The Korean Understanding of God

Abstract

This paper begins with a discussion of the contours of ancient religion in Korea. The starting point is an analysis of the indigenous mythology of Dangun and the divine image of Hwanin along with the concept of Haneul. The focus then turns to the transformation of the concept of God, especially noting the emergence of the word, Cheon (천: 天), which came with the arrival of the Chinese religions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. This overview is given in order to establish an important contention of this paper that the concept of God held by Koreans prior to the 19th Century embraces, in distinction to the Semitic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), not only a transcendent, paternal God but also a maternal God who was immanent within all things. Moreover, it is contended, there is sufficient evidence to equate Hwanin of the Dangun myth with YHWH-El and the Almighty God of Christian belief. The central concern of this paper focuses on the understanding of God which emerges within the new religious movements that appeared towards the end of the 19th Century. The particular focus is on the Donghak (Eastern Learning) movement founded by Choe Je-u (Su-un). Su-un, the paper contends, established a faith based on the concept of a God (Lord of Heaven) called, Si Cheonju, whom is conceived as a direct experience of “carrying or bearing God”. God is Chigi, the vital force or energy pervading the universe, which is both the transcendent and the immanent Lord of all. God is the paradox within all humans and things. We carry God through Chigi, which is, at one and the same time, externally an evaporating, vaporising vital energy, yet also immanent within all humans and things. Other key concepts of the Donghak divinity which are developed and analysed are Hanul-Nim (天主: 한울님), Haneul-Nim (하늘님), Injeukcheon (인즉천: 人卽天), Yang Cheonju (양천주: 養天主), and Innaecheon (인내천: 人乃天). The inspiration of Donghak leads to a fundamental insight ― the idea of “transcendent immanence”. Using these fundamental insights, this paper turns to examine the contemporary moment and its issues of injustice, poverty, alienation and ecological collapse. A Korean view of God, it is argued, would be not only simultaneously humanistic yet not humanistic but also promote an eschatology which places God within the ecosphere. In order to adequately appreciate the opportunity which is provided by an enlightened Donghak, the reader is challenged to re-envisage God through the metaphor of “Mother” which, unlike the traditional understanding of a transcendent being governing the external relationships of the universe, embraces an organic reality that voluntarily eschews self in order to affirm an essence of immanent love. The essay concludes with the words of Cardinal Walter Kasper commenting on the Mother Goddess image which is not just a satisfying image but an invitation to all those who seek the truth of salvation in a context of alienation and insatiable thirst for redemption in this world, a joyful engagement with the all-encompassing fellowship of God.