- Author: Lee, Sookjin
- Title: The Making of “Normal Family” in Korean Protestantism: Focused on the Strategy of Otherization and Subjectification
- Language: Korean
- Journal: Studies in Religion (The Journal of the Korean Association for the History of Religions) 82, 1: 87-112
- Publication Year: 2022
- Publisher: Korean Association for the History of Religions
■ Abstract This article critically explores the characteristics and effects of making of "normal family" in recent Korean Protestantism, focusing on Protestant strategies of otherization and subjectification. Since entering a post-industrial society, the modern nuclear family model has been dismantled in our society, and various family forms such as single-person families, unmarried families, cohabitation families, and same-sex families have emerged. Protestantism sees this as a serious crisis and is attempting to create a normal family by advocating overcoming the social crisis through family recovery. At this time, a normal family is a family model that values the function of members according to gender roles, that is, a modern nuclear family based on male labor and female reproductive labor. Korean Protestantism is pursuing a strategy of otherization and subjectification. The former is a strategy that excludes and eradicates obstacles or destructors of normal family. Homosexuality emerges as the other of normal family. Homosexuality is defined both as a "strategy of Satan" that fundamentally destroys the family system based on the Divine order and as a "social evil" that destroys the modern nuclear family. Therefore, Korean Protestantism tries to launch an anti-homosexuality movement enthusiastically. Meanwhile, the latter is a strategy to reproduce subjects essential for maintaining and strengthening normal family. Family-related programs such as Durannon Father School and Hifamily are typical examples. These programs attempt to create a heterosexual family under the slogan "respectful husband, beloved wife." Furthermore, it aims for a traditional patriarchal family model consisting of strict fathers and obedient wives and children. However, the reinforcement of "normal family" model excludes the newly emerging family types from the category of normality.
The concept of family is closely related to social change. It is a narrow attitude to regard the family model based on patriarchalism as the universal and ideal family form or to understand it as the only true family model of Christianity. What Korean Protestantism currently need is an open attitude toward various family models.
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