Journal: Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry
Volume: JBTM 19:2 (Fall 2022)
Article: East Asian And Asian American Reflections On James
Author: Daniel K. Eng

East Asian And Asian American Reflections On James

Daniel K. Eng

Daniel K. Eng serves as assistant professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon.

Introduction

In this article, I offer reflections on how East Asian culture and the Asian American experience highlight particular aspects of the Epistle of James. This article will put forth certain elements to further the discussion about the study of this epistle.1

The article will proceed in four parts. First, we will explore the circumstances of the primary hearers of James as diaspora, drawing parallels with the experience of those in the Asian diaspora. Second, we will explore the collectivistic identity of Asian cultures and its influence on decision-making, as we discuss the concern for the community’s well-being in James. Third, we will discuss how James uses shame to motivate his hearers, showing affinity with the ways Asian cultures often use this approach. Fourth, as we examine the values of loyalty and reciprocity in both Asian and Asian American cultures, we will discuss the call for friendship with God as a major thrust of the Epistle of James.

The Diaspora

The opening of James designates the recipients of the letter as the twelve tribes of the diaspora. This term diaspora evokes an association with the minority experience shared by many of Asian descent around the world. A diaspora is an identifiable people group that has been scattered; those who are outside of their ancestral homeland and among those who are different from them. In James 1:1, the reference to the twelve tribes suggests that the epistle’s recipients are Jews who are living outside Palestine.

JBTM 19:2 (Fall 2022) 246

It is especially notable that James 1:27 contains a call to care for orphans and widows. This affirmation echoes a repeated Old Testament command that typically includes the alien and stranger as well (See Exod 22:21–22; Deut 10:18; 14:29; 16:11; 24:19–21; Ps 145:9; Jer 7:6; 22:3; Ezek 22:7; Zech 7:10). The epistle’s omission of the alien or stranger is significan...