Homecoming rituals: weaving multicultural funeral narratives

Area of Science:

• Cultural Anthropology
• Religious Studies
• Sociology of Death

Background:

• The concept of
• homecoming
• funcrary journey
• from the U.S. to Korea highlights cultural differences in funeral traditions.
• Korean and biblical (Genesis) funeral narratives offer insights into the construction of familial bonds.
• Multicultural grieving processes present unique challenges for pastoral care and grief ministry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To probe the cultural construction of familial bonds in Korean and biblical funeral narratives.
• To explore the religious and practical implications of multicultural grieving processes.
• To examine the differences between American and Korean funeral traditions.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of cultural practices.
• Examination of funeral narratives from Korean and biblical (Genesis) traditions.
• Personal narrative of a
• homecoming
• funcrary journey
• from the U.S. to Korea.

Main Results:

• Significant cultural differences exist in American and Korean funeral traditions, including place of death, corpse preparation (embalming vs. sup/yom), burial containers (casket vs. coffin), and post-death rituals (committal vs. banhon).
• Death is conceived as a return to familial, cultural, and spiritual homes in Korean and biblical contexts.
• These differences have profound religious and practical implications for pastoral care and grief ministry.

Conclusions:

• Understanding cultural nuances in funeral rites is crucial for effective grief ministry.
• Pastoral care must accommodate diverse cultural perspectives on death and grieving.
• The concept of returning to familial, cultural, and spiritual homes shapes the grieving process.