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Kim Jaejun's Ideas of Peace

  • The Korean Journal of Chiristian Social Ethics
  • Abbr : 기사윤
  • 2008, (15), pp.57-86
  • Publisher : The Society Of Korean Christian Social Ethics
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology

Jiseok Jung 1

1성공회대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This essay deals with Kim Jaejun’s idea of peace in the light of just war theory and pacifism which have represented Christian attitudes to war and peace. His attitudes to Korean war, Vietnam war and the issue of sending Korean soldiers to Vietnam, nuclear war and weapons, militarism are examined in turn, and the theological influences on the attitudes are explored. Kim Jaejun saw that a war against Communism could be justified, and in that sense perceived Korean war and Vietnam war as just wars. In the same way he understood Vietnam war as a just war against Communism. However he criticized that a policy of Park Chunghee regime to send Korean troops to Vietnam was morally wrong. He was a moral just war theorist who adhered to ‘peace oriented just war theory’ based on morality. He recognized a necessity of a military buildup to defend a liberal democracy from a Communist attack. In this regard he understood peace as a politically realistic idea compatible with security and freedom. Basically Kim Jaejun’s idea of peace was based on just war theory. On the other hand he assumed an absolute pacifism so far as the issue of nuclear war and weapon. The theological influence on Kim Jaejun’s idea of peace is explored in terms of Christian realism, love, freedom, social justice and his life and spirituality. A connection between spirituality and peace is seen in Kim’s religious seeking for the spirituality of poverty, the lives and spiritualities of St. Francis and Tolstoy in particular. For Kim Jaejun peace is defined theologically as a practice of love with justice and freedom.

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