An Exception to the Exception: Second-Generation Korean American Church Participation

Abstract

First-generation Korean Americans are characterized by nearly universal church membership and the highest levels of Protestant affiliation of all immigrant groups. However, most second-generation Korean Americans are not church members, and their departure from their parents’ immigrant churches has been referred to as a “silent exodus”. Various studies anecdotally propose reasons for the second-generation departure, yet no in-depth analysis has examined the context of second-generation Korean American church-stayers. The authors present an analysis of the only independent second-generation Korean American church in the state of Michigan. Participant observation and in-depth interviews are used to assess the importance of religious beliefs, inter-generational relations, and cultural factors insofar as they are associated with this church’s membership. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that religious internalization is a significant factor explaining church participation for second-generation Korean Americans.