• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.78
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• pp.153-189
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• 2024

This study sought to find the characteristics of the Protestant faith that emerged during the early missionary work of Korean Protestants in the Andong region of Gyeongsang Province, where Confucianism was developed. In the early days of Korean Protestantism (1905-1935), it focused on the life and lifestyle of Elder Lee Sang-dong, a nobleman with a background in Toegye Confucianism, who converted from Confucianism. Elder Sang-dong Lee's life and journey of faith can be illuminated and the implications can be connected through the theology of the faith community by Christian education scholar J. h. Westerhoff III. Westerhoff viewed Christian education as forming the values and worldview of individuals in the community while the faith community adapts to society and culture. Westerhoff's view of Christian education is that these values appear as a way of life within social and cultural processes, and this life helps to reveal various aspects of life based on different environments. As Sang-dong Lee began reading the Bible, he came to believe in Jesus and accepted the worldview of the Bible. The values o f the Bible accepted in this way opened up a world view shown by the Christian Bible rather than Confucian Toegye Neo-Confucianism in the encounter between Confucianism in the late Joseon Dynasty and early Protestant church history. Thus, he lived the lifestyle of a believer who put the words of the Bible into practice in the life of a Confucianism nobleman. He founded the Posan-dong Church and started a church with a martyrdom faith community. He was the first in Andong to sing the March 1st Independence Movement on his own, advocated the Korean Independence Movement, liberated slaves and demonstrated the equality movement, and established new education at DeoksinSeosuk. By implementing it, it faithfully fulfilled its role as a teacher of the enlightenment movement and catechesis. In the early days of Korean Protestantism, Lee Sang-dong, a layman who held the office of elder rather than a minister in an institutional church, is a practical example of the values and lifestyle shown through the encounter between Confucianism and Protestantism in the Andong region, the stronghold of Confucianism. It can be seen as providing deep insight in modern church history and from the perspective of Christian education.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.63
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• pp.317-345
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• 2020

The dissolution and reconstruction of the male-centered social structure is being requested, but the Korean church still call on women and understand women's roles by limiting them based on traditional 'normal family ideology' and matherhood discourse. However, considering women's various aspects of life, life cycle, and individuality, confining women to existing biological maternal discourse is not suitable to help women grow as subjective leaders and contribute to society. The Korean church needs to find a new curriculum that encourages women to form subjective beliefs. In the life of Christian women of the period of port-opening, we can examine the process of the Korean Christian women establishing the subjectivity of the challenges of Protestant theology, which included stereotypes, gender division of labor, and matherhood discourse. Korean Christian women shared the oppressive experiences of traditional patriarchy after passing silent and receptive perceptions, forming a subjective perception of their injustice and seeking liberation. And it was able to act as a subject of faith by forming a procedural and constructive awareness within a sympathetic and relational community. The Korean church should reconstruct the Christian women's curriculum by reflecting on the curriculum that women formed themselves over 100 years ago.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.48
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• pp.41-155
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• 2024

Among the records that attest to the period from July to August of 1863, when Suwun was believed to have transmitted the orthodox lineage to Haewol, the oldest documents are The Collection of Suwun's Literary Works (水雲文集), The Collection of Great Master Lord's Literary Works (大先生主文集), and The Records of Dao Origin of Master Choe's Literary Collection (崔先生文集道源記書, hereafter referred to as The Records of Dao Origin). The records regarding Suwun in these three documents are considered to have originated from the same context. The variances embedded in the three documents have led to arguments about which documents accurately reflect the fact of orthodox lineage transmission. Additionally, these variances highlight the necessity of a review regarding the characteristics of early Eastern Learning, such as its faith and organizational systems. Accordingly, by thoroughly examining these three documents, it is possible to elucidate the chronological order, establishment-date, accuracy, descriptive direction, and characteristics of the faith system of early Eastern Learning as these are reflected in each document. If successful, this examination would provide a clearer description of the developmental process of Eastern Learning from 1860 to 1880, facilitating a more in-depth analysis of the significance embedded in various forms of discourse on the movement's orthodox lineage transmission. In comparing the three documents and contrasting them with related sources, the results of the textual examination assert that the documents within the lineage of The Collection of Suwun's Literary Works, given they lack a clear record of the event regarding Haewol's orthodox lineage succession, may be the first draft of The Collection of Great Master Lord's Literary Works and The Records of Dao Origin, as these texts distinctly include that record. This reflects that Haewol's succession was not precisely recognized within and outside of the Eastern Learning order until the time when The Collection of Great Master Lord's Literary Works and The Records of Dao Origin were published. This is further attested to by the fact that during the late 1870s, when various Yeonwon (fountainhead) factions of Eastern Learning began to converge around Haewol, and his Yeonwon became the largest organization within Eastern Learning. At that point, the order's doctrine was reinterpreted, and its organization was reestablished. In this regard, it is necessary to view Eastern Learning after Suwun-especially the orthodox lineage transmission to Haewol-from a perspective that considers it more as competing forms of discourse than as a historical fact. This view enables a new perspective on Haewol's Eastern Learning, which forms a distinct layer from Suwun's, shedding light on the relationship between Haewol and the new religious movements in modern-day Korea.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.1
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• pp.109-144
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• 2003

Orientalness is a concept that expresses the collective identity of the Orient in relation to the West. The concept itself is mutable and defined by the relationship between the two regions at different points in time. Changes in the concept depend on a number of factors, such as cultural influence, the political balance of power between the two regions, and on the interpretative scheme that defines the relationship. In addition, the geographical notion of the concept evolves culturally, socially and politically. During this process, Oriental-ness becomes Oriental-ism at times. I will attempt to survey and measure the progression of Orientalness from its emergence in early 17th century to its subsequent transformation in modern Korea as reflected in art theory and art works. The recognition of the comparative characteristics of Oriental art began when the Orient was exposed to the art of the West in the late Ming dynasty during the early 17th century. The changes in the artistic climate in China affected the late Chosun. I will start with a brief introduction of this time and the birth of Orientalness. The concept gradually changed during the period of Enlightenment(開化期) towards the end of the 19th century, and during the colonial period( 1910-1945) it took on a new form. Establishment of the concept of "Orient"as a single, unifying concept spanning across cultures and national boundaries has been attributed to late Meiji period Japan, whose intention at that time is believed to have been to build a pan-Asia(亞細亞) empire with Japan at its commanding center. It has been stressed that the real motive behind the formation of one single cultural unit, where the shared common written language was Chinese and Confucianism and Taoism were the common metaphysical traditions, was to build one political unit. When the notion of a geographical unit of Asia was replaced by the concept of Asia as a cultural and political unit, a massive growth of interest and discourse were provoked around the concept of Orientalism. When Orientalism was being formulated, Korea automatically became member of "one Asia" when the country became colonized. For Koreans, the identity of the Orient had to be defined in cultural terms, as the political notion of a nation was non-existent at that time. The definition of identity was pursued at two levels, pan-Asian and local. If Orientalism was an elite discourse centered in pan-Asian philosophical and religious tradition, localized Orientalism was a popular discourse emphasizing locality as the byproduct of natural geographic condition. After the liberation in 1945 from colonial rule, a thrust of movement arose towards political nationalism. Two types of discourses on Orientalism, elite and popular, continued as central themes in art. Despite the effort to redefine the national identity by eradicating the cultural language of the colonial past, the past was enduring well into the present time. As discussed above, even when the painting themes were selected from Korean history, the tradition of using history painting as a manifestation of political policy to glorify the local identity had its founding during the Meiji period. The elevation of folk art to the level of high art also goes back to the colonial promotion of local color and local sentiment. Again, the succession of the past (colonial) ideal was defended as the tradition assumed a distinct modern shape that was abstract in style. The concept of the "Orient" is of relative and changing nature. It was formulated in relation to Western culture or civilization. Whatever the real motive of the adoption of them had been, the superiority of the Orient was emphasized at all times. The essence of the Orient was always perceived as the metaphysical tradition as a way to downgrade Western culture as materialistic. This view still prevails and the principle of Orient was always sought in Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Even when Orientalism was employed by imperialist Japan in an effort to establish her position as the center of the Orient, the spiritual source was still in Chinese philosophy and religion. In art also, the Chinese literati tradition became the major platform for elite discourse. Orientalism was also defined locally, and the so-called local color was pursued in terms of theme and style. Thus trend continued despite the effort to eradicate the remnants of colonial culture long after liberation. These efforts are now being supported politically and also institutionalized to become the aesthetic ideal of the modern Korean art.