Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2005 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to determine what the influence of the God-image of
parishioners within the Korean Presbyterian Church is on their faith and ability to come to terms
meaningfully with the crisis of suffering. With the view to making a pastoral diagnosis and the
process of assessment, a pastoral hermeneutics was applied.
The basic hypothesis implemented is that inappropriate God-images, exacerbated by the
religious-cultural context of the Presbyterian Church in Korea, play an important role in the
parishioners' inability to come to terms meaningfully with crises and suffering. In this respect, it
was found that Shamanism, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, amongst others, profile the
dominant religious paradigm that functions among members. This cultural context gives rise to
a concept of God that applies the theological presupposition of an almighty, fearful supreme
being who controls and is in command of everything - even death. In this regard, the concepts
of punishment and judgment play a decisive role. Within theodicy, God is viewed as the
ultimate cause of evil. Thus, a merciless God (Ch 'unbeol) is the inevitable cause of suffering.
The research found that, in Korea, theodicy relates to the monotheistic concept of a "supreme
god" (HanunumIHananim), as well as the punitive component in the category of omnipotence
(Ch 'unbeoIIChunneung). Because of a causal paradigm (scheme of cause and effect),
manipulation is a strong factor in the Koreans' concept of faith and coping with suffering. This
gives rise to a form of "pathology of faith": the manipulation of God with the view to material
and health benefits. This hampers maturity in faith. In order to understand the theological concepts of judgment and power, we present the exegesis
of relevant biblical texts with the view to the development of a theology of compassion. In this
respect, we discuss the theological theories of four theologians, that is the existential concept of
a theology of the cross (Luther); the ontological-trinitarian concept of a theology of the cross
(Moltmann); the dialectic-emotional pain theology of Kitamori; and Louw's pastoralhermeneutic
understanding of the cross within the framework of his promissio-therapy.
This study suggests a paradigm shift away from a punitive judgmental paradigm to a sensitive
compassionate paradigm. This implies a radical transformation from a hierarchical concept of
power to power as a category of sympathy and identification that demonstrates God's
compassion in suffering. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die navorsing was om vas te stel wat die invloed van lidmate binne die Koreaanse
Presbiteriaanse Kerk se Godsvoorstelling is op hul geloof en vermoe om die krisis van Iyding
sinvol te verwerk. Met die oog op die maak van 'n pastorale diagnose en die asseseringsproses,
is van 'n pastorale hermeneutiek gebruik gemaak.
Die basiese hipotese waarmee gewerk is, is dat ontoepaslike Godsvoorstellings, versterk deur
die religieus - kulturele konteks van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk in Korea, 'n belangrike rol speel in
die onverrnoe van lidmate om krisisse en lyding sinvol te verwerk. In die verband is gevind dat
die dominante, religieuse paradigma wat by lidmate funksioneer, gevoed word deur, onder
andere, Shamanisme, Konfusianisme, Taoisme en Boeddhisme. Hierdie kulturele konteks gee
aanleiding tot 'n Godsverstaan wat werk met die teologiese vooronderstelling van 'n almagtige,
vrees-inboesemende opperwese wat alles beheer en kontroleer - selfs die dood. In die verband
speel die konsepte van straf en oordeel 'n deurslaggewende rol. Binne teodisee word God gesien
as die uiteindelike oorsaak van die kwaad. Lyding is dan 'n noodwendige, kousale gevolg van 'n
genadelose God (Ch 'unbeol).
Die navorsing bevind dat teodisee in Korea verbind moet word met die monoteistiese verstaan
van 'n "oppergod" iHanunum/Hananim), asook die strafkomponent in die almagskategorie
(Ch'unbeol/Chunneungi. Vanwee 'n kousale paradigma (oorsaak-gevolg skema) is 'n
manipulasie 'n sterk faktor in Koreane se geloofsverstaan en verwerking van lyding. Dit gee
aanleiding tot 'n vorm van "geloofspatologie": die manipulering van God met die oog op
materiele en gesondheidsvoordele. Die ontwikkeling van geloofsvolwassenheid word hierdeur
gerem. Ten einde die teologiese konsepte van oordeel en mag te verstaan, word relevante Bybeltekste
eksegeties aan die orde gestel met die oog op die ontwikkeling van 'n teologie van medelye. In
die verband word vier teoloe se teologiese teoriee krities bespreek, te wete die eksistensiele
verstaan van 'n kruisteologie (Luther); die ontologies -trinitariese verstaan van 'n kruisteologie
(Moltmann); die dialekties -emosionele pynteologie van Kitamori; en Louw se pastoraalhermeneutiese
verstaan van die kruis binne die raamwerk van sy promissioterapie.
Die studie stel voor 'n paradigmaskuif weg van 'n verdoemende oordeelsparadigma na 'n
sensitiewe paradigma van medelye. Die implikasie is 'n radikale transformasie vanaf 'n
hierargiese verstaan van mag na mag as 'n simpatieke, identifikasie-kategorie wat God se
medelye in lyding demonstreer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50266 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Kim, Sung-Hwan |
| Contributors | Louw, D. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology & Missiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 305 pages : illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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