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.

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.