The present study is an investigation of young Korean Protestants’ views of other faiths and how they understand mission and evangelism based on those views. The empirical research shows that a considerable number of young Korean Christians have now embraced pluralistic viewpoint concerning other religions, along with the postmodern relativistic perspective about truth claims. This research concludes that both perspectives weaken the motive of traditional Christian evangelism and mission toward people of other faiths. The empirical research also indicates the urgency to recognize pluralistic and relativistic tendencies among young Korean Protestants in the history of the Korean Protestant Church. In other words, the emerging pluralistic and postmodern viewpoint, which is gaining popularity among young Koreans, is beginning to compete with the dominant traditional Korean Protestant exclusivistic theology of religions. Thus, we are beginning to see the competition between exclusivism and pluralism or relativism (religious and postmodern). An important missional issue regarding exclusivism and pluralism is that both can easily fail to engage people of other faiths. While the exclusivists close their mind and try not to listen to people of other faiths, the pluralists think it unnecessary to share the Christian faith. As a result they both have that the tendency to avoid engaging with the ‘other,’ that is, people of other faiths. In response, the researcher suggests “dialogical evangelism,” with the intention to escape the missional dangers post by both exclusivism and pluralism, and to encourage Christians to engage the ‘others’ in dialogue and love for evangelism. Having taken other faiths into consideration since the 1910 Edinburgh Conference of the World Missionary Conference, many mission thinkers have become involved in how to do missions toward people of other faiths. The dialogical approach to people of other faiths has proved to be a desirable way of doing missions. On the other hand, evangelicals have argued that its ultimate goal should be evangelism. Therefore, integrating the strengths of these two approaches, for the Korean Protestant Church and the new generation of Christians, the researcher suggests dialogical evangelism as the most viable approach to people of other faiths.

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.