Gay Seouls

Expanding Religious Spaces for Non-Heterosexuals in South Korea

Bibliographic Data

ID3634239
AuthorsJun Yi (0000-0002-3126-8515, Hanyang University), Joseph Yi, G Jung (0000-0001-7157-2370, Department of Sociology, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA), Saul Serna Segura (0000-0003-4409-5622, Kangwon National University), Joe Phillips (Justice and Civil Leadership, Yonsei University, Underwood International College, Seoul, South Korea, corresponding author), J Z Park (0000-0002-0943-4679, Baylor University)
Year2018
Volume65
Issue11
Pages1457-1483
Publication date2018-09-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Homosexuality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0091-8369 • E-ISSN: 1540-3602
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00918369.2017.1377492
PMID28885134
OpenAlexW2751235939
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited37

What Protestant congregations offer spaces for worship and dialogue among persons with different sexual orientations? The academic literature finds or assumes that non-heterosexuals are stigmatized or invisible in theologically conservative congregations and are welcomed in progressive, affirming congregations. This article develops an alternative claim that some conservative or evangelical congregations offer attractive spaces for non-heterosexuals to worship and dialogue. We illustrate with an exploratory study of four congregations in South Korea-two theologically progressive, two evangelical-whose pastors welcomed everybody regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The "inclusive-evangelical" congregations retained conservative theology on sexuality (sexual relations only within heterosexual marriage) but offered more empathic dialogue with non-heterosexuals than did most evangelical congregations; they also provided more resources, conventional religious culture, and ties to traditional affective networks than the affirming-progressive congregations. Inclusive-evangelical congregations offer an institutional venue for non-heterosexual Christians in Korea to potentially reconcile three central values: conservative Christianity, traditional (Confucian) affective networks, and expressive individualism

Heterosexuality · Homosexuality · Sociology · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Gender Studies · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology · Socioeconomic Development in Asia

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