재미한인들에게 한인교회의 역할과 의미 연구: 미국 동부, 중부지역의 1세, 1.5세, 2세들을 중심으로

Abstract

It has been over a century since Korean immigrants first immigrated to the United States. Korean churches, which functioned as the social centers of Korean communities in the U.S., are now facing various challenges. The purpose of the current study is to examine the role of Korean churches from the perspectives of 1st, 1.5, and 2nd generation Korean Americans, and identify why they choose Korean churches and the meaning they ascribe to the religious community. Interviews with 16 participants revealed that 1st- and 1.5-generation Korean Americans choose Korean churches because of language, loneliness, and ethnic resources for their children, but findings show that these choices are changing due to technological advancements. As for the 2nd generation, findings show that they initially began attending Korean churches because of their parents; however, they remained because of the familiarity and comfort Korean churches provide. Moreover, findings suggest that participants identify Korean churches as holding masculine, patriarchal culture and having Korean ways of doing things when it comes to their operation. Although 2nd-generation Koreans find these Korean ways of doing things challenging, they identified Korean churches as places where they can learn about their ethnic roots, Korean culture, and Korean sentiments. Most importantly, across generations, Korean churches were identified as places where they can grow in faith rather than as locales for social functions.