Am I Good Enough? Dealing Pastorally with the Shame of Women in the Amalgam of Korean Confucian and Christian Culture

In this paper, the literature review of shame is examined: the definition of emotions, the relationship between shame and the self, the definition and characteristics of shame alongside with guilt, the social nature of shame, and the female quality of shame. After examining the previous attempts on shame and its relationship with culture, this paper argues how shame functions, particularly in Korean culture, employing a cultural-anthropological, a societal-anthropological, and a Korean native-psychological approach. Furthermore, the paper explores the relationship between shame and Korean women in the amalgam of Korean Confucian and Christian context. The negative and positive roles of shame among Korean Christian women are also analyzed. After applying shame context to the mission setting and my own personal experiences, I will suggest some approaches in terms of dealing with shame from a pastoral viewpoint