tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post3707222842854272216..comments2024-03-25T13:40:30.747-04:00Comments on Faith and Theology: On Korean theology, and Karl Barth's reception in KoreaBen Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800127501735910966noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-33262464778409130672010-05-21T13:49:11.551-04:002010-05-21T13:49:11.551-04:00Fun post to read. Thanks for it. I went to seminar...Fun post to read. Thanks for it. I went to seminary (RTS-Orlando) with a lot of those "Korean pastors and theologians [who] view Barth’s theology as a dangerous 'liberal' deviation from Calvinist orthodoxy." They wouldn't put it that way, though. It wasn't so much a matter of "liberal" for them, but rather (in their eyes) an unintelligible or unhelpful doctrine of revelation.<br /><br />Since they all had plenty to contemplate and thus assimilate (or not) during their studies out West, I don't think I could judge that they missed a whole lot by not giving Barth the time of day, at least during their formative theological training, for precisely the reasons you mention above.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05006685610827238652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-82064958506472371412010-05-19T22:05:19.004-04:002010-05-19T22:05:19.004-04:00Thanks very much for this post Ben. I would call ...Thanks very much for this post Ben. I would call your attention to two additional sources to illumine some interesting connections between East and West. Christoph Blumhardt's letters to his son-in-law Richard Wilhelm is shot through with considerations of the possibility of a Confucian basis for Christianity, though the context there was China. Though I don't think that Barth was aware of these letters, I can't help but wonder if a similar dynamic may not be at work in his thought as well. I know that a number of Korean scholars have also shown an interest in Blumhardt, including Hee-Kuk Lim and Sung Min Yoon. <br /><br />In addition, Donald Dayton has been arguing for the use of the American Holiness tradition's categories as a way of understanding the dynamics of Korean Christianity. His argument is that holiness categories actually are determinitive for almost all of Korean Christianity, even the reformed versions. You can find the essay, "The Four-Fold Gospel: Key to Trans-Pacific Continuities" in: http://wipfandstock.com/store/From_the_Margins_A_Celebration_of_the_Theological_Work_of_Donald_W_Dayton<br /><br />I look forward to more posts on the many extraordinary developments in east and southeast asia.CCWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-83405853098596501622010-05-19T02:32:07.945-04:002010-05-19T02:32:07.945-04:00I had a friend who lived in Korea for two years.
H...I had a friend who lived in Korea for two years.<br />He found the ever growing influence of Protestant Christianity and its dismal moralistic self righteousness to be a very depressing influence on Korean culture altogether.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-91334462145939319892010-05-18T20:55:25.505-04:002010-05-18T20:55:25.505-04:00Muchas gracias.Muchas gracias.Ben Myershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03800127501735910966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-65850437449019657622010-05-18T20:32:41.565-04:002010-05-18T20:32:41.565-04:00Thanks Ben. Es muy interesante el articulo. Lo he ...Thanks Ben. Es muy interesante el articulo. Lo he traducido para leerlo y es interesantisimo.baresytapashttp://www.baresytapas.esnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-35129501254519800842010-05-18T01:32:54.802-04:002010-05-18T01:32:54.802-04:00Readers may recall the controversy over Korean fem...Readers may recall the controversy over Korean feminist theologian Chung Hyan (or Hyun) Kyung's presentation at the World Council of Churches assembly in Canberra - she incorporated a ritual of calling ancestor spirits, and was accused of syncretism by many, especially Orthodox Church delegates. I wonder how vibrant these discussions continue to be in Korea? (She has since moved to the US.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-14358346683846220622010-05-17T21:35:09.679-04:002010-05-17T21:35:09.679-04:00I am a Korean American student studying in Germany...I am a Korean American student studying in Germany, writing a diss. on Karl Barth. <br /><br />You should also check out Ham Suk-Hyun (tried to reinterpret Korean history through the Gospel lens), and his teacher Ryu (Yu) Young-Mo, who is quite an original thinker. He tried to synthesize Christianity and Eastern Philosophy in the early 20th C. To my knowledge, he was already reading Kant and Kierkegaard by this time. A surprise when I found out. (His main thesis is the West emphasizes the Word and the East emphasizes Act, and we are to take this metaphysically, not in their normal sense of the term.)<br /><br />Their books should be available (in English I believe) through KIATS <a href="http://club.cyworld.com/ClubV1/Home.cy/50264072" rel="nofollow">(Korean Institute of Advanced Theological Studies).</a>Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-82768981605248017772010-05-17T19:42:54.678-04:002010-05-17T19:42:54.678-04:00Thanks Ben. This is very helpful. With so much dyn...Thanks Ben. This is very helpful. With so much dynamism in the Christian church in our times being in Asia, Africa and South America (and so much implosion being in the West) your opening of windows onto the bigger Christian world lets the fresh air in. More please! I’d love to read short pieces like this by Asian, African and South American theologians too if you can arrange it.Paul Tysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00469200454286176877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-75600062934063627902010-05-17T18:02:52.237-04:002010-05-17T18:02:52.237-04:00I am reading you from South Korea where I teach En...I am reading you from South Korea where I teach English! Unfortunately, I haven't picked up enough of the language for daily life, let alone to discuss theology. My wife and I attend a small Methodist church and half listen to the sermon we can't understand, while flipping distractedly through our Bible. The hymn tunes are mostly the same, so we have that down. The best part of church in small town Korea is that after the first service (The Korean church members are there all day. Piety is big.) we have tons of rice, fish, soups, etc. and all the old ladies attempt to ask us questions.John Dooleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-53813424938450739122010-05-17T13:35:14.018-04:002010-05-17T13:35:14.018-04:00Thanks for the post Ben. Over here at Fuller Semin...Thanks for the post Ben. Over here at Fuller Seminary we have a large population of Korean students, about 30% of enrollment. It is quite amazing that the Korean population has taken such a liking to Calvin, as well as Barth. It's also pretty incredible how many books have been translated into Korean in such a short period of time. It's great to learn about another Korean theologian, especially one who studied with Barth.Andrew Esquedahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09081654399429199682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14261952.post-16537669694010506022010-05-17T12:33:00.473-04:002010-05-17T12:33:00.473-04:00Thank you so much for this. As a second generation...Thank you so much for this. As a second generation Korean and as a seminary student who is fond of Barth, all this is very interesting. I haven't had much exposure to Korean theology, but I'll definitely have to check Sung-Bum Yun as well as the other works you mentioned.<br /><br />I look forward to more posts on Korean theology.<br /><br />JoshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com