ideas.
Chun illustrates Paul's vision of the ekklēsia as a radical community that defies traditional socio-economic hierarchies and demonstrates God's alternative economy.
Deep dives
Intercontextual Reading and Its Significance
Intercontextual reading highlights the impact of various socio-cultural contexts on biblical interpretation. This methodology emphasizes that words possess meaning potential, which only transforms into meaningful insights when examined within specific contexts. For instance, Sejong Chung argues that the contexts of readers—such as their cultural or geopolitical backgrounds—play a vital role in shaping their understanding of biblical texts. This approach fosters a dialogue between the reader and the text, allowing readers to evolve in their interpretations as they engage with the narrative.
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots and Korean American Identity
The 1992 Los Angeles riots marked a significant turning point for Korean Americans, as nearly 50% of the businesses affected belonged to this community. Triggered by the not guilty verdict for police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King, the riots exploded into violence that underscored racial tensions in the city. Chung emphasizes that, despite being perceived as scapegoats during this turmoil, Korean Americans began to recognize their social position and sought constructive dialogue with other ethnic groups. Consequently, the events reshaped the identity and social interactions of Korean Americans, urging them to engage more proactively within the broader American society.
New Creation Themes in Paul's Letters
In his epistles, Paul articulates the concept of new creation, particularly in Romans 8, where he reflects on both human and non-human creation's collective longing for redemption. He uses vivid metaphors such as groaning and labor pains to describe the shared suffering and anticipation for God's ultimate salvation. Moreover, in Galatians 6, Paul asserts that in Christ, traditional societal distinctions like circumcision are rendered meaningless, emphasizing that faith in Jesus is paramount for all believers. This overarching theme presents the church not only as a community under God's eschatological reign but also as a challenge to the existing socio-economic structures of the Roman Empire.
In Paul’s New Creation: Vision for a New World and Community (Lexington Book, 2023), Sejong Chun presents inter(con)textual readings of Paul’s new creation passages from the perspective of the Korean immigrant church in America. Chun focuses on Paul’s new creation’s cosmic dimension and ecclesiastical character and proposes the ekklēsia as a tangible embodiment. The author suggests that Paul, as a middleman, accomplishes the collective project of the Jerusalem collection with his Gentile churches to declare independence from the Jerusalem church authority and to demonstrate God’s alternative economy against the exploitative system of the Roman Empire.
Sejong Chun completed his PhD at Vanderbilt University. He currently serves as a visiting professor of the New Testament at Yonsei University as well as founder and senior pastor of New Creation Church in Daegu, South Korea.
Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023).