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Rev. Dr. Simon Kim

Department/Program: Theology

Abstract

Rev. Dr. Simon C. Kim serves as an Assistant Professor in the Theology Department. He is a priest of the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. Rev. Dr. Kim is the recipient of the Thomas E. Chambers Endowed Professorship in Theology at Our Lady of Holy Cross College 2012.

Curriculum Vitae

 Ph.D, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

M.A. & M.Div, St. John's Seminary, Camarillo, CA

B.A., University of Washington, Seattle, WA

 

Dr. Kim completed his doctoral studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in Systematic and Historical Theology. His dissertation focuses on theology in cross-cultural contexts intended to further his theological and pastoral reflections. Most recently, he completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame. He also attained a M.A. in Religious Studies and a Masters in Divinity at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, CA. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Washington.

Simon Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea and came to the U.S. at an early age. His own experience of church and identity is the impetus for his theological endeavors as he strives to make faith generationally and culturally relevant. His recent publication, An Immigration of Theology: Theology of Context as the Theological Method of Virgilio Elizondo and Gustavo Gutiérrez, is the foundational work bridging his theological endeavors and pastoral engagements. Experts in this field of theology have hailed this work as "the most comprehensive comparative analysis of these two leading theologians to date."

In addition to teaching in classroom, Dr. Kim has been invited to give conferences, workshops, and retreats across the country on Korean American pastoral ministry. He has been engaged in generational outreach within the Korean American community, requiring him to present ideas and themes bilingually in order to bridge the generations of Korean Americans.  His stories, experiences, and theological reflection resonate both with initial immigrants and the next generation and have won high praise from both groups as they draw on their Catholic faith to navigate their way in Church and society. Currently, Dr. Kim is serving on the Asian and Pacific Islanders Ad-Hoc Committee for the U.S. Bishops Conference.

Courses Taught

THE 101 Fundamentals of Catholicism

THE 111 Principles and Methods of Theology

THE 305 Morality and Science