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Minjung Theology in Korea a Critique from a Reformed Theological Perspective

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Minjung Theology in Korea a Critique from a Reformed Theological Perspective Minjung Theology in Korea A Critique from a Reformed Theological Perspective Eunsoo Kim EVER SINCE THE FIRST Korean church was built should be noted as well that I will carry out in 1887,1 by God's grace and providence this discussion from a Reformed missiolog­ Christianity has grown quite rapidly. How­ ical perspective in order to construct what I ever, the rapid growth ofthe Korean church believe are proper biblical responses to has been marked by many political, social, those issues. To reach this goal I will first economic and religious conflicts during the examine the definition and main contents last century. As a result, on the one hand the of minjung theology. Second there will be Korean church has grown as a strong, praying, a discussion of the theological backgrounds faithful and conservative church through of minjung theology. Third I will mention the experience of severe ordeals.2 On the three bases of minjung theology, because its other hand, it has experienced many prob­ concept of social issues is deeply related to lems3 because of the rapid growth in the these bases. Fourth minjung theology's process of liberation from Japan and mod­ concept of God will be discussed. Fifth I ernization after the Korean War (1950-1953), will offer a critique of the main issue of lacking enough time to grow in maturity. minjung theology, han. Sixth will be a In the 1970s the Korean economy devel­ comparison to Marxism and Liberation oped very quickly under the leadership of Theology in Latin America. Seventh I will President Jung Hee Park. However, during evaluate minjung theology in terms of its this period the Korean people were also hermeneutics and contextualization from a engaged in a great political struggle against Reformed missiological perspective. President Park's military dictatorship. It was at this time that "Minjung Theology" WHAT IS MINJUNG THEOLOGY was formulated by so-called liberal Korean theologians, who Were deeply concerned The meaning of Iminjung' about the relationship between contempo­ rary Christianity and Korea's pressing It is very important to understand the term socio-political problems (Daniel Park 1985; minjungt in minjung theology. Kwang-Hee Lee 1993, 63). Therefore, even though it is Lee explains its literal meaning as follows: not exactly the same, minjung theology is a "The word 'minjung' is a Korean combina­ Korean version of Liberation Theology in tion of two Chinese characters, 'min' and Latin America. 'jung.' Min literally means 'the people,' and In this study the writer's goal is to analyze 'jung' means 'the mass.' Combining these the central issues in minjung theology as two words, 'minjung' means 'the mass of they arose in their Korean context. It people' or simply 'the people'." However, 53 JAPAN CHRISTIAN REVIEW 64 1998 in minjung theology, it has a strong conno­ jung, there are also the rich and highbrows. tation of common people as distinct from Because it is just a group of many people rulers. Drawing on this connotation, the together, as a socia-political concept the minjung theologians define minjung as the daijung is unable to have political subjec­ poor, oppressed and deprived people as tivity. But minjung, Suh asserts, is original­ opposed to the rich and powerful (Se-Yon ly a politio-theological concept. The group Kim 1987, 252). In other words, minjung is that is ruled by others is the minjung (Suh the social, political and economic suffering 1983,225-229). people throughout Korea's long history Concerning these clarifications, Suh con- (Lee 1993, 108). cludes in the following way: Nam-Dong Suh, one of the core founders If I define it in a word, minjung is the of minjung theology, explains the differ­ common people and masses. However, ences between the term minjung and other it has a broader meaning than the prole­ similar terms to clarify its meaning within tariat. If we see it from the socia-eco­ minjung theology.5 First, he distinguishes nomic historical perspective, it means minjung from baiksung (Suh 1983,225). As the truly oppressed and deprived class. a matter of fact, in Korean terminology min­ But if we say it from a political and the­ jung and baiksung are almost the same con­ ological perspective, minjung is not al­ cept and are interchangeable. But Suh dis­ ways the oppressed and deprived class, tinguishes the two because baiksung, he but minjung is and should be the subject says, is a word that connotes the ruling class, of history (Suh 1983,183). for example kings or rulers. Therefore he rejects that term as feudalistic and advo­ cates minjung because it carries the idea The crucial point of minjung theology that minjung is master, that the minjung are According to minjung theologians it is the the subject of history, their own life and minjung who produce the real values in their own society. Second, he also distin­ life, and they are therefore the real "subject guishes minjung from shimin, which means of history" (Suh 1983, 183; Se-Yoon Kim "citizen." He says that shimin is another 1987, 252). Nevertheless, they are exploit­ word that presumes the society and system ed and oppressed by the minority ruling of the feudalism in the Middle Ages. Minjung class and reduced to the status of the weak, has broader classes up from the bottom of the despised and the condemned. Minjung society than shimin, and the minjung theologians maintain that the minjung are should be the subject of history. Suh also naive, innocent and long-suffering (Se­ distinguishes the word minjung from the Yoon Kim 1987, 252). Also, minjung the­ proletariat. He says that proletariat high­ ologians insist that the point of departure lights economic problems as the driving for a proper Christian theology must be the force behind revolutions in history, but the presupposition that God is the God of the concept of minjung does not focus so much minjung and that his salvation history is a on economic problems as it is does on cul­ history of his liberation or salvation of the tural and social existence, and it thus is a minjung from the hands of their oppres­ broader concept than proletariat. Also, Suh sors. They hold that it is the task of Korean distinguishes minjung from daijung, which theology to interpret the missio Dei, the means "the masses." He says that daijung is saving and liberating acts of God, in the simply the mass of many people together. present situation of the minjung in Korea. Daijung does not particularly mean disre­ The methodology they prescribe for this garded and disabled people. Within dai- task is socia-economic analysis (Se-Yoon 54 KIM: Minjung Theology Kim 1987, 253). Therefore, David Kwang­ God and a work of man. Socio-politicallib­ Sun Suh defines minjung theology as fol­ eration is a human achievement and a man­ lows: "It is a theology of the oppressed in ifestation of the kingdom. Their concern for the Korean political situation, a theological context, goals and hermeneutics influenced response to the oppressors, to the Korean greatly the formulation of minjung theology. church and its mission" (David K. Suh The Third Conference of the WCC (1961), 1981,18). held in New Delhi, dealt with the theme "Salvation Today."f; This conference moti­ Theological backgrounds of minjung theology vated liberal Korean churches to partici­ pate in the social and political struggles of The founding minjung theologians, such as Korea (Lee 1993,79). Nam-Dong Suh and Byungmoo Ahn, were influenced greatly by certain well-known THREE BASES FOR MINJUNG THEOLOGY theologians and by worldwide, so-called "liberal" Christian gatherings. Minjung theologians take the minjung's First of all they were influenced by Jiirgen socio-econo-political events in the Bible, Moltmann, the Protestant theologian of church history and Korean history as their Tiibingen. He understood Trinitarianism in theological references (Se-Yoon Kim 1987, terms of a "History of God" that is connect­ 253-257). ed with Christ and man rather than as the unreal ritual symbol that has no connection The biblical basis with experience or practice. Through Molt­ mann minjung theologians were influenced by the concept of the futuristic, historical A. THE EXODUS EVENT God, the eschatological unification of God Minjung theology refers seriously to the and God as the liberator. They were also Bible as being fundamentally an account of influenced by Paul LOffler of the Mission­ oppressed people's experience and history. sakademie, Hamburg, Germany. He inter­ In minjung theology the Bible becomes preted the cross of Christ and the coming of non-religious; it becomes socia-economic the reign of God in political terms (Myung­ history. The Scriptures are not the revela­ Hyuk Kim 1990, 125-129). Minjung theolo­ tion given by God. Minjung theology takes gians also accepted the theology of history history and culture as the best references; proposed by Pannenberg. According to the Bible is only a record of an oppressed him, God's revelation cannot be limited to people's experience. On this presupposition, the Bible, but must include secular history as minjung theology emphasizes the exodus its locus (Lee 1993, 75). Bonhoeffer also event and Christ's crucifixion and resurrec­ influenced the minjung theologians con­ tion as biblical bases. Besides these events, cerning "serving our neighbors." By his the Code of Covenant (Exodus 20:22-23:19), influence, Nam-Dong Sun maintained that Micah and Amos in the Old Testament, and the Christian faith is "serving our neigh­ Luke 4:18-21 and Mark's Gospel in the bors, and that Jesus is there where we serve New Testament are important biblical ref­ others" (Suh 1976, 227).
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