| The conventional understanding of aging is that it brings physical, emotional and economic powerlessness to persons. To the Korean-American elderly, such a negative understanding has been multiplied because of their cultural difference, language barrier, immobility and the generation gap between the elderly and their grandchildren.;Historically, the immigration of Koreans to the States started from 1903. In the 1960s, the numbers of immigrants rapidly increased seeking political freedom and a better education for their children. To the late comers, cultural adaptation is not complete but is still in progress. This causes, especially, the Korean-American elderly to suffer from culture shock and value crises.;In order to inquire into the depth of such problems and to find a possible solution, this project reports the findings of more than one hundred interviews with pastors and the elderly. From the West Coast to the East Coast, this project lifts up the common areas of negligence and effective ways to do elderly ministries and points to the urgent need for such ministry.;In detail, Chapter 1 presents an overview of this project. Chapter 2 focuses on biblical understandings of the aging. Chapter 3 discusses the identity-crisis issue. Chapter 4 focuses on the problems in detail, such as the language barrier, immobility, and culture shock. Chapter 5 focuses on the creation of a care and counseling context for the Korean-American elderly in the churches and the emerging demand for spiritual care. Chapter 6 provides a theological basis for pastoral care for the elderly's fear of death. The issue of life after death is briefly discussed. Chapter 7 summarizes typical examples of ministry to the elderly in the New York and New Jersey areas. This chapter highlights the fundamental problems of ministring to the elderly. Chapter 8 deals with the issues of how to create a care-context for the elderly. Chapter 9 focuses on the development of the ministry with the elderly in church settings.;One of the most important contributions of this project will be the suggestion of a tentative guideline for effective ministry with the elderly. This is followed by an interim conclusion. |
