『셩경직해광익』과 초기 한국 기독교의 공동체적 전망

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the significance of the first Korean Gospel Sungkyung-jikhae-gwang-ik and its influence on feudal society of Joseon in the eighteenth century. In Catholic mission history, the Korean Christian Community is evaluated today as an outstanding model of church by lay people, which was greatly in debt to Sungkyung-jikhae-gwangik, the Bible translation in their mother tongue. Sungkyung-jikhae-gwangik was translated and edited from two Chinese books, and comprises about twenty books. Its translation and distribution was led by Choi, Chang-Hyun, but many lay persons regardless of social ranks also participated, especially prominent Confucian scholars. Initially these scholars established the first Korean Christian community solely through independent studying of Christian thought. Although they did this without any foreign influences, this Bible translation is a masterpiece in terms of showing their complete understanding of the biblical message. Furthermore, this translation itself was regarded as a realization of their socio-political vision of a better society which had been recognized from the biblical teaching of love and an equal society in relation with the concept of the children of God.BR While the original Chinese books seem to be written for Confucian intellectuals in the upper-class of China, main readers of this Hangeul Sungkyung-jikhae-gwangik were conversely women and lower-class people. After the initial scholarly leadership was demolished within a decade by the government, Christian communities were rapidly established amongst lower classes of people. Even after the coming of foreign missionaries which accompanied severe persecutions and formed a language barrier to Christian thought, this Korean Christian community necessarily established itself through lay people’s voluntary participation. As such, Sungkyung-jikhae-gwang-ik played a crucial role in making up for the absence of leadership, since it was helpful on the practical level for Sunday worship and lay people’s self-education. Through this, a compassionate and egalitarian Christian society known as the Village of Friends was fostered and grew.BR Sungkyung-jikhae-gwang-ik constantly highlights Jesus’ teaching of love as well as a virtuous life as being the children of God. For example, it accounts the love for enemy as a Christian virtue as seen from the exhortation in “The twelfth bible after the advent” in Sungkyung-jikhae-gwang-ik. It would have empowered Christians to live a respectable and altruistic life as attested by many historical records even under brutal persecutions. Moreover, this biblical teaching had urged for a more benevolent and equal society even in highly hierarchical feudal society of Joseon, and eventually realized the community vision of the Kingdom of God.