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The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to the Holy Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost
It is time for the Holy Spirit to get its own street cred! There shall be no more third-wheeling the ever-present, life-sustaining, and empowering member of the Trinity. In this guide to the Spirit, Kim is putting the Holy Ghost back where it belongs; after all, the Spirit gave birth to the church and kept it rocking, rolling, revivaling, and transforming across time and culture. Throughout the book, you will get a taste of the different ways the church has understood the Spirit, partnered with the Paraclete, and imaged the Spirit in scripture. Most importantly, Kim brings together the tradition with contemporary culture, science, and the many tongues and testimonies of the global church. The compelling power of this volume comes from the creative interplay Kim orchestrates between images such as the Spirit as vibration, breath, and light and her powerful unpacking of different images such as the releaser of han , a Korean term for unjust suffering, or the concept of Chi. This isn't simply a guide to what the church is saying about the Holy Spirit--it's a guide to actually opening our theological imaginations to a Spirit that is present, active, and calling us to participate in life-giving work.
- GenresTheology
197 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2016
17 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Grace Ji-Sun Kim
43 books34 followersGrace Ji-Sun Kim (PhD, St. Michael's College, University of Toronto) is associate professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is author or editor of thirteen books, including Embracing the Other,Christian Doctrines for Global Gender Justice, and Intercultural Ministry. She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 22, 2020
This accessible contribution to the Homebrewed Christianity series edited by Tripp Fuller provides an excellent introduction to the Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit (pneumatology). Grace brings her own story and experience as a Korean Canadian/American woman to the conversation.
She covers the important elements of the conversation, providing historical and social contexts. She challenges the tendency to make the Spirit a secondary member of the Trinity. In doing so, she helps the reader recognize how the Spirit moves in the world, even beyond church and even Christianity. In doing so, she offers us a platform for reaching across religious lines. As she does elsewhere, she brings into the conversation the Asian concept of Chi, broadening our understanding of the concept of the Spirit. She also discusses the concept of Han, which speaks to unjust suffering. This allows us to see how the Spirit is active in places of suffering, empowering both healing and support.
For those who are trying to figure out what/who the Holy Spirit is, this is a great starting point.
She covers the important elements of the conversation, providing historical and social contexts. She challenges the tendency to make the Spirit a secondary member of the Trinity. In doing so, she helps the reader recognize how the Spirit moves in the world, even beyond church and even Christianity. In doing so, she offers us a platform for reaching across religious lines. As she does elsewhere, she brings into the conversation the Asian concept of Chi, broadening our understanding of the concept of the Spirit. She also discusses the concept of Han, which speaks to unjust suffering. This allows us to see how the Spirit is active in places of suffering, empowering both healing and support.
For those who are trying to figure out what/who the Holy Spirit is, this is a great starting point.
August 25, 2023
I found many of the personal anecdotes and stories in the book to be only marginally connected to the points coming before and after them. Which gets to a bigger problem: this book seems incredibly unfocused. There are multiple chapters that just seem to be repeating one or two points for many pages, using different words but not actually making an argument nor elucidating anything.
There are also perhaps smaller issues. For instance, in the chapter on 20th century feminist theologians of the spirit, there’s a section talking about how great it would be if women ran everything. I recognize this was likely a joke, but it also echoes a strain of feminist thought that misses bigger points about gender and sex, and re-entrenches the patriarchal attribution of “the good” to women.
This author often seems to miss bigger points. For instance, in her chapter comparing chi to spirit, she discusses how widespread the belief in Korean culture is that one can essentially manipulate one’s amount or strength of chi. She later goes on to title a section “Chi = Spirit” and argue that they are the same, without ever addressing basic questions like “Does Christian tradition suggest one can manipulate the strength of the spirit in oneself?”
I realize this is an overview book. But, I think serious issues with organization are present and that the book could’ve had more meaningful content without those issues.
There are also perhaps smaller issues. For instance, in the chapter on 20th century feminist theologians of the spirit, there’s a section talking about how great it would be if women ran everything. I recognize this was likely a joke, but it also echoes a strain of feminist thought that misses bigger points about gender and sex, and re-entrenches the patriarchal attribution of “the good” to women.
This author often seems to miss bigger points. For instance, in her chapter comparing chi to spirit, she discusses how widespread the belief in Korean culture is that one can essentially manipulate one’s amount or strength of chi. She later goes on to title a section “Chi = Spirit” and argue that they are the same, without ever addressing basic questions like “Does Christian tradition suggest one can manipulate the strength of the spirit in oneself?”
I realize this is an overview book. But, I think serious issues with organization are present and that the book could’ve had more meaningful content without those issues.
March 12, 2019
A brief sketch of the various ways of ideating Spirit
Provides a critical lens and history of how the Holy Spirit has been thought about and experienced in history. In addition to this retrospective, horizontally we look to different cultures and start to recognize Eurocentric theology for what it is, and ways it is used to raise itself above others.
The conclusion elevates the entire work. Our need for control is balanced by the gift of Grace, unearned comfort that centers in someone outside any of our status or decisions. The center of gravity for Grace is the Triune God whose Holy Spirit, or chi, or breath is not distant but present in every definable category we can make in reality.
Provides a critical lens and history of how the Holy Spirit has been thought about and experienced in history. In addition to this retrospective, horizontally we look to different cultures and start to recognize Eurocentric theology for what it is, and ways it is used to raise itself above others.
The conclusion elevates the entire work. Our need for control is balanced by the gift of Grace, unearned comfort that centers in someone outside any of our status or decisions. The center of gravity for Grace is the Triune God whose Holy Spirit, or chi, or breath is not distant but present in every definable category we can make in reality.
December 9, 2023
This book does what the series editor desired...made me think about the topic--and not necessarily agree with everything, but gave me new ideas to mull over and chew on. (Or more in line with the series--to put into my (whatever it's called) to brew.). I wanted to read ideas that are not the standard male Eurocentric theologies which I usually hear presented as the truth, and I was not disappointed. Grace Ji-Sun Kim unashamedly presents a Korean-American feminist understanding of the Holy Spirit which is refreshing to hear, and although I was not comfortable with everything she thinks, there was plenty that will enrich my understanding of the Holy Spirit.
Only got three stars because the writing/organization didn't feel very strong... But maybe that's a cultural thing?
Only got three stars because the writing/organization didn't feel very strong... But maybe that's a cultural thing?
May 25, 2019
This book opened my eyes to so many aspects of God and the Spirit that I had never considered before. I am so grateful to the author for giving us a glimpse into her culture in order to help show the importance of diverse perspectives in the journey to uncover the mysteries of who God and Spirit are.
March 9, 2022
She made some bold claims which I need to chew on and do some research on... it's the first time I heard this connection between East Asian concept of 'chi' and the Spirit of God.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews