Karl Barth's Reception in Korea
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KARL BARTH'S RECEPTION IN KOREA: FOCUSING ON ECCLESIOLOGY IN RELATION TO KOREAN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT YOUNG-GWAN KIM FACULTY OFRELIGIOUS STUDIES, McGILL UNIVERSITY, MONTREAL DECEMBER 2001 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY COPYRIGHT BY YOUNG-GWAN KIM DECEMBER 2001 COPY NO. 1 National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1+1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OttawaON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 canada canada Your file Vol... r6Mrenœ Our file Notre rëférenœ The author bas granted a non L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library ofCanada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies ofthis thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership ofthe L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son penmSSlOn. autorisation. 0-612-78706-0 Canada TABLE OFCONTENTS ABSTRACT -------- - --- - - - - - - - ---- - - - --- - - ----- - ----- - --- - - - 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - - - - --- - - - -- - - ----- - ------------------ VIl LIST OFABBREVIATIONS - - - ---- - -------------------- - --- - - --- IX GLOSSARY -- - ----------------------------------------- - --- X INTRODUCTION: THE RECEPTION OF KARL BARTH'S THEOLOGY IN KOREA - - - - - - - 1 Chapter 1. AN ACCOUNT OFTHE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANITY IN KOREA AND THE ROLE OF CONFOCIANISM IN ITS RAPID GROWTH ------------ - ---- - - - - - - ----- - 8 A. An Historical Account ofKorean Confucianism ---------- - - - 9 B. The Characteristics of Korean Confucianism --------------- 17 The traditional Patriarchal Family System - - ---- - ---- - - - 17 Ancestor Worship as a Means ofEstablishing Community Bonds and Fel10wship ----------------- - -- - - - - - - 20 Culture as the Life and the Fel10wship for the Gathering of the Confucian Community - --- - ---- - -- - - - - - ----- - 21 Education: Hyangkyo (Community School) -- - - -- - ---- 22 Kye (the Korean Personal Community) as a Means for the Upbuilding of the Confucian Community --- - --- - - ---- 23 C. Confucian Scholars' Early Contact with Christianity - - - - - --- - 28 D. The Confucian-Christian Context in Korean Christianity ------ 40 E. Early Protestant Missionaries' Contribution to the Growth of Korean Christianity and to the Reception ofBarth's Christocentric Theology in Korea --- - ---- - - - --------------------- 46 II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OFKARL BARTH'S THEOLOGY AND HIS CHRISTOCENTRIC ECCLESIOLOGY - -- - - --- - - -- 94 A. TheDistinctiveCharacteristicsofBarth's Theology --- - - - -- - - 94 B. Barth's Christocentric Ecclesiology ----- - - - --- - - -- - ---- 107 The Gathering ofthe Christian Community - - -- - ------- 108 The Upbuilding of the Christian community - - --------- 118 The Sending of the Christian community --- - -- - ----- - 133 C. Barth's Theology of Mission --------- - ----------- - -- 160 III. THE INDIGENIZATION OF KARL BARTH'S CHRISTOCENTRIC ECCLESIOLOGY IN KOREAN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT: SUNG-BUM YUN'S THEOLOGY OF SUNG ---------- - -- 193 A. An Overview ofthe Reception ofKarl Barth's Theology in Korea - 194 B. Sung-Bum Yun's Theology of Sung - - ----------------- 204 The Christological Centre of Sung Theology ----------- 204 Sung-Bum Yun's General Response to Barth's Ecclesiology - 217 A FurtherAppraisal ofYun's Ecclesiological Response to Barth --- - -- - - --- - - ---------- - -- - - ------ - -- 256 CONCLUSION --- - --------------- - ------------- - ---- - ------ 284 BIBLIOGRAPHY ---- - --- - --- - --- - --------------------------- 287 li ABSTRACf The primary purpose ofthis thesis is to explore the reception ofKarl Barth's theology in Korea by focusing specifically on his doctrine ofthe Church. This he describes as the gathering, upbuilding and sending of the Christian community. His work, Church Dogmatics, will be examined, and then an attempt will be made to identify how Barth's Christocentric ecclesiology was indigenized and is still received in Korea by examining Korean Christian thought. This will include an investigation ofSung-Bum Yun's theology of Sung. The secondary purpose ofthis thesis is: (1) the description ofa unique relationship between Christianity and Confucianism, because Korean Confucianism has played an important role in both the explosive growth ofthe Christian community and provided a basic foundation for the reception ofBarth's theology in Korea; (2) the inquiry whether Barth's ecclesiology, especially his theology ofmission (the sending ofthe Christian community), pays sufficient attention to different cultures and religions; and consequently (3) the justification that the indigenization ofBarth's Christocentric theology was, and is, genuinely possible with Korean Confucianism, though Barth's theology is typically confined within the European context. This thesis will be divided into three chapters. Chapter One is designed as a brief sketch ofthe historical development ofearly Korean Protestantism and its impact on cultural and religious changes in Korea. This will include a detailed introduction to Korean Confucianism and its community concept and structure. 111 In the second chapter, an analysis ofBarth's ecclesiology is presented by providing a discussion of what constitutes the true church, the upbuilding ofthe Christian community, and the missionary task ofthe Christian community. Chapter Three indicates why Barth's Christocentric ecclesiology can still make an impact on contemporary Korean ecclesiological theology and practice, by exploring a specifie overview ofthe Korean reception ofBarth's theology. On this basis, this chapter critically examines and analyzes Sung-Bum Yun's appropriation and misappropriation of Barth's theology. IV RÉsuMÉ L'objet principal de cette thèse est de comprendre l'influence de la théologie de Karl Barth en Corée en se basant essentiellement sur sa doctrine de l'Eglise. IlIa présente à travers le rassemblement, le développement de la communauté chrétienne etla dissémination de ses missionnaires. Son travail, «Church Dogmatics», sera analysé puis nous tenterons de comprendre commentla théorie ecclésiastique centrée sur le Christ de Barth a influencé etinfluence toujours la Corée. Nous étudierons pour cela la pensée coréenne chrétienne. Cela comprendra aussi une analyse sur la théologie de Sung-Bum Yun sur le Sung. Le second objectifde cettethèse est de: (1) décrire la relation particulièreentre le christianisme etle confucianisme. Le confucianisme coréen a joué un rôle important dans l'émergence de la communauté chrétienne et de la théologie de Barth en Corée dont il a établi les fondements; (2) Une étude pour savoir si la théorie ecclésiastique de Barth, et plus particulièrement ce qui attrait aux missions, considère avec suffisamment d'attention les autres cultures et religions; De fait (3), on se demandera si l'influence de la théologie de Barth centrée sur le Christ était et est véritablement possible au sein du confucianisme coréen, dans la mesure où cette théologie est issue, à l'origine, d'un contexte purement européen. Cette thèse sera divisée en 3 chapitres. Le chapitre un présente une brève esquisse historique du développement précoce du protestantisme coréen et de son impact sur les évolutions culturelles et religieuses en Corée. Il inclura notammentune introduction détaillée du confucianisme coréen, de sa structure et de son concept de communauté. v Dans le second chapitre, nous présenterons une analyse de la théorie ecclésiastique de Barth. Une discussion sera menée sur ce qui constitue la vraie église, la constitution de la communauté chrétienne et ses devoirs de missionnaire. Le Chapitre 3 explique pourquoi la théorie ecclésiastique centrée sur le Christ de Barth est encore à même d'influencer la théologie ecclésiastique contemporaine coréenne et sa pratique. Cette analyse sera rendue possible par une étude spécifique des influences de la théologie de Barth à travers la Corée. Sur cette base, ce chapitre analysera de façon critique l'appropriation Sung-Bum Yun de la théologie de Barth etle détournement qu'il en a faite. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1wish to express my gratitude to Professor William Klempa, the supervisor of this thesis, whose interest in the theology ofKarl Barth has encouraged and guided me in the pursuit ofthis research. His friendship, patience and criticisms ofthe manuscript and his assistance in directing me to sources have been invaluable. Not only has Professor Klempa contributed in so many ways to the writing of this thesis, but he has challenged me spiritually. 1will ever thank God for allowing me to do this research under his supervision. While many have encouraged me in this thesis, 1wish to acknowledge the Rev. Sang-Jun y 00, senior pastor at Nonsan Evangelical Holiness Church, who has continually encouraged my doctoral studies and prayed for me; Dr. Eui-Kyu Choi, medical doctor at Nonsan Koryro Hospital, who supported me financially during my doctoral course work at McGill