본 논문은 한국교회와 기독교인들이 남북통일을 향한 선교역사에 대하여 논의하였다. 한국교회는 에큐메니컬(ecumenical) 입장과 복 음주의(evangelical)의 입장에서 북한선교와 통일을 다루었는데, 거 기에는 차이가 있다. 복음주의 입장에서의 선교는 북한의 복음화에 집중하고, 반면에 에큐메니컬 입장은 하나님의 선교라는 관점에서 통일 자체를 선교라고 본다. 이런 두 진영의 차이에도 남북 간의 통일에 대한 문제는 선교신학적 차이를 넘어서서 민족적인 문제이며, 한국교회 의 선교적인 책무이다.
본 논문은 통일에 대한 관점을 통전적인 시각으로 전개하였다. 선교적인 관점에서 남북통일 문제는 에큐메니컬 입장이나 복음주의 입장, 어느 한쪽의 입장에 치우치지 않고 총체적이고, 통전적인 관점에 서 다루고자 한다. 본 연구는 통일을 향한 선교신학적인 관점으로서 북한선교를 어떻게 바라보아야 할지를 다루었고, 통일에 대한 선교역사 적인 관점을 설명하였다. 또한 남북 간의 통일에 대한 인식의 차이를 이해하면서 통일에 대한 한국교회와 기독교인의 입장에서 접근과 제언 을 시도하면서 한국교회의 과제를 논의하였다. 현재 남한에서는 통일에 대한 논의가 정치적, 경제적, 사회적 측면에서 계속 논의되어왔다. 하지만 본 논문에서는 기독교 선교적 관점에서 북한선교와 통일을 다루었다.
남북통일은 하나님께서 이 시대에 한국교회와 기독교인들에게 부여하신 주님의 명령이며, 사명이며, 중요한 과제이다. 남북통일을 이루어 가는 길은 샬롬의 평화를 성취하는 것이다. 또한 기독교인의 시각에서 남북통일은 북한의 복음화와 하나님의 정의를 실천 하는 길이며, 하나님의 선교를 이루는 것이다.
The North Korean mission is inseparable from the South-North unification policy. In addition, the opinions of neighboring counties are also important. Such are the perimeters of the North Korean mission. This study attempts to examine North Korean mission, particularly the reconstruction of North Korean Church within the process of South North unification process. The reconstruction of the North Korean Church, as North Korean mission and unification movement, is a policy issue amidst the unification process. It is a policy that can create a basis within the North Korea and effectively manage the personnel, financial and mission resources of the South Korean Church. At the same time, the reconstruction of the North Korean Church joins the reunification process of the Korean peninsular with the North Korean mission purposes. The current situation is created by the ideological conflict between the conservative versus liberal elements within the Korean Church in regard to the North Korean mission and unification movement. In addition, there is a great disparity in the approach towards the reconstruction of the North Korean Church. The problems are three-fold: 1) Who is the protagonist of the North Korean mission? Is it the South Korean Church? or is it the North Korean Church? In case it it’s the latter, the term North Korean mission does not apply. 2) The phrase “North Korean mission” implies an imbedded view of the South North division. 3) Should the North Korean “Chosun Christian Association” be accepted as a partner in the North Korean mission? Or should it be viewed as a mission object? The best means of North Korean mission is to have the “Chosun Christian Association” take the leading role in the reconstruction of the North Korean Church. Since, however, it is the South Korean Church that is taking action to prepare for such an event, mutual cooperation between the two is essential. The reconstruction of the North Korean Church cannot be achieve by the South Korean Church alone. In addition, the reconstruction of North Korean Church is linked to the Korean war, a factor behind the division of the Korean Church into the liberal and conservative camp. The anti-communist stance of the South Korean regime was another factor that unified the right wing Christians. Attempts by the “Korean Christian Association” to reconstruct the North Korean Church within this approach involved, not only efforts to reconstruct the North Korean Church, but various aid programs. However, such aid programs were commonly perceived to be the work of mission organizations and not the conservative South Korean Church. Furthermore, the “Korean Christian Association,” which advocated the reconstruction of the North Korean Church, were mistakenly criticized as an organization that were only interested in the reconstruction of the Northern Church. Therefore, the reconstruction effort of the Northern Church must be newly reinterpreted. The role of the Church, from a mission history perspective, is to be a bridgehead of mission, a center of training for workers, and center of mission field. As such, though the reconstruction of the Northern Church is premature, efforts to prepare for such an event, financial preparation, training center for mission workers and confidence building between the South and North through information and assistance projects can be viewed within the context of the unification process. The North Korean mission through the reconstruction of the Northern Church within the context of the unification process can promote the unification capability of South and North. It is futuristic unification policy of the Southern Church. Precedents for the reconstruction of the Northern Church must be found from similar cases following the liberation from Japan and post-Korean war and examined strategically. The North Korean mission must conclude with the reconstruction of the North Korean Church.