Overview

"Who was Horace G. Underwood, and what possible significance could another missionary of the nineteenth century have to help us rethink our approach to global Christianity and mission in the twenty-first century? As the first Protestant missionary to set foot in Korea, ""the last hermit kingdom,"" Underwood is regularly credited with Christianity's unparalleled success and continuing fervent presence in Korea today, including its corps of over 27,000 fulltime missionaries in 170 countries around the globe, second only to the US in the number of missionaries sent to foreign lands. But as extraordinary as his journey to Korea may have been for this arguably most under-recognized Protestant missionary of all time, it may be his journey from it that offers us vital insights for the future of missions. From the making of Underwood through his formative years in England, France, and America, to the Neo-Confucian culture he encountered among the people in Korea, this book culminates with the presentation and analysis of his previously unknown private letters from the years between 1884 and 1898, showing us the gradual process of interculturation he himself underwent as a missionary that allowed him to discover and encourage glocal--global yet local--expression of faith in Korea."

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9781666715729

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Reviews

James Jinhong Kim's long-awaited study of Horace G. Underwood in modern Korea offers rich insights into the history of intercultural evangelism. The well-written chapters portray Underwood with intimacy and humanity, drawing on fresh materials and interpretations to highlight his commitment to the Korean church during the times of national crisis. This meticulously researched and readable account is a must-read for Asian church historians, Korean scholars, Christian missiologists, and religious experts. --Joseph Tse-Hei Lee, Pace University In this important book, James Jinhong Kim presents a collection of previously unpublished personal letters of Horace Underwood that bear vivid witness to the great missionary's early experience in Korea. What is more, he gives us also a learned and insightful essay that sets Underwood in the context of Korean neo-Confucianism and, emphasizing the role of Korea itself in shaping Underwood's understanding of his work, envisions a way forward for mission today. --John W. Coakley, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, emeritus

Author Information

James Jinhong Kim is Horace G. Underwood Chair and Associate Professor of Missiology and Global Christianity at New Brunswick Theological Seminary.

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