Park, Sung-Kon (2017) Missional Ecclesiology: Missionary Encounters between the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap) and Protestant Churches in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Doctoral thesis, Károli Gáspár Reformed University.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
The present study seeks to explore how the Presbyterian Church of Korea’s (PCK, Tonghap denomination) understanding of missional ecclesiology translates into the context of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), by analysing, examining and investigating the PCK’s missionary endeavours in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It examines the complexity and dynamics of the PCK’s missionary encounters with Protestant churches of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and its effect on all agents involved. This study first describes the current debate on missional ecclesiology in the Korean context. Then, it examines the PCK’s understandings of missional ecclesiology by analysing and comparing various official documents, viewpoints of missiologists, and non-official perspectives. The next chapter focuses on how the PCK’s missionary movement in CEE began and what has been done during the last 25 years. This study, then, scrutinizes the PCK’s missionary movement in the concrete context of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, using Kritzingers’ praxis matrix which helps to explore the dynamics and complexity of the missionary encounters between the PCK and Protestant churches in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The use of the praxis matrix is to open a creative space toward a theological concern on what has taken place within the encounters between the PCK and partners in Czech Republic and Slovakia and how they served as transformative missionary agents in the society. In these chapters, personal interviews, official documents, church magazines are used as well as the researcher’s auto-ethnography. The PCK’s missionary endeavours in CEE started with fervent prayer and evangelistic zeal from the diaspora Korean churches in Europe and the supporting congregations in Korea. The mission work was positively done based on ecumenical partnership. Some obstacles, however, needed to be overcome. The PCK discovered the needs to reconsider its approach to missional ecclesiology, its understanding of the CEE context, a relevant contextualization of the diaspora Korean churches, improved communication among the PCK’s missionary agents, its missionary motivation for numerical growth and its expectation of rapid missionary results. Through the missionary encounters, valuable lessons were discovered for all churches involved. For the PCK, that the church growth perspective and a functional approach to missional ecclesiology does not work in the CEE context. For the diaspora Korean churches, that a relevant contextualization and not only an ethnic-centred but also a beyond-ethnic perspective is needed in mission. The missionary motivation should not come from self-glory, but only through participation into God’s mission. Furthermore, a superficial understanding of the CEE context might also mislead the missionary endeavours; thoughtful understanding builds trusting partnerships. Trusting cooperation among all PCK’s mission agents is always urgent. For Protestant churches in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, valuable lessons were learned in that a mutual partnership with an Asian church is necessary, shifting from indifference to inclusiveness. Also, that the fruitful Christian heritage and missionary resources needs to be shared with these young churches. Furthermore, that a shift from a traditional church to a missional church is needed by emphasizing a missionary identity that can transform the individualized and secularized society in CEE. Finally, the crucial missiological issues of suffering, healing, peace, reconciliation and identity are relevant themes that for all the churches involved, setting the agenda for future discussions.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap), Missionary ecclesiology. Korean Protestant Mission movement in Central and Eastern Europe |
| Subjects: | B Mission theology/theory > Missional ecclesiology B Mission theology/theory > Contextualization/Inculturation B Mission theology/theory > Mission, partnership and cooperation D World Christianity and Central Eastern Europe > Asia G Christian traditions/Denominations > Reformed, Presbyterian |
| Divisions: | Central Europe Central Europe > Czech Republic Central Europe > Slovakia |
| Depositing User: | Users 1 not found. |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Nov 2019 14:46 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Nov 2019 14:46 |
| URI: | https://ceeamsprints.osims.org/id/eprint/1697 |
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