복음전도와 교회의 공적 책임 (Evangelism and public responsibility of the church)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 장로회신학대학교 장로회신학대학교
· 수록지 정보 : 장신논단 / 35호 / 140 ~ 178페이지
· 저자명 : 한국일

초록

Two characteristics that define modern western society are secularism and pluralism. Secularism has its origin in 17th century Enlightenment, and was the main factor of modernization. Pluralism as a social factor was derived from such secular society. It is the crux of democracy and the social factor that brought a turn to religious pluralism after the post-colonial era. Today in our 21st century such phenomena are no longer limited to western society. Modernizing non-western societies – Asia, Africa, South America – are also experiencing such turns. Such mindset is especially diffused in the generation that received modern education or in the intellectual society. This paper will examine the problems that secularism and pluralism cause in spreading the gospel and carrying out public responsibility. Also within the realm of mission, problems of individualistic mission and church-centric mission paradigm that dichotomize evangelism and public responsibility will be mentioned. From the perspective of missio Dei, the theological basis for holistic unity of evangelism and the public responsibility of the church will be sought.
Both evangelism and the church’s public responsibility are under mission activity, but they cannot be reduced to one or the other because of their uniqueness. Evangelism is the command Christ gave to the church and to Christians, and at the same time the vitality of the church. The Church of all the world must devote itself to spreading the gospel to their society as well as other regions. At the same time, evangelism not only means proclamation of words, but it must also be complemented with social action. Of course either evangelism or social action might have to be emphasized depending on the time or region. Both the western church weakened under the influence of secularism, no longer feeling the need to evangelize, as well as the stagnating Korean church where evangelism is no longer as active as before, must recover the passion to freshly discover and spread the gospel of Christ for the world. The world is listening to what the church is saying, and paying even closer attention to the behavior of Christians. If the gospel is not applied in the world, evangelism might be active and churches might grow, but its social credibility might be lost due to the break between the church’s words and actions, and evangelism will bear no fruit. Today the Korean church, even as it revives its evangelical fervor, must recover its relevance through thorough repentance and reflection.
In today’s society prescribed by secularism and religious pluralism, Christian mission is often rejected. But Christianity cannot and should not regress back to 19th century imperialistic mission model for the sake of recovering its identity and passion. The Korean Church is facing a grave challenge in communication. Christians must learn to dialogue with secularists and people of other religions. Just as the incarnation model suggests, Christians must first approach them and live with them as peaceful neighbors to spread the message of God’s love - at times through words, and at times through actions. The gospel is God’s message of love to the world. Love is expressed not only in words, but in also in various other ways. Loving includes respecting others, having good manners, and mutual understanding. As Richard Mouw had said, we must learn to do mission with good manners, based on love. It is a significant thing to be a witness of Jesus. Jesus did not tell us to “witness” as a verb form, but to become “witnesses” in the noun form. Jesus was speaking of human agents. To witness means not only to preach the gospel, but also to witness through life and actions. “Living witness is based on the event, the person, and the message which brought about that witness.” The issue today’s church must resolve is not only concerned with witnessing activity, but also in becoming witnesses. Jesus’ words identifying the church as the light and the salt of the earth must be realized by living as witnesses. This is where the way toward a balance between evangelism and public responsibility would be found. In the increasingly secularizing society, mission will be developed more effectively as the assurance of the gospel and appropriate ethical principles are built up in the midst of religious pluralism, and as evangelism and the corresponding fruit of public relationship come together. Today’s context calls for upright evangelistic activity if the church is to be renewed by the gospel, and recover its social credibility.

영어초록

Two characteristics that define modern western society are secularism and pluralism. Secularism has its origin in 17th century Enlightenment, and was the main factor of modernization. Pluralism as a social factor was derived from such secular society. It is the crux of democracy and the social factor that brought a turn to religious pluralism after the post-colonial era. Today in our 21st century such phenomena are no longer limited to western society. Modernizing non-western societies – Asia, Africa, South America – are also experiencing such turns. Such mindset is especially diffused in the generation that received modern education or in the intellectual society. This paper will examine the problems that secularism and pluralism cause in spreading the gospel and carrying out public responsibility. Also within the realm of mission, problems of individualistic mission and church-centric mission paradigm that dichotomize evangelism and public responsibility will be mentioned. From the perspective of missio Dei, the theological basis for holistic unity of evangelism and the public responsibility of the church will be sought.
Both evangelism and the church’s public responsibility are under mission activity, but they cannot be reduced to one or the other because of their uniqueness. Evangelism is the command Christ gave to the church and to Christians, and at the same time the vitality of the church. The Church of all the world must devote itself to spreading the gospel to their society as well as other regions. At the same time, evangelism not only means proclamation of words, but it must also be complemented with social action. Of course either evangelism or social action might have to be emphasized depending on the time or region. Both the western church weakened under the influence of secularism, no longer feeling the need to evangelize, as well as the stagnating Korean church where evangelism is no longer as active as before, must recover the passion to freshly discover and spread the gospel of Christ for the world. The world is listening to what the church is saying, and paying even closer attention to the behavior of Christians. If the gospel is not applied in the world, evangelism might be active and churches might grow, but its social credibility might be lost due to the break between the church’s words and actions, and evangelism will bear no fruit. Today the Korean church, even as it revives its evangelical fervor, must recover its relevance through thorough repentance and reflection.
In today’s society prescribed by secularism and religious pluralism, Christian mission is often rejected. But Christianity cannot and should not regress back to 19th century imperialistic mission model for the sake of recovering its identity and passion. The Korean Church is facing a grave challenge in communication. Christians must learn to dialogue with secularists and people of other religions. Just as the incarnation model suggests, Christians must first approach them and live with them as peaceful neighbors to spread the message of God’s love - at times through words, and at times through actions. The gospel is God’s message of love to the world. Love is expressed not only in words, but in also in various other ways. Loving includes respecting others, having good manners, and mutual understanding. As Richard Mouw had said, we must learn to do mission with good manners, based on love. It is a significant thing to be a witness of Jesus. Jesus did not tell us to “witness” as a verb form, but to become “witnesses” in the noun form. Jesus was speaking of human agents. To witness means not only to preach the gospel, but also to witness through life and actions. “Living witness is based on the event, the person, and the message which brought about that witness.” The issue today’s church must resolve is not only concerned with witnessing activity, but also in becoming witnesses. Jesus’ words identifying the church as the light and the salt of the earth must be realized by living as witnesses. This is where the way toward a balance between evangelism and public responsibility would be found. In the increasingly secularizing society, mission will be developed more effectively as the assurance of the gospel and appropriate ethical principles are built up in the midst of religious pluralism, and as evangelism and the corresponding fruit of public relationship come together. Today’s context calls for upright evangelistic activity if the church is to be renewed by the gospel, and recover its social credibility.

참고자료

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