Jin Jun

Jin (Kyungjin) Jun is a third-year M.Div. candidate at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Originally from Incheon, South Korea, she is interested in studying the relationship between Christianity and the folk traditions and culture of South Korea. Her recent project was titled “The Reconciliation of Mukyo and Christianity in South Korea.”

Where are you doing your field placement? How does it contribute to your career development?

I recently worked with the Hyde Park Refugee Project (HPRP) and the Repatriation Department of The Field Museum. As an immigrant myself, I often struggled with conflicting identities as a Korean living in a foreign land. Working with both of these organizations gave me the opportunity to provide care for people like me.

At HPRP, I engaged with the ESL program for children from Central and South America, mostly from Venezuela and Ecuador. Although I wasn’t fluent in Spanish, I was able to interact with the children and help build a caring community, which I now see as an extension of chaplaincy.

As a research intern at the Field Museum, I worked with spiritual and religious objects that needed to be returned to the Mashteuiatsh tribe in Québec, Canada. Through this experience, I not only learned anthropological tools but also gained an understanding of how spiritual artifacts—regardless of the passage of time or changing places—can remain deeply significant to a community and its existence.

Both internships were rooted in spiritual care, as both communities faced threats to their identity and livelihoods. The work I did sought to rebuild trust and provide care for their spiritual well-being.

As I enter my third year in the M.Div. program, I am now starting a new role as a Hospital Chaplain at the University of Chicago Medicine. I’m excited to learn how to care for the spirit from a different perspective.

These field experiences have been vital to both my vocation and career, but equally important was an opportunity to travel this summer, made possible through an endowment from the Baptist Theological Union. 

On this travel project, I worked in South Korea on the Reconciliation of Mukyo (무교, Korean Shamanism) and Christianity in South Korea. Mukyo is fading and becoming marginalized as Christianity grows. However, many churchgoers still grapple with dual identities: one as Christians and the other as Koreans with a Musok identity who still participate in ancestral rites, fortune-telling, auspicious days, and shamanic rituals. Most pastors in South Korea do not endorse Musok practices, claiming that the two identities cannot coexist, leaving many Koreans struggling to maintain their faith and reconcile it with their cultural heritage. This project was not only a heavily anthropological endeavor but also an effort to provide care for Koreans navigating these complex religious identities.

I am now considering applying to a Ph.D. program in Anthropology and Sociology of Religion. I hope to build on the fieldwork and experiences I gained during my M.Div. studies while further developing my methodological skills and exploring how best to serve and care for the spirit.

Were there any classes or people who have impacted your work at the Divinity School?

There are many classes I’ve enjoyed, but Black Theology and Womanist Theology with Professor Dwight Hopkins and Moral Theory and Philosophical Ethics with Professor William Schweiker stand out. Black Theology and Womanist Theology classes drew me to liberation theology, which led me to reinterpret process theology. The conflicting fact that oppression presupposes liberation—and that liberation is also a process—and that sometimes the wounds of oppression and its history cannot be fully healed, can lead a community to build a new, stronger identity different from the one before. 
Moral Theory and Philosophical Ethics class was a comprehensive compilation of philosophers and ethical thinkers across different eras, offering me a valuable opportunity to refine and clarify my methodological tools in theological thinking and ethical thought processes.

I also enjoyed the M.Div. Practicum classes led by Erika Dornfeld and the Art & Spiritual Leadership class led by Professor Cynthia Lindner. These courses provided the opportunity to discuss challenges with peers, share insights, and explore new perspectives, not only in terms of problem-solving but also in meaning-making. In particular, the Art & Spiritual Leadership class involved anonymous cases of hospital patients and their families from an actual hospital chaplain. The small group discussions and role-playing we engaged in helped me reflect on how I would respond in such situations. It was excellent preparation for chaplaincy and taught me how to care for the spirit, while integrating that care into both personal and scholarly life.

What activities do you participate in outside of the classroom?

To start on a lighter note, I love fashion, so I often roam around Hyde Park and downtown Chicago to relax and relieve stress by looking at clothes and developing outfits. I also enjoy playing the piano and regularly practice at the Logan Center on campus when I have time. Lately, I’ve developed a new interest in drinking çay (Turkish tea) while exploring desserts from different countries.

For almost two years, I have served as a Social Media and Marketing Student Intern for the Divinity School, where I engage in graphic design, manage social media, and maintain the website. I’m passionate about representing various opportunities, students, and experiences in the Divinity School—not only to the public but also within our UChicago community, including students, faculty, and staff.

In addition, I currently serve as president of the Women’s Caucus at the Divinity School and have recently started my role as the Divinity School representative for the Graduate Council. I’m excited to see how these new roles will bring fresh experiences and insights.

What would you like to say to the donor of fellowship support?

First, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your financial support of students like myself. As an international student, it is particularly challenging to balance academic pursuits with financial stress. The fellowship I have received has been invaluable in helping me manage these financial pressures, allowing me to focus on and thrive in both my academic and social life.

Additionally, knowing that I can use a portion of this support to help underrepresented communities and individuals makes me feel more fulfilled—not only as a person but also as an M.Div. student committed to caring for the spirit. Financial hardships are very real and often discouraging, as they can make it difficult to take on new challenges or pursue unpaid opportunities that may be important but offer no financial return. For example, volunteering with NGOs or other institutions can feel burdensome when a student must also navigate financial difficulties. I cannot thank you enough for your donation.