본문 바로가기
  • Home
Basic Search

A Theological and Ethical Study on the Public Nature of the Church: Exploring Normative Understanding of Classical Doctrines of the Two Governments and its Development in Major Paradigms of Modern Theology

  • The Korean Journal of Chiristian Social Ethics
  • Abbr : 기사윤
  • 2014, (29), pp.141-189
  • Publisher : The Society Of Korean Christian Social Ethics
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology

Lee, Chang-Ho 1

1장로회신학대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to explore the public nature of the Christian church normatively. In other words, I intend to explicate theologically and ethically normative features that shape the public nature of the church essentially. In particular, my inquiry centers around the doctrine of the two governments. The doctrine supposes a vis-à-vis of church and state(or the spiritual government and the civil government), as distinct structures belonging to distinct societies. It implies that there is a differentiation of the inner life’s true piety and worship from social behavior and civic virtue. Given that there exists a distinction between the two governments, complex relations have been traced in history. What is the relationship between the ‘religious-spiritual’ government and the ‘civil-moral’ government? Is the relationship between the two necessarily conflicting or antagonistic? If not, is there any room for the spiritual government’s transforming the secular government? What justifies theologically the identity of the church as a public entity? With these questions in mind, first of all, I explore normative elements of the church’s public nature in analyzing the doctrines of the two governments shaped by such classic theologians as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. Secondly, in investigating major modern theological paradigms’ understanding of the church’s public nature in terms of the doctrine of the two governments, I will explicate their continuity with classic Christian social ethics and explore the way in which they can contribute to enriching the normative understanding of the church’s public nature. Lastly, I conclude with several ethical suggestions which are conducive to strengthening the church’s public nature.

Statistics

  • 544 Viewed
  • 218 Downloaded

Tools

Issue List

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

Basic Search Advanced Search