지금까지 기독교 선교역사에 나타난 선교신학의 유형은 크게 세 가지로 분류할 수 있을 것이다. 첫째는 ‘전통적 선교신학’(또는 복음주의 선교신학), 둘째는 ‘에큐메니칼 선교신학,’ 셋째는 ‘통전적 선교신학’이라고 할 수 있을 것이다. 전통적 선교신학은 가장 오래된 역사를 지닌 신학이라고 할 수 있으며, ‘세계 복음화’를 선교의 분명한 목표로 삼은 신학이라고 할 수 있다. 두 번째로 태동된 에큐메니칼 선교신학은 전통적인 선교신학의 문제점을 인식하면서 대안으로 제시 된 선교신학으로 주로 이 세상에서 인간을 인간답게 살 수 있는 곳으로 만드는 일과 샬롬을 선교의 주된 과업으로 보는 경향이 있다. 그리고 이 둘 사이의 갈등과 충돌 후에 대안으로 나타난 소위 말하는 ‘통전적 선교신학’이 세 번째 선교신학이다. 본 연구는 통전적 선교신학의 배경이 된 전통적 선교신학과 에큐메 니칼 선교신학을 간략하게 분석한 후 오늘날 가장 널리 수용되고 있는 세 번째 선교신학인 통전적 선교신학을 깊이 있게 분석하면서 이 신학이 과연 오늘날 위기에 처한 기독교를 구출하여 21세기에도 기독교가 여전히 존재하며 세계를 섬길 수 있도록 만드는 선교신학인지를 고민하 여 보았다. 그 결과 본 연구는 통전적 선교신학에 대한 대안적 선교신학 태동의 필요성을 생각하게 되었는데, 그 주된 이유로는 1) 날로 약화되어 가는 기독교의 현황, 2) 통전적 선교신학의 우선순위 배제로 인한 효율성의 약화 문제, 3) 통전적 선교신학의 전도 동력 약화 문제, 4) 선교에 윤리 문제를 혼합시켜 혼동을 줄 수 있는 가능성 등을 살펴보았다. 본 연구에서는 제4 선교신학이 구체적으로 어떤 신학인가를 다루 는 문제를 차후의 과제로 미루고, 대안적 선교신학의 태동 필요성에 대해서만 집중적으로 고찰해 보았다. 물론 이와 같은 대안 모색에 대하여 상당한 비판적 견해가 있을 수 있다. 특별히 하나님의 관심은 교회가 아니라 세상에 있으며, 세상을 섬기고 변화시키는 것이 구령사 역과 동일하게 중요하다는 관점에서 보면 제4 선교신학의 모색은 여전 히 지나치게 교회 중심적이며 협소한 선교 개념으로 보일 수 있을 것이다. 하지만 세상을 섬기는 것도 좋고 세상을 변화시키는 것도 좋지만 최소한 교회가 존재해야 이 모든 신학적 논의가 가능해지며, 지금은 교회의 존립 자체가 위협을 받는 심각한 위기 상황에 있다고 할 수 있다. 따라서 우리는 오늘날 가장 널리 수용되고 있는 통전적 선교신학이 과연 가장 적합한 신학인지를 냉철하게 분석하면서 제4 선교신학과 같은 대안적인 선교신학을 모색해 보아야 할 절박한 시점에 와있다고 보며, 이러한 점에서 본 연구는 오늘날 위기에 빠진 기독교 선교가 나아갈 방향을 제시하는 데 일정 부분 기여할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.
한국 역사 속에서 종교들은 대체로 평화롭게 공존하였으나 기독교 유입 이후 기독교와 다른 종교들 간 관계는 점차 갈등관계나 다원주의로의 양극화 또는 무관심이라는 양상을 띠어 왔다. 종교다원주의는 교회의 근간인 성경의 진리됨을 일종의 은유와 신화 또는 성경 저자들의 고백이라 주장하고 그리스도가 예수를 포함한 여러 이름이라는 주장으로 복음을 모호하게 한다. 반면 다른 종교들에 대한 부정적인 태도는 사회적 대립과 갈등으로 확산되기도 하여 왔다.
본고는 종교간 대립과 갈등의 부분에 관심을 두고 이에 주목한다. 현재 인류가 직면한 문제들 중 하나는 인종과 종교 집단, 국적에 따라 나뉘어 곳곳에서 갈등을 넘어 폭력 분쟁이 발생하고 있는 것이다. 세계 속에서 종교대립이 살인과 테러, 전쟁으로까지 표출되고 있는 것에 비하여 정도에 있어 차이를 보이긴 하지만, 한국에도 종교적 갈등과 반목으로 인한 사회적 갈등이 존재하고 있는 것이 사실이다. 것에 비하여 정도에 있어 차이를 보이긴 하지만, 한국에도 종교적 갈등과 반목으로 인한 사회적 갈등이 존재하고 있는 것이 사실이다. 한국의 교회는 배타적 또는 대립적 태도로 인하여 발생하는 오늘날의 사회적 문제들을 직시하고, 이를 해결하기 위한 노력을 기울일 것이 요구된다.
이에 따라 본고는 종교간 관계의 문제와 요인들을 분석하고 선교적 교회의 본질에 입각하여 종교관계를 위한 교회의 역할을 고찰한다. 더불어 종교신학적 입장에서 정체성의 신학을 제시하며 이를 중심으로 종교관계의 나아갈 바를 보인다. 이를 위하여 십자가의 배타성 뿐 아니라, 전 인류를 구원하고자 하는 하나님의 사랑을 내포하고 있는 십자가의 포용성을 강조하며, 교회가 세상으로 보냄을 받은 사도적 사명을 받은 존재임에 주목한다. 보냄을 받은 공동체인 교회는 사회로 나아가 문화와 종교와 소통하고 관계하며 예수 그리스도의 몸으로서 그리스도의 정신을 좆아 대립과 폭력이 아닌 치유와 평화의 사도로서의 역할을 해야 함을 강조한다. 이는 교회의 통전적 제자화와 증인됨을 말하며, 또한 교회 내에만 국한되는 것이 아닌 세상과의 소통과 치유가 있는, 세상이 있는 제자화와 증인됨이다.
본고는 교회가 종교다원주의를 지양하고, 정체성의 신학을 통하여 종교관계에 있어 자신의 헌신을 분명히 함으로써 진정하고 의미 있는 대화와 관계를 이룰 것을 촉구한다. 세상에 있으나 세상에 속하여 있는 것이 아닌 정체성은 십자가가 드러낸 자신을 내어줌이며 이는 우리 자신을 다른 사람들에게 내어 주고 그들을 받아들이는, 타자를 위한 그리고 타자와 함께 하는 정체성이다. 더불어 교회가 자기부인, 약함과 겸손, 사랑에 근거한 성육신적 열림, 사회참여 및 협력을 통하여 세상에서의 하나님의 사역에 동참할 것을 강조한다. 교회는 세상과 많은 접촉점, 만남의 자리, 공통점을 지니지만 영적인 타협은 없어야 하며, 종교적 이상과 대치되는 부분들에 관하여 그 다름을 지적할 수 있어야 함을 주지한다.
이 글은 예수회 본국의 예술신학과 예술교육이 중국이라는 선교지의 예술선교 방식에 어떤 영향 주었는지를 17세기경 중국에서 만들어진 엠블럼 북의 제작과 이에 대한 중국인들의 반응을 살펴봄을 통해 고찰해 보았다.
이를 위해 2장에서는 예수회의 예술신학과 예술교육에 대해 살펴보았다. 기존에 예수회의 ‘예술신학’(Art Theology)이라는 이름으로 정의되지 않았던 예수회의 예술에 관한 신학적 관점을 ‘예술신학’이라는 이름으로 정의하고 두 가지 정도로 정리하였다. 하나는 토마스 아퀴나스(Thomas Aquinas)의 신학에 담겨진 아름다움과 예술에 관한 함의이다. 아퀴나스는 현실세계가 선한 하나님이 창조한 세계이며 하나님의 진리와 선, 아름다움을 반영하고 있다고 보았다. 따라서 아퀴나스는 예술이 자연을 모방하는 것은 신적 창조의 아름다움을 파악하고 자연 안에서 지속적으로 나타나는 하나님의 창조를 모방하는 행위로서 가치 있게 여겼다. 피조물을 재현한 예술작품은 세상을 창조한 하나님을 계시하는 하나의 도구로 쓰일 수 있다고 보았으나 이것은 오로지 하나님의 은총에 의해서만 가능한 것이라고 본다. 다른 하나는 예수회의 ‘영적 이미지’(spiritual images)라는 이론으로서, 사람들의 마음에 복음을 피조물의 이미지를 통해 은유적으로 이해시키고 각인시켜서 하나님께 더 가까이 나아가도록 도움을 줄 수 있다는 이론이었다. 이러한 예술신학적인 관점에 따라 예수회에서는 이미지를 활용하여 신앙을 교육하고, 예수회 대학에서 원근법을 가르쳐서 복음을 전하고 회원들과 신자들의 신앙을 향상시키고자 하였다. 또한 엠블럼 북과 같은 삽화와 이에 대한 해설을 곁들인 책들이 유럽 본국에 널리 전파되고 유행하였다.
3장에서는 예수회의 예술신학과 예술교육의 내용들이 중국이라는 선교지에서도 적용되어 반영되는 과정을 17세기에 유럽에서 파송된 선교사들이 중국에 가서 제작했던 중국말로 번역된 도해와 중국적인 모티브와 양식이 가미된 엠블럼 북들을 통해 살펴본다. 그 중에서도 기울리오 알레니(Giulio Aleni)가 중국에서 제작한 『천주강생출상경해』(Tianzhu Jiangsheng Chuxiang Jingjie)는 유럽에서 제롬 나달(Gerome Nadal)이 만든 『그림으로 된 복음 이야기』(Evangelicae Historie Imagines)에 관한 그림에서 몇 점을 뽑아서 예수의 생애를 중국인들에게 소개한 책이다. 알레니는 유럽의 언어로 되어 있는 그림의 해설 부분을 중국어로 번역하였고, 그림도 완전하지는 않지만 중국적인 표현을 서양양식과 혼합하여 표현하였다. 이러한 이미지는 유교라는 현실주의적 세계관을 가진 중국인들에게 예수의 생애의 초자연적인 부분들을 보여줌으로써 당대 유교 사대부들로부터 글을 모르는 일반적인 중국인들에게 커다란 관심을 불러일으켰다.
이러한 예수회의 예술신학과 예술교육이 중국 예술선교의 방식과 상호작용한 사례에 대한 고찰은 예술선교나 사역이 활발히 진행되고 있는 한국의 개신교와 한국의 중국선교 상황에 몇 가지 시사점을 제공해 준다. 먼저 개신교의 예술신학과 예술교육의 연구 기반을 좀 더 확고히 하는 가운데 예술 선교사역이 이루어져야 한다는 것이다. 이를 위해 이러한 예술 신학적이고 예술교육의 이론적인 측면이 신학교 커리큘럼에 좀 더 반영되어야 한다는 점이다. 이처럼 예술신학과 예술선교가 서로 영향을 줌으로써 복음이 들어가는 다양한 문화 속에서 한층 더 방향성 있고 풍성한 방식으로 소통할 수 있게 될 것이다.
대럴 구더는 자신의 신학 방향을 선교와 신학이라는 두 개의 개별적인 학문의 분야에서 선교적 신학(Missional Theology)으로의 전환으로 두고 있다. 또한 구더는 기독교세계(Christendom)에서 형성된 서구의 전통적인 교회론이 선교적으로 변화되어야 한다고 주장한다. 오랜 기간 동안 기독교세계의 신학은 거의 선교를 주요 주제로 다루지 않았다. 그리고 북미의 축소주의는 예수 그리스도의 복음을 개인적인 것으로 축소하였고, 더 나아가서 복음의 본질인 증거의 삶을 선택사항으로 만들었다. 구더는 선교적 신학의 관심은 복음전도를 향한 전적인 헌신으로, 그것은 그리스도의 부르심으로 사람을 낚는 어부가 되고 하나님의 선교에 동참하고 이 땅에 그분의 개입하시는 통치(inbreaking reign)에 참여하는 것이다. 구더에게 선교적 해석학은 본질적으로 예수 그리스도 교회의 선교적 소명이라는 면에서 말씀을 해석하는 것으로 사도적 증언을 지속하는 공동체의 선교적 소명을 기록한 문서로 신약성경을 해석한다. 그리고 구더는 니케아 공의회에 네 가지 교회 표징들을 북미에 있는 주요 교단들의 감소와 오늘날 에큐메니칼 운동이 갖는 어려움을 극복하는 선교적 연계성의 대안으로 제안하였다. 구더는 북미 기독교의 도전이 선교가 있는 교회에서 선교적 교회로 전환하는 것이라고 주장하였다. 그 의미는 해외선교를 열심히 하자는 것도, 국내선교에 매진하자는 것도 아니고 교회의 본질인 하나님의 선교를 회복하는 것이다. 그로 인해 북미의 교회들은 그리스도 안의 성령에 의해 축소주의를 극복하고 사도적 사명을 감당해야 한다.
There had been many influential protestant missionaries in the last 130 years in the history of the Korean Protestant missionaries but there had not been one who was more influential then John Ross from Scotland. John Ross was not only a missionary in China, but he made the Korean translation of the New Testament. A publication which already existed in Korea years before the American Protestant missionaries came to Korea. It is very rare for any country to have such a missional history of this manner. Nevertheless, the fact remains that there is very minimal data about John Ross in the Korean Church history. In this paper, the Fulfillment Theology from the position of the Missiological Theology is dealt with as we try to better understand John Ross. As he witnessed the emphasize of the Confucianism’s ancestral worship in China, he began to better understood the Fulfillment Theology from the position of the Missiological Theology.In this paper, the life and ministry of John Ross along with his missiological attitude towards other religion and the relationship of Confucianism and Christianity are dealt with. In particular, this paper deals with the efforts of John Ross as he searched for the contact point of Christianity in Confucianism and his desire to lead the contact point to Jesus Christ in his work. His method was to increase the efficiency of the witness of the Gospel.John Ross, in his 39 years of missionary work in China baptized over 4000. And through his faithful efforts his work is still evident in China today as DongGuan Church and DongBook Seminary in Shenyang, China are actively operating. Thus, there is a great significance in studying the Fulfillment Theology from the position of Ross's Missiological Theology. If we obtain a better understanding of Ross's Missiological Theology, it will not only be beneficial to Christianity but essential in witnessing to other religions. The literature review method was used for this paper, as major writings of Ross and primary data founded was used. In addition, to gain a better understanding of John Ross and his work, Ross's home and his grave site in Scotland was visited 10 times and his main mission field, Shenyang, China 15 times.
Willem Adolf Visser ’t Hooft was born on 1900 in Netherland and moved into Geneva in 1924 in order to work with YMCA as a general secretary. From 1928, he also was involved in World Student Christian Federation and became an editor of The Student World. Then he worked in World Council of Churches from 1938 to 1966 as a general secretary. He published The Ecumenical Review and was the editor of it from 1948. He hosted many ecumenical meetings, including Evanston (1954) and New Delhi (1961) WCC General Assembly and actively participated in lecturing and writing in the world. Although he was born in the West and had been educated in the West, he humbly accepted the sinful nature of Western churches. He acknowledged they had been affected by syncretism, pluralism, and Neo-paganism. Hooft understood the church in two different dimensions. One is that church is a spiritual community which gets salvation by Christ, becomes a new creature (I Cor. 5: 17), and lives in the Kingdom of God in the eschatological hope. The other is that church is a sinful human organization. Especially, Western churches have compromised the Gospel of Christ with many contemporary philosophy, theory, ideology, and other religions. In such a situation, church should be renewed. Hooft argued that the authentic church’s renewal is not an event or program that can be acquired, but it is an ongoing process in relationship with God. In other words, the renewal of churches does not rely on human’s endeavor or achievement, but the sovereignty of God. He is the subject of churches’ renewal and each church is in His hands. In terms of this perspective, He leads churches’ renewal and churches should pay attention to His will and ways towards other churches. In this sense, according to Hooft, the first step of renewal, is repentance before God. Then churches should listen carefully to the Word of God. The renewals cannot be done in a certain amount of time; rather it is a lifelong process in the living God. Hooft insisted on that the renewal of churches should be visible, tangible, and concrete in this world. In that sense, Hooft emphasized the unity of churches. People have been separated, but Christ never. If Christians believe that Christ creates churches, they are one body. They cannot be divided in Christ, although they have different backgrounds. If Hooft’s claim is true, the unity of churches should be manifested in this world. Again, unity of churches is not an event or political project; rather it is an ongoing process in relationship with God. He is an initiator of churches’ unity and He is the One who finalizes in His time. It does mean that the unity of churches should grow up “from” Christ “to” Christ. In conclusion, Hooft focused on the missional nature of church in terms of fulfilling the renewal and unity of churches. He said that the problems of church unity are supremely relevant to the evangelistic and missionary tasks in the world. In addition, Hooft claimed that the renewal of the Church implies, therefore also that the Church rediscovers its apostolic, missionary character. For Hooft, the Church is the missionary Church, because it is the instrument of God’s world-embracing plan of salvation.
The purpose of this article is to investigate the understanding on the workers of mission in ecumenical theology. Since mission is an action for the Kingdom of God, it is important to understand who is in charge of this work for an effective ministry. In the past, the church thought that the major agents of mission are ‘the church’ or ‘the chosen people.’ However, after the second world war, the ecumenical theology started to see the worker of mission more in a wider view including various organizations in the world. In this paper, first I tried to find out from what motivation the new view came out. They were the following perceptions: 1) the church realized that the church, the major agent of mission, committed serious sins especially during the two world wars, 2) due to the impact of Missio Dei, the church came to see that the workers of mission are not just the church but also many other institutions in the world, 3) the church came to change its view on the world from a target of mission to a coworker of mission. With this kind of background, the ecumenical theology tends to see the workers of mission as the triune God himself, the various institutions in the world used by God, lay people, and the poors. This kind of understanding contains various strengths and weaknesses. It might be helpful for the church to break its arrogance and self-centered attitude. Also it can help the church to cooperate with the world in carrying out the mission, and to keep going forward toward the ideal direction of mission. However, this view contains some weaknesses as well. As it emphasizes God as the major worker of mission too much, it can reduce the church's responsibility and enthusiasm for mission. As it pursues cooperation with the world, it can bring a result of weakening the identity of the church also. As it includes the world, which is not concerned and interested about God, as a major worker of mission, the church can fall into a trap of idealism and as a result of this it can cause enfeeblement of mission. If these kinds of weaknesses are compensated properly, the ecumenical view on the workers of mission would be helpful for building up the church for world mission.
The theology of religions, which examines theologically the meaning of other religions and their relationships, is important, but controversial issue in theological world. In the religiously pluralistic society, Christians who are participating in the interaction with other religions should be attentive to the theology of religions and have rules and principles. In the era of the Enlightenment and modernism, the radical continuity between the natural and supernatural and between God and humans was also connected to continuity among religions, and relativity and the seeds of pluralism were highly fostered beyond Augustinian exclusivism. However, Karl Barth rejected mancentered theology in modern context and liberalism, which made religion a matter of this world by magnifying humans at the expense of God. For Barth, there is no natural theology as a point of contact between God and humanity, and rather there is total discontinuity between them standing in opposition to each other. This article especially focuses on Barth’s theology of religions which is described as complex and self-contradictory and gives some missiological implications. On the one hand, in Barth’s rejecting natural theology or general revelation and regarding religion, which is contradicted to revelation, as unbelief, his theology does not seem to be helpful for the dialogical basis with other religions. However, on the other hand, by the view in his later writings, Barth’s theology provides for a more positive and implicit view of the religions. In the doctrine of reconciliation of Barth, God’s self-revelation could not be confined to the realm of the Christianity, and other lights and words which come from outside the Christian church are in some sense represent a view on God’s revelation. Furthermore, relational aspects in Barth’s theology based on imago Dei builds a common ground for inter-religious interaction. On the whole, Barth is not only in commitment to the Christian faith, but also in profound openness toward other religions beyond outright denial. However, in making theology relevant to contexts, Barth cautions against losing the faithfulness to the Word of God or the distinctiveness of the Christian message. Barth’s theology of religions is a guidepost in this respect today.
Hendrik Kraemer (18881965) was one of the outstanding Christian thinkers and activists in the 20th century. He studied linguistics and relgions in University of Leiden, Netherlands, and Islam and Arabic in University of Al Azhar, Egypt. After acquiring those academic training, he went to Indonesia to help translating Alkitab, the Indonesian Bible. In 1937 Kraemer came back to Netherlands and became a professor of comparative religion in University of Leiden. After spending 10 years in there, he was appointed as the first director of the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey near Geneva. In his latter years (19561957) he was invited from Union Theological Seminary in New York as a guest lecture. The most significant contribution of Kraemer is to define the meaning of revelation of God in relation to other religions. He insisted that God is only and perfectly revealed himself in Jesus Christ according to the Bible. Any other religion or philosophy cannot influence to the revelation of God at all. This is the basic concept of Biblical Realism. Christianity is clearly distinguished from other religions, but simultaneously Kraemer warned a superiority of Christianity over them. Kraemer claimed that the nature of church is both mission and diakonia. In and through missionary activity church reveals her reason for existence. Church should be “WorldCentered” rather than “Being ChurchCentered.” If she mainly emphasizes her own organization instead of ‘World,’ it is a betrayal of calling. In that sense, the role of lay people is crucial. According to Kraemer, the definition of lay people is different. They are not a group of people who contrast to ordained pastors, but a chosen people of God. As a lay person, Kraemer paid attention to roles of them in relation to mission in Islamic context. They should participate in the mission of God in everyday and everyplace.
When we carry out a work or project, setting a clear goal is crucial for a success of the vocation. A goal means a task, target, or place to go or to achieve, and in this sense, a project whose goal is not clear enough cannot be achieved successfully. Since mission is also a ministry of a religion, making a clear goal is important for its success. However, in Christian mission the goal of mission is understood in various ways. While in the traditional view the understanding of mission’s goal is rather simple and clear, recent view is rather inclusive and complicated. In particular, the ecumenical view of the goal is quite different from that of the traditional view. So this article investigated the goal of mission in ecumenical view with a desire to provide a foundation for making a desirable purpose of mission today when the Christianity is in a deep crisis. For this purpose this article studied some major goals of ecumenical missiology such as humanization, JPIC, unity and reconciliation. As a result of this investigation this paper suggested some major characteristics of ecumenical goal of mission: broad inclusiveness, deep concern on the transformation of the world, high possibility of change, and removing priority. These kinds of characteristics have various strengths and advantages in serving and transforming the world, and in making suitable goals which fit the felt needs of the changing world. In other words, the ecumenical goals are effective in serving the world. However, the ecumenical goals have some limitations as well. The goals of the ecumenical wing are so broad and inclusive that the energy would be divided into many directions. Some goals are agendas of the world which seek welfare of the world, so these goals are helpful for the development of the world but not much for growth of the church, a major goal of mission. If ecumenical goals are compensated in these areas, the goals would be much more effective for the Kingdom of God.
본 연구는 신학 전공 대학생들과 과학 교육 전공 대학생들과의 비교를 통하여 신학 전공 대학생들의 우주와 생명의 기원에 관련된 관점과 과학에 대한 인식을 알아보며, 신학 전공 대학생들을 대상으로 개설한 현대 과학의 이해와 관련된 과목을 한 학기 수강한 이후에 일어나는 관점의 변화를 살펴보는 것이다. 이를 위해 신학 전공 대학생 26명과 과학교육 전공 대학생 19명이 설문에 참여하였다. 신학 전공 대학생들의 경우, 수강 전 젊은 지구 창조론과 오랜 지구 창조론을 합하여 42%, 유신론적 진화론을 지지하는 응답자는 42%로 나타났으며 생물학적 진화론을 지지하는 응답자는 단 한 명도 없었다. 이에 반해, 과학교육을 전공하는 대학생들 대부분의 진화론을 지지하고 있었으며 극단적인 입장의 창조론을 지지하는 응답자는 없는 것으로 드러났다. 또한 창조론을 지지하는 대부분의 응답자는 과학이 창조주의 업적을 기술하는 도구라고 생각하는 경우가 많았고, 과학적 진화론을 지지하는 응답자는 과학이 자연 세계에 대한 논리적이고 기술적인 체계라는 견해를 가지고 있었다. 신학 전공 대학생들이 현대 과학에 대한 이해와 관련한 과목을 수강한 이후, 젊은 지구 창조론과 같은 극단적 관점을 지지하는 경우가 23%에서 4%로 감소하였으며, 유신론적 진화론의 관점은 다소 증가하였다. 이는 신학 전공 대학생들의 과학 관련 과목 수강이 신학 전공의 바탕에서 과학적 진화론을 이해하려는 실마리를 제공한다고 볼 수 있다.
Jong Hyun Jang proclaimed “Life Theology” through the Baekseok University under the name of Baekseok theology. The Korean church and christianity is undergoing a difficult time. Especially the social welfare mission became due to statistics and evaluations more focused on capacity and results than the way of Jesus Christ. Jong Hyun Jang's “Life Theology” revived the Gospel in that sense. Although his work seems like the “Life Theology” of Alfred Jaeger, however he focuses on a much more pragmatical way on becoming more like Jesus Christ. He shows a crossroad in which “Life Theology” and Social Welfare Theology meet. Social Welfare Mission is the fastest way to actually do the work of Jesus Christ and spread his word as he did. “Life Theology” is the center of the Social Welfare Theology in which we live and serve as servants. This is why “Life Theology” is the future of the Social Welfare Theology. Thus, “Life Theology” with the aid of Social Welfare Theology will be able to revive and encourage people in desperate need to a new way of life. The background of this can be described in three points. 1) the center of the Social Welfare Theology-Christianity- Jesus Christ centered, 2) the framework of the Social Welfare Theology-church theology-the member and the leader of a community 3) the context of the Social Welfare Theology - Kingdom of God - behavior and attitude. These 3 components are important parts in practicing Social Welfare Theology. Since today Social Welfare Mission took a variety of forms and experienced difficulties in establishing itself in a dynamic changing society. Social Welfare Theology has more non religious factors (financial support, management, etc.) than ordinary mission itself. Thus it lead to arguments of the purpose of the mission and its meaning itself. The Social Welfare Mission also had difficulties in adapting in a secular and diverse society. Such difficulties now stand before the "Life Theology" to achieve a core meaning centered around Jesus Christ. Thus, not something which just looks like spreading the good word, but doing it like Jesus did is the main idea of the Social Welfare mission. Jong Hyun Jang’s “Life Theology” has been proven through the Baekseok University to work hand in hand with the social welfare mission. It remains subject to the next generation of scholars to see how Jong Hyun Jang’s Life Theology establishes itself in the future.
The aim of this paper is firstly to address the affinity between globalization and Pentecostal spirituality and secondly to hint that Progressive Pentecostalism might be a successor to Liberation Theology. Globalization (‘the market revolution’) and Pentecostalization (‘the spiritual revolution’) are surely under way. Pentecostalism has often been otherworldly, emphasizing personal salvation to the exclusion of any attempt to transform social reality, whereas Progressive Pentecostalism continues to affirm the apocalyptic return of Christ but also believes that Christians are called to be good neighbors, addressing the social needs of people in their community. Progressive Pentecostals are leading heroic self-sacrificial lives. Pentecostalism and Liberation Theology share the idea that salvation includes effects on material life in this world. In liberation language this pertains to social, economic, and political liberation of historical existence, and in Pentecostalism it applies to healing. Some Pentecostal theologians such as E. Villafane, M. Volf, R. Beckford, and Jang-Hyun Rhu are extending the idea of healing to the social condition of existence.
This first purpose of this article is to articulate John Hick’s theology of religion, and the second purpose is to investigate the meaning of mission in Hick’s religious theology. For the first goal, this article examines his theology in the following category; 1) the common ground of religions, 2) relativistic aspect of Christology, 3) salvation/liberation. Because Hick’s theology of religion is developed on the assumption that all religions aim one same Reality, the common ground of all religion is preferentially examined. Secondly, his Christological perspective is examined through his understanding of Incarnation. Lastly, his understanding of salvation, which is the final goal of all religions, is examined. For the missionary meaning of Hick’s religious theology, this article engaged on 1) overcoming of conquering model in the theology of religion, 2) relativizing Christology and mission 3) dialogue and transformation including conversion. Hick’s theology provides the foundation to overcome the dualistic superiority of Christianity which regards other religions as idolatry or non-truth. Through the distinction between Godhead and God, and thing-in-itself and phenomenon, Hick insists that a religion cannot perceive Reality itself. This means that Christianity cannot recognize God [Reality] itself. His theology is overcoming exclusivism of Christianity. However, his theology makes mission meaningless because he relativizes Christology. Therefore, his understanding of Jesus Christ and Incarnation are critically examined. Lastly, I insist that Christian mission should go beyond dialogue and transformation even though Hick’s notion of mission points to dialogue. Mission demands the life as Jesus’disciple, and witness of Gospel beyond sharing. Furthermore, Christian mission should go beyond social transformation or political solidarity because Gospel includes religious aspect as well as social aspect.
In the 1930s, new theologians who studied abroad, due to Japan’s cultural policy of the 1920s, wanted to recognize the Bible and theology of their own subjective opinion, and get out of the fundamental conversation of theology of the early Western missionaries. It caused a debate between Conservative and Progressive theology in the early churches in Korea. Through the “Hypothesis of Moses Copyright negation” and “Problem of the Interpretation of Women’s Rights”, which were condemned issues by Presbyterians in 1934, and also the “Abingdon Bible Commentary Incident in 1935”; early Korean church leaders, pastors, and even missionaries, who were educated by Conservative western missionaries, judged the change of the new theologians’ view. Pastor Sun Joo Kil, a leader of the “Pyong Yang Revival Movement” which was initiated by Missionary Hady in 1907, held his Bible crusades, and his successful spiritual revival movement kept until 1910. After him, Pastor Ik Doo Kim started the Healing Crusade, as a new step of the spiritual revival movement in 1920. There was also another man who wanted to revive the Korean church, based on the contemporary churches. He tried to reform the churches, not to be conservative but to be focused on spiritual approaches. His name was pastor Yong Do Lee. Unfortunately, Pastor Yong Do Lee’s Shimuyan, works were only recorded for five years from 1928 to 1933. He died when he was only 33. In spite of his short life, the Korean Churches were influenced greatly and changed by him. He was also thought as an enthusiastic and mystic theologian, and also even a preacher who had the element of heresy. The main theme of this thesis focuses on the renewal missions of today's Korean Churches based on Pastor Yong Do Lee’s works for renovating them. This research guides and provides the material to find out a certain way to build up the revival of the Korean Churches’ growth and advance.