2018, Vol., No.41

The Korean Journal of Chiristian Social Ethics 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.58

pISSN : 1229-8387 / eISSN : 2713-749X
https://journal.kci.go.kr/csethics

This study aims to study Castellion’s thought of peace ethic which confronted that of a violently assertive Calvin in Geneva in the radical Reformation movement. And this study focuses on his advocacy of religious tolerance and pacifism. Even though Castellion had been attacked by Calvin and his followers until his death, he confronted his antagonists in a peaceful way, and urged religionists who have power in the Reformation movement to tolerate people with different views of faith. Firstly, this research examines the aspect as a humanist Castellion, who had been recognized for his scholastic ability at the Trinity University in Lyon, became a follower of Calvin and the seeds of conflict with Calvin was germinated. Secondly, a decisive moment of the full-fledged confrontation between Calvin and Castellion is considered to be a tragic history for Servetus to be burned to death in Geneva, in which their debates on the execution of Servetus is reviewed. Thirdly, the debate over religious tolerance triggered by the execution of Servetus is examined through the writings of Castellion, Calvin and Calvin’s follower Beze. Lastly, this study deals with Castellion’s pacifist ethic idea, explaining how he challenged orthodox theology in the era of Reformation, and exploring how much he desires and calls for world peace through his advice on a desolate France when the Huguenot war broke out.

The Reformation was also a social reform movement that deeply affected the fields of service and social work. Martin Luther’s theology on “Diakonia” did not only establish the fundamentals of good works and acts of charity in the church, but it also presented itself as a completely new theology, especially in the forming of social reform movements. This research first addresses Luther’s theology on “Diakonia” according to one of his core subjects in his theory of justification. Secondly, this paper delves into how Luther relates to his understanding of social-economical ethics in terms of labor, vocation, worship, and service to his theology of “Diakonia.” Lastly, This study discusses how the theology of “Diakonia” and its ideologies have been practically applied to today’s welfare state. There are many Korean Christians who are still unaware of the relationship between “Diakonia” and the theory of justification. “Diakonia” is not just the means to the survival of the church. Yet, “Diakonia” is the essence and the purpose of the church. Luther did not believe that justification by faith had not relationship with service and charity. He believed that faith itself should be the act of doing good works. Hence, Christians who consider themselves righteous by faith should take responsibility in helping their neighbors.

Although there have been many views on Augustine’s social ethics, including Niebuhr and Hauerwas, they have failed to pay attention to ‘inner reflection’ inner reflection. Interestingly, Arendt has claimed the limits of the concept of love through critical reading of Augustine, it paradoxically became a catalyst for the interpretation of Augustine’s social ethics. That is because the concept of love is the core of Augustine’s inner reflection. Augustine’s view that the two loves have made two cities is an expanded application of inner reflection. In other words, the characteristic of Augustine’s social ethics is the ‘social ethics based on inner reflection’ which led the pursuit of ‘new citizenship’ began with Confessions to ‘heavenly citizenship’ of De civitate Dei. In this context, Augustine suggests the tasks of having identity of pilgrims, overcoming of splendid vices, and practicing heavenly values in civitas terrena. Above all, Augustinian social ethics encourages pilgrims to practice alternatives of honorable poverty and temperance in the age of avarice with the identity of pilgrims.