Beyond the Korean Blessing-oriented Faith with the Help of H. Richard Niebuhr’s Perspective

김현수

doi:10.21050/CSE.2016.35.05

Beyond the Korean Blessing-oriented Faith with the Help of H. Richard Niebuhr’s Perspective

The Korean Journal of Chiristian Social Ethics
Abbr : 기사윤
2016, (35), pp.129-164
DOI : 10.21050/CSE.2016.35.05
Publisher : The Society Of Korean Christian Social Ethics
Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology

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ABSTRACT

This paper aims to critically deal with the Korean blessing-centered faith with the help of H. Richard Niebuhr’s theology and ethics. To this end, it discusses the following points. First, the paper analyses the basic points of Niebuhr’s theology and ethics. (1) For Niebuhr, faith is social because faith is present in the relations between the self, others, and God. (2) A true faith is a monotheistic faith which affirms that God is the One beyond the many and whatever is, is good because all have their being in the One God. (3) A true monotheistic faith implies the universal ethic of responsibility and love. Second, the paper critically describes the characteristics of the Korean blessing-oriented faith. The Korean blessing- centered faith emphasizes this-worldly material success and the dualistic value- system. It comes to the following extreme conclusion: success is blessing, and failure is curse. From Niebuhr’s perspective, its result is the individualized faith, and the church’s indifference in its social responsibility. Last, the paper suggests the woori form of faith as an alternative to the Korean blessing-oriented faith. Specifically, the paper constructs the woori form of faith based on the social theory of the trinity. The basic idea is that three persons in the Trinity forms the community of woori, and a triune God is always in, with, and for woori or us. To conclude, the Trinitarian woori form of faith confesses: (1) a Triune God is the living One. (2) Three persons in the Trinity forms communion in terms of “self-sharing, other-regarding, community-forming love.” (3) A triune God is presence in the world, and invites all creatures into God’s life and communion of love. (4) Trinitarian woori faith is socially responsible because a triune God engages with seeking justice and peace in the world from the perspective of life and love.

KEYWORDS

H. Richard Niebuhr, Blessing-oriented faith, woori form of faith, Trinity

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

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

Beyond the Korean Blessing-oriented Faith with the Help of H. Richard Niebuhr’s Perspective

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Citation status

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

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

Beyond the Korean Blessing-oriented Faith with the Help of H. Richard Niebuhr’s Perspective

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

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