Earticle

The Early Church practiced the catechumenate, baptismal rites, and mystagogy in the richly articulated baptismal rites. In searching for the methodology of baptismal faith formation, this paper observes Cyril of Jerusalem’s Mytagogical Catecheses. This observation may be a clue to the current church pastoral and pedagogical ministry―to develop a mystagogy in helping people to live an ongoing baptismal life, thus building up a baptismal community. In fact, mystagogy has pastoral and pedagogical dimensions. To achieve its task, mystagogy needs a rhetorical device to properly interpret the experience of the baptized on the rites of baptism in a wider cultural context, thus to develop continuously hermeneutical tools. Cyril and other early church Fathers recognized the effectiveness of mystagogy to translate experience into a dynamic power to transform daily life: experience first, and instruction later. Through investigating the methodology of baptismal faith formation in Cyril’s Mystagogical Catecheses, this paper suggests six features of Cyril’s mystagogy: (1) scriptural/ biblical faith formation, (2) ritual faith formation in images and symbols, (3) participatory faith formation in community, (4) sensual/ experiential faith formation, and (5) mystagogical/ continual faith continual, and (6) spatial-stational faith formation. Even our mystagogy requires these things.

The primary source for Christian worship in any period is people and the worship community itself. Therefore, if we agree to regard early Christianity as a primary liturgical community in relation to forming Christian worship, it is meaningful work to research the early christian church worship. In fact, Christianity experienced huge changes in every field of Christian worship for five hundred years after the New Testament period. During this period, many practices of Christian worship and liturgy developed with detailed structures, preserving the essential elements in the New Testament. Scholars call this period early Christianity. During this period, Christianity had been changed from the object of persecution to the official religion of the empire and spread rapidly to all areas of the Roman Empire and even beyond the territory of the Empire, encountering different cultures. The diverse and distinctive forms of worship and liturgy developed with their own cultural characteristics in all areas where Christianity spread. In fact, cultural factors is very important in understanding Christian worship. Diversity is actually nothing new in Christian worship. Early Christianity shows the abundant information for liturgical diversity. A wide variety of peoples of different cultures developed “distinctive forms of worship, contributing their own cultural characteristics, yet preserving an essential unity.” Especially, This article examines how form of worship and liturgy developed distinctively in various areas, focusing on the Eucharist. Scholars agree with the statement that “Diversity characterized Protestant worship from the start.” Like in the early Christianity, in many contemporary churches, the liturgical laissez-faire is still tried with their own cultural characteristics in places where they are. In addition, it might be show us that harmony between unity and diversity of the early Christianity in worship and liturgy are valuable teachings that the early church gives us today.

The study is concerned with missionary nature observed in the liturgy of the Word performed in the late fourth-century Jerusalem church, concerned with Christian genesis of the liturgy of the Word. The study assumes that the liturgy of the Word has a genuinely Christian origin, a missional concern to the world. This assumption is not meant to preclude other possible views on the origin and features of the liturgy of the Word, but to bring into focus that less acknowledged aspect. The central claim of the study is that the Jerusalem liturgy of the Word in the end of the fourth century is a paradigmatic model for that aspect. The paper is divided into two major sections. In the first, the author sketches three assumed origins of the liturgy of Word: eucharistic context, Jewish synagogue worship, and Christian missional concern. Though all three elements together may have constituted the original Christian liturgy of the Word, the author assumes that the last one is more crucial than others, at least to understand the unique Christian nature of the liturgy of the Word, as in Jerusalem of the late fourth century. The author’s argument is not to be conclusive. The intention is a framework for the next section. In this, the author analyzes features of the liturgy of the Word in the late fourth-century Jerusalem Church, described in Egeria’s pilgrimage report, features characterized primarily by the indiscriminative mixed assembly, on the one hand, and the catechumen-centered liturgy, on the other.

This article suggests that the Lord's Prayer is not a mold or a matrix and thus it can be modified to reflect some contemporary theological issues to without changing the basic outline. Canonization with simple repetitive works can make our precious heritage, the Lord's Prayer, less meaningful. The various versions of the Lord's Prayers in the biblical texts and the historical documents show us that the Lord's Prayer is based on the critical adoption of the Jewish tradition and the contemporary religious trend. This study focuses on why and how Jesus uses the metaphor Father for God. First of all, it argues that although under the patriarchal social and religious system Jesus adopted the word Father for God Jesus used the title Abba, the Aramaic word for God, Jesus tried to challenge the conventional concepts and images of Father in the world with the same word. And also this study shows that there is a specific relationship between the religious language and the context of the society. Father and Abba as invocation of God imply that the Lord's Prayer includes the secular languages for God to reflect the dynamic relationship between God and the people. Like Jesus, we need to modify the spiritual and authentic meanings of the Lord's Prayer with our modern symbols, metaphors, Knowledge, philosophy, and reality. The most appropriate symbols or metaphors as the epithets for God should be found in the natural symbol system. Above all, we need to include the female images for God in order to dilute the patriarchal images which are deeply embedded in us. Although Jesus couldn't avoid the restriction from of his particular contexts, Jesus truly knew that the most powerful metaphor for God's love is the birthing image. He knew the natural symbols. Jesus denied the restricted speech codes. The most persuasive symbols come from natural symbols based on our natural bodily experiences. We must recover the natural symbols and keep them from patriarchal presuppositions. The paradigm of the religious, social, and political contexts at the time of Jesus had already shifted to the post-modern society. The Lord's Prayer is a model for our everyday prayers, not a matrix as a printed-edition. The Lord's Prayer is no mere verbalizing of received formulas. The Lord's Prayer should be rewritten for our own needs and prayers, in everyday liturgical settings, without necessarily changing its original meaning.

The meeting houses of Quakers and Shakers are not widely seen as significant in the liturgical history of church architecture, and research on them concentrates mainly on their historical and architectural aspects. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the significance of Quaker- Shaker meeting houses and to find potential insights for modern churches, specifically Korean Protestant Churches. The Quaker meeting house is evidence of a Quaker theology which does not emphasize social orders and symbols. The Quakers’ worship tradition, summarized in 'Waiting for the Presence of the Holy Spirit,' centers on direct encounters with God and fellowship with the congregation, rejecting rites or symbols seen as unnecessary. Wood and brick were generally used for a simple floor plan, and two doors were created for the male and female members to have independent meetings. The Shaker meeting house is similar to that of the Quakers. Shakers provides for a more flexible space based on the characteristics of their worship, which emphasizes singing and dancing. The Quaker/Shaker meeting houses show close relationships between theology, worship and architecture. Practicality and simplicity are preeminently integrated to eliminate unnecessary or excessive decoration. Equality between men and women and the active participation of the whole congregation are values are also made evident by these architectural features. These features provide today's Christians insights into the essence of church architecture: that the theological and religious confessions of the community must be realized in the physical form of the church. It reminds us of the importance of hospitality, inclusiveness, participation, simplicity and beauty in church architecture.

This article examines the pastoral care in practical theology. Practical theology has been concerned with finding the relationship between present-day texts and their context through the practical theological methods. Practical theology is used as a method to bridge the gap between the human situation and Christian tradition in order to provide effective care to humans. Christian principles are embedded within certain social and cultural context. Therefore it fails to address the structure and ideology in which the marginalized suffer. This article explains the feminist method as the effective way to provide practice of care for the margianlized. Practical theology through the feminist theological method needs to be reshaped through the voices of the marginalized. For a long time, the voice of the marginalized have been excluded in society, culture, and church. Through feminist method, practical theology tries to fill the gap between Christian life and current human situation. In order to respond to the suffering of the marginalized, this article suggests that practical theology can reconstruct Christian moral virtues that include a wider circle of care extending beyond the family. Practical theology includes not only articulate the need but also helping those in need connect with resources to fulfill that need. Therefore, the role of pastoral care in practical theology includes transforming institutions and communities in which suffering people can fulfill their needs.

Christianity is a religion of love, and the church is a place to practice love. The ministry(cura animarum) as the essential purpose of the existence of the church is the love and caring of Christ, and the pastor is the subject of caring for Christ for the people. Pastor should serve the church community, preach the teachings of God to community members, listen to the sufferings of their lives, and help them resolve their conflicts in their lives. This is the task and mission of the pastor. Because of this pastor's mission, Christians as believers recognize the pastor as the leader of the ministry community. Of course, Christians give the pastor strong authority as a community leader. However, if the pastor extends the concept of capitalism-selfishness in the context of pastoral care and the pastor regards members of the church community as objects that meet the need for power and recognition, which is simply the pastor's selfish desire, the pastor is no longer a leader but a ruler to members of the church community. And the relationship between the pastor and the congregation is a relationship of unilateral oppression and destruction, not a mutual caring relationship that practices Christ's love. However, some congregation do not criticize these pastors' oppressive and violent attitudes, but also prefer to conform or conform to the attitude of the pastor, and even to those pastors. In this study, I have studied the negative authority of the pastor, the cause of the negative power of the pastor, and the symptoms and the result. Through this study, I hope to escape the outward concept of capitalist property, which is the absolute yardstick for assessing Korean Christianity and the church, namely the size of the church building or the number of church members. And I hope that this study contributes to establishing the concept of pastor practicing true pastoral care and love of Christ.

Jung’s psychology of religion is complicated. However, it has the potential to integrate both psychology and theology to heal the broken souls of many Christians. His psychology of religion deals with both psychological and theological perspectives of human psychic dynamics. His theory shows how religion is experienced in one’s deep human psyche on both a conscious and unconscious level. Also, it not only illuminates how religion can go beyond what Freud criticized but also how it can become a powerful healing source. In order to use Jung’s psychology of religion more effectively in pastoral counseling, this theory needs to be clarified and utilized in pastoral counseling more as a therapeutic method for healing Christian clients. Therefore, in this paper, I will carefully read his writings on the psychology of religion in order to see how his understanding is written from a psychological point of view in relation to the use of Christian tradition. I will also be addressing the main characteristics of his writings in order to clearly communicate his theory to Christian populations. As a methodology, I will use the method of a literature review. Based upon the method of literature review and its specific scope, this paper will have the following structure. First, I will introduce how Carl. G. Jung started his own analytical psychology apart from Sigmund Freud. Second, I will elucidate how his personal background highly impacted his understanding about religion. Third, I will closely look at his writings about the psychology of religion. Finally, I will conclude by reviewing the therapeutic implication of Jung’s understanding of the psychology of religion for healing Christian clients as well as Christian therapists, who are looking forward to analyze complicated pieces of the Christian clients’ life, suffering, faith and hope. Based upon reviewing his main writings, his understanding of the psychology of religion can be summarized through six elements. 1) acknowledging the importance of spirit over instinct. 2) gaining new awareness by seeing religion from an empirical and phenomenological perspective, 3) viewing the Trinity and cross as archetypes, 4) accepting the importance of Mass for one’s individuation, 5) attempting to explain human suffering with the book of Job and the sacrifice of Christ, 6) realizing the importance of integration between religion and science for the modern man. Based upon the clarification of Jung’s psychology of religion, this paper suggests that pastoral counseling should be more inclusive to allow the integration of psychology and theology as a therapeutic method and practice to heal christian souls. For further research, the integration of psychology and theology should be developed for Korean settings beyond Jung’s descriptions.

This article mainly examines the nature of homosexuals' coming out and the caring role of the church in this process. As a practical and pastoral theologian, the present researcher acknowledges that coming out is a crucial process to help homosexuals liberate from their own shame, anger, pain, despair as well as from social and religious prejudice and discrimination. This article investigates the culture of homophobia, which prevents homosexuals from confronting and reconstructing their sexual identity. Thereafter, coming out is discussed and finally, demonstrate communal care of the church as a support community for Christian homosexuals. To help homosexuals come out of the closet, this article demonstrates the significance of the churches' authentic acceptance and communal care in the place of closeness and oppression. Acceptance of homosexuals' inner conflict and disturbance and communal care should be the principal ways in which homosexuals can be healed and in which they can reconstruct their sexual orientation. In relation to coming out, among many Biblical and theological concepts, the image of God is very helpful to deal with this issue. In particular, this concept encourages Christian homosexuals to take courage to revisit their painful experiences and to recover their sexual identity in faith. From the perspective of pastoral care, pastors and believers must approach this issue from a more multi-sided perspective, rather than just criticizing and condemning homosexuals. That does not mean that they have to accept and agree on everything about them. There is no need to do so. Rather, pastors and believers need to recognize that homosexuals are also created in the image of God, and they still need his love and grace.

My principal concern in this study necessitates a critical review of the practice of filial piety of Korean adult children, especially in the case of the eldest son, in the light of family systems theories such as those of Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy’s contextual family therapy, Murray Bowen’s intergenerational family systems theory, and the MRI group’s communication/interaction approach. Bowen's perspective of family assessment relates to the degree of differentiation of self and detriangulation from the intergenerational approach. From similar perspective to that of Bowen, Boszormenyi-Nagy's contextual approach emphasizes trustworthiness among family members. From the communication approach of the MRI group, the basic value is that the family should function through clear and direct communication. The issue of Korean filial piety is closely connected to the intergenerational approaches. Especially, practicing filial piety of the eldest son can be appropriately explained, in terms of the concept of the nuclear family emotional system, triangulation, family projection process, and sibling position in Bowen's theory. Boszormenyi-Nagy's concept of invisible loyalty can also be useful to explain the notion of the Korean filial piety of the eldest son. However, even if those theories and therapeutic models, despite their contributions and limitations, can be applied to the issue of Korean filial piety in the couple in question, the cultural sensitivity should be still heeded, particularly for non-Korean, or non-Asian therapists. Therefore, a careful consideration of the models or theories used in the application of family problems is important for family therapists, psychologists and even pastoral counselors.

The Church is for Thielicke not so much a institutional as personal mediated community. The relation between church and individual is not the relation of whole and fragmented particles, all the more church occurs in the individual. This individual implies the sense of church already in itself. When the Word of God is transmitted from a person, who occupies this Word, to another, a church is founded. Through church God spreads his kingdom in the world. The relationship which is set by the word of God, is not only the origin of church but also its goal. Therefore the church has to hold on it's identity so that the relationship through Word may be realized in the world. The public mission of the church is due to the world administration of Jesus Christ which is manifested in his mission command. This command refers to the fact that the world relationship of Jesus has a dual direction. Jesus' world governance is as it were an open secret that results from the personal communion with his disciples. Jesus sends his disciples not in their private life back, but also in the public areas of life, so that they might actualize his administration in this public areas. Therefore Thielicke would not perform a sociological discussion and a ecclesiastical poltics with the topic of public mission. He would rather deal with anthropology and with pastoral theology. Consequently, the church can not normalize the publicity on behalf of God's commandments, but it has only to make people responsible for the publicity which actualizes all the relationships of realty.

In 1990, among the whole population in the world, 2 billion 7000 of them were Christians and 1.1 billion being Muslims. However, over the past 20 years, the Muslim populations has risen steeply to fill the gap between Christians and Muslims. In 2010, the number of Christians was 2.1 billion 7000 and the number of Muslims was 1.6 billion. In addition, by 2050, the number of the two populations is expected to be parallel to 2.9 billion 7000 and 2.7 billion 6000. In the global era, strategic propaganda through immigration and marriage, polygamy and fertility in accordance with Islamic doctrine can be seen as the cause of Islamic growth. Andrea Williams, CEO of CCFON(Christian Concern For Our Nation), said “the churches and societies in Korea must change with the example of England.” His prophetic warning has already come to be reality in Korea. In the case of Korean Muslims, the Muslim population has grown at a rapid rate of about 30% over the past decade, from 2001 to 2011, and has increased by 177% over the past five years. Today, the Korean Muslim population is estimated to be about 150 to 160 thousand. As mentioned in the above statistics, Islam has already surpassed the growth of Christianity at a ferocious pace with active and aggressive missionary activities. Furthermore, with the oil power of the Middle East, Christian churches and Christian countries are being encroached rapidly by Islam. To make matters worse, since the end of the 20th century, religion has been prominently effected by postmodernism, rejecting the absoluteness and accompanying the convenience of extreme selfishness. Also, due to the effects of the 4th Industrial Revolution, the rapid development robots and artificial intelligence industries denied God’s existence and promoted scientism as a new idol, building up a new Tower of Babel. Under such circumstances, the Korean Church is in an absolute need to train missionaries who are equipped with mission strategies and tactics to meet the times, and to fight against the difficulties of the times. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide the necessary skills for modern missions in response to the needs of the times; to develop the values as a professional who can effectively convey the pure Gospel, and professional training programs (which I have investigated the current status of professional mission training programs, focusing on three professional mission training centers and identified the advantages and disadvantages of each mission training centers); and to propose an effective all-weather professional mission training program for the frontier mission in the 21st century.

This article aims to discuss Martin Luther(1483~1546)'s theory of education in light of the reformed Christian education at the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In order to discuss Luther's theory of education, this article deals with Luther's views of man and educational thought, and Luther's education respectively from the Reformed theological viewpoints. He understood man as God's creature, fallen being, being to be saved and total being. His understanding of a man is contrast to Desiderius Erasmus(1466~1536). That is discussed in the theological aspect. Luther's thesis of education is that education is the act of God, and God acts in education. Christian educational implications on the basis of Luther's view of man are as follows. His aim of education is to restore the image of God which is lost in the Fall and to glorify God in Christ. The contents of education is primarily the Bible and the main thesis is Christ. Luther understood teacher as a servant of God, a witness of the Gospel, who had a noble tasks. To Luther, young learner is an innocent and a care-free mind, and is in the right relationship with God. This article clarifies that educational implications according to Luther's view of man provide the basis of reformed Christian education today.

The purpose of this study is to identify a socially oriented approach to and a theologically oriented approach to Christian education developed by George A. Coe and James D. Smart with a request of the two Church School teachers of the C Church. Exploring key themes such as Christian education, theology, and Bible, this study provides the social and theological viewpoints of the two leading figures that lead to constructive implications of the educational ministry of C Church as follows: 1) social vision of Christian education; 2) dynamic theory-practice relation; 3) interdisciplinary dialogues; 4) theology; 5) the Trinity; and 6) the Bible. The findings may be helpful in performing the teaching ministry of C Church as well as Korean churches that could equip their people not only to be social practitioners but also to be disciples in light of their Christian faith.

This research deals with the meaning of reconciliation and peace as it concentrates on Karl Barth's theology of reconciliation, Barmen Theological Declaration and the Declaration of Korean Churches for Reunification and Peace between South Korea and North Korea (1988). To begin with, this study analyzes Karl Barth' theology of reconciliation as he emphasizes Jesus' ministry of reconciliation of atonement, repentance, service and sacrifice. Then, he develops the Barmen Theological Declaration as the central piece of reconciliation as he had resisted the totalitarian power. In addition, the Declaration of Korean Churches for Reunification and Peace between South Korea and North Korea also has a theological implication for peace. These two declarations are examples of a practical approach on reconciliation and peace since they signify of reconciliation and peace. Thus, this research will delve into the theological significance of reconciliation and peace as it concentrates on Barth' theology of reconciliation and compares two declarations such as Barmen Theological Declaration and '88 Declaration.

This study criticized ethical issues raised by genome editing technology (CRISPR-Cas9) from a Christian ethical point of view. First, the problems of genome editing technology was analyzed, and based on this analysis, the limitations and contradictions of those who would like to advocate and actively use genetic editing technology was criticized and rebutted from a Christian theological point of view. In the light of Christian reason, life is given as a gift of grace from the Creator. Human desire to manipulate and strengthen the power of the child through genome editing technology is derived from misunderstanding the position of human being in creation, and we can see that it is arrogant domination and control stemming from mistaking human role and God's role. Therefore, what is required of Christians today is a thorough reflection on human dominance in eugenic efforts to design and manipulate genes. It is a well-known fact that human life today is seriously underestimated. This social phenomenon is the result of an abandon of anthropocentrism and at the same time a backbone of utilitarian thinking. In other words, the tendency of reducing the absolute value of life to liberal values is remarkable because of the strong influence of the historical tendency. Man is the only one that can not be replaced by anyone. Thus, even in an 'insignificant' human embryo, the dignity of the Christian worldview is not neglected. The science and technology of the past dominate human ability and talent, and by attempting to redesign the human nature, it seems like only a strengthened human being is a righteous person, but the human being under God's creation order enjoys the gift of grace as a gift, and it is an entity that is composed of the responsibilities entrusted to each other in cooperation with the creatures. Thus, enhanced human-oriented gene editing techniques do not gain legitimacy from a Christian ethical point of view.

One of the greatest problems parents face continually is how to train and discipline to their children, Because Parental discipline has a great impact on the child's growth process and personality formation. One of the most important challenges is how to raise children among the problems parents face at this point. Therefor, The Bible can viewed as the primary focal lens for Christian education. As Christian, no matter how effective education for children can be, it must have its roots in the Bible. Parents cannot simply pass along Biblical facts and information but must help their children understand the teachings of the Bible and apply these teachings toward their attitudes for life, their behavior, their environment, etc. This study is to recognize the problems of parental child rearing and to accept requests for change. The purpose of this study is to formulate the theory of admonition as parenting attitude and to suggest a new direction. The goal of discipline should be to teach self-discipline. Self-discipline should allow children to see and learn about their parents' lives. Discipline is to experience the love of Christ through direct and indirect moral teaching in the form of parental care. The admonition of the Christian family aims at the formation of Christian faith and identity. Therefore, it is an effort to present a new form of life to Christ in the direction of a new life. In this study, parents are the basic principles to be taught carefully and systematically to his children. Parents must model their child rearing in biblically-based Christian education