INTEGRATION: INTEGRATION OF INTERPRETATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIES

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The Korean church in Japanese oppression (1910-1945)

The year 1910 marks a fatal disgrace and deep grief to Koreans because it was during this year that Japan annexed Korea. Korea became a victim of Japanese imperialism. Many of them left their country to Manchuria, China, and America, in order to fight for the independence of the nation. Many of them came to church during this period in order to divert their minds from sorrow. Christian
leaders were prominent in organized societies such as the YMCA, the Independence Society, and the All People’s Cooperative Association, in order to enlighten Korean resistance to colonization. Many regarded the church as a refuge from Japanese oppression (U Y Kim 1999:23).
During this period, the Korean church led by foreign missionaries tried to preserve political neutrality and concentrated more on religious efforts in order not to create conflict with the Japanese government. The Japanese administrative policy towards the Korean church was friendly at first and everything was seemingly fine. However, the Japanese government gradually changed its policy to an open policy of oppression and hostility toward Korean people and the Korean church (K Y Shin 1999:864).
In the beginning of the year 1919 there were two memorable events that took place in a month’s time. The first event was the March First Independence Movement that proclaimed the Declaration of Independence by 33representatives of the people, and engaged in a nationwide peaceful protest
demonstration. The Korean church took the initiative of this movement: 16 of the 33 representatives were Christians and the church’s preparation was very self-governed and secret. There was no prior consultation of the missionaries.
From this day, in Seoul, more than two million people participated in 1,542 demonstrations. It was at the churches that Koreans gathered to read the Declaration and to begin their demonstration in practically all towns and villages. In addition, the Christians insisted on non-violence. However, the
Japanese government responded brutally to these peaceful demonstrations by killing 7,509 Korean people, injuring 15,961 and arresting about 47,000 (Yang 1993:179; Rhee 1995:263; C D Kwak 2000:23).

The political and social chaotic period (1945-1970)

After the liberation from Japanese oppression in 1945, Korea faced not only the great task of restoring its sovereignty, but also great political and social chaos. University of Pretoria etd – Oh, H H (2004) The agreement between the Soviet Union and the United States, to participate jointly in the surrender of Japan (regardless of the Koreans’ strong opposition movement) split the country into two opposing sides, namely the communist government of the North, supported by the Soviet Union, and the democratic one of the South promoted by the United States in 1948. The division of the two Koreas was perpetuated through the Korean War (1950-1953) and caused by the struggle between the two powers (A E Kim 1995:45).
During this chaotic and melancholy period, the church in the North was severely persecuted by the Communist government since it viewed the church as a great threat to its rule. Shortly before and at the time of the outbreak of the Korean War, many Christians in the North thus fled the South for freedom of faith. The Communist invasion of the South, however, took place so quickly that many church leaders were killed or carried away back to the North. During the Korean War, many churches were destroyed, for example about 152 Presbyterian churches, 84 Methodist churches, 27 Korean Holiness churches, 4 Salvation Army churches, and so on. There were the kidnapping of church leaders by the Communist North government: 177 (Presbyterian), 46 (Korean Holiness), and 44 (Methodist) (ibid: see K W Kang 1999:107).

The Korean church and Korean culture

The historical trends of the interaction between church and culture in the Korean church have been discussed above in large. To avoid repetition, I will briefly but specifically summarize my interpretation of the relation between the Korean church and the Korean culture as follows:
Firstly, the Korean church has a weak set up regarding the relationship with her culture. S B Lim (1997a:4-5) argues that the Korean church’s crisis is a result of this weak set up. More specifically, he insists that the Korean church ha difficulty to relate to the traditional culture as well as to mass culture (:4). This is a significant observation, because as noted before, many Koreans today are interested in the traditional culture. They understand that it would give an idea of how the Korean church understands and connects with people. The relationship with the traditional culture can also provide a historical basis to understanding the Korean church and mass culture influences. In addition, this relationship influences the present and future Korean church.
Looking at the Christians in Korea, the question may be asked: Are they really Christians? The reason why I ask this is because Christians in Korea have often heard that they are not like true Christians, especially when their traditional rituals and life styles are exposed. For example, if someone goes to church only to be blessed, then I may think his or her faith is not a genuine Christian faith, but rather a Shamanistic type of faith. S W Cho (2001:31-2) critically points out that this Christian’s dualistic attitude shows no relevance between their lives in faith (church) and their lives in culture.

READ ECUMENICAL MISSION: THE CHURCH’S MISSION TO ITSELF

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 Problem and theme
1.1.2 Purpose and delimitation
1.1.3 Methodology and structure
1.2 Practical theological overview
1.2.1 Historical overview of Practical Theology
1.2.2 Nature and characteristics of practical theology
1.2.2.1 Praxis-theory-praxis
1.2.2.2 Empirical orientation
1.2.2.3 Interdisciplinary approach
1.2.2.4 Integration and identification
1.2.2.5 Language behind the wall and language on the wall
1.2.2.6 Human partnership with God’s praxis
1.2.3 Methodology of practical theology
1.2.3.1 A brief historical outline of the relationship between practical
theology and the social sciences
1.2.3.2 Critical and constructive perspective of the partnership between
practical theology and the social sciences
1.2.4 Practical Theology in Korea
1.2.4.1 Contextual crisis
1.2.4.2 Dichotomization of church and the world
1.2.4.3 Dichotomization of church and church
1.2.4.3.1 The confessional approach
1.2.4.3.2 The contextual approach
1.2.4.4 Dichotomization of human praxis and God’s praxis
1.2.4.5 Trichotomization of practical theology
1.3 Conclusion and remarks for the next Chapter
CHAPTER 2 INTERACTION: PREACHING IN THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CHURCH AND CULTURE IN KOREA
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Interaction between church and culture in Korea
2.2.1 General historical trends
2.2.2 Historical trends in the Korean Church
2.2.2.1 The period during which the Korean church takes the cultural initiative (1884-1945)
2.2.2.2 The political and social chaotic period (1945-1970)
2.2.2.3 The period during which the Korean church lost her cultural initiative (1970 to the present)
2.2.3 The Korean church and Korean culture
2.2.4 The present ecclesiologies of the Korean church
2.2.5 The empirical interpretation of the interaction between church and culture in Korea
2.2.5.1 Profiles of the conversational partner
2.2.5.2 Hearing the sentiments
2.2.5.3 Interpreting the data
2.3 Preaching in the interaction between church and culture in Korea
2.3.1 Preaching in the Korean church
2.3.2 The present preaching theories of the Korean church
2.3.2.1 The purpose of preaching
2.3.2.2 The form of preaching
2.3.2.3 The content of preaching
2.3.2.4 The theology of preaching
2.3.3 The empirical interpretation of preaching in the interaction between church and culture in Korea
2.3.3.1 Profiles of the conversational partners
2.3.3.2 Hearing the sentiments
2.3.3.3 Interpreting the data
2.4 Conclusion and remarks for the next chapter
CHAPTER 3 INTERPRETATION: BIBLICAL, HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Biblical interpretation
3.2.1 Preaching in the Old Testament
3.2.1.1 God’s Word as His action
3.2.1.2 Old Testament prophets
3.2.1.3 Old Testament preaching
3.2.2 Preaching in the New Testament
3.2.2.1 Preaching in the synagogue
3.2.2.2 New Testament apostles
3.2.2.3 New Testament preaching
3.2.2.3.1 The necessity and purpose of preaching
3.2.2.3.2 Dialogical preaching
3.2.2.3.3 Inspired preachi
3.2.2.3.4 Christ centered preaching
3.2.2.3.5 Biblical preaching
3.2.2.3.6 Expository preaching
3.2.3 Summary: preaching and culture in the Bible
3.3 Historical interpretation
3.3.1 The Early Church
3.3.1.1 Preaching in Judaism during the Hellenistic era: Prophecy to preaching
3.3.1.2 Preaching in Hellenism: Preaching and oratory
3.3.2 The Middle Ages
3.3.2.1 The 5th-11th centuries
3.3.2.2 The 12th-15th centuries
3.3.3 The Reformation
3.3.3.1 Religious culture on the eve of the Reformation
3.3.3.2 Preaching and culture in the Reformation
3.3.3.3 Preaching of the reformers
3.3.3.3.1 Martin Luther’s preaching
3.3.3.3.2 John Calvin’s preaching
3.3.4 The Modern Era 1 (Pre World War II)
3.3.4.1 Cultural shift and preaching
3.3.4.2 Evangelistic preaching
3.3.5 The Modern Era 2 (Post World War II)
3.3.5.1 Cultural shift and preaching
3.3.5.2 Theological movement and preaching
3.3.6 Summary
3.4 Theological interpretati
3.4.1 Theology and preaching
3.4.1.1 Definition of theolog
3.4.1.2 Theology and preaching
3.4.2 Preaching in the interaction between church and culture
3.4.2.1 Church and cultur
3.4.2.1.1 The nature of culture
3.4.2.1.2 Culture and society
3.4.2.1.3 Church and culture
3.4.2.2 Preaching and church
3.4.2.3 Preaching and culture
3.4.3 Summary
3.5 Conclusion and remarks for the next chapter
CHAPTER 4 INTEGRATION: INTEGRATION OF INTERPRETATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF
STRATEGIES
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Integrative interpretation
4.2.1 Claims implicit in contemporary practices
4.2.2 Themes implied in normative practices and their fusion
4.2.2.1 Context of preaching: How do we reset the context of preaching in the Korean church?
4.2.2.2 Preaching theory: How do we revise the present preaching theory of the Korean church?
4.2.2.3 Conversion preaching: How do we define and defend conversion preaching that is seemingly exclusive in contemporary pluralistic Korean society?
4.2.2.4 Ecclesiology: How do we rethink and reestablish the ecclesiology of the Korean church?
4.2.2.5 Christian culture: How do we formulate the Christian culture against or in the rage of worldly thoughts and cultures in Korea?
4.3 Development of strategies
4.3.1 Context of preaching
4.3.2 Preaching theory
4.3.3 Conversion preaching
4.3.4 Ecclesiology
4.3.5 Christian cultur
4.4 Summary 204
CHAPTER 5 INFERENCE PREACHING AS INTERACTION BETWEEN CHURCH AND CULTURE
5.1 Reflection and conclusion
5.2 Recommendations for further study
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
APPENDIX 3
APPENDIX 4
BIBLIOGRAPHY