Journal of Christian Education in Korea (기독교교육논총)

The Korean Society of Christian Religious Education (한국기독교교육학회)
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Understanding Contemplative Prayer in the Korean Protestant Context

한국적 상황에서 관상기도 이해

  • Received : 2022.03.04
  • Accepted : 2022.03.29
  • Published : 2022.03.30
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Abstract

In the early 20th century, Korean Protestant Christians began two forms of prayer, Tongsung Kido and Dawn Prayer. The two prayers have been loved and performed by Korean Protestants for over 100 years. Speaking in tongues was introduced in the 1950s and became one of the most popular prayers along with Tongsung Kido and dawn prayer. Korean Protestant churches started Bible meditation in the 1970s through journals like the Daily Bible of the Scripture Union Korea. Now contemplative prayer appears as an unfamiliar and strange style of prayer, given the history of prayer so far in Korean churches. Protestant scholars and pastors have made this into a controversy; contemplative prayer is the first non-protestant prayer that has become controversial. The controversy is mainly about biblical origin, theological relevance, and historical and traditional conformity. This study asks and answers why this controversy is important for Korean Protestant churches. This study introduces the controversy and explores why one group accepts the prayer and others do not. Then, this study recounts the history of Korean Protestant prayers and shows the meanings of the encounter of Korean Protestant prayers and contemplative prayer. This study argues that Korean Protestant Christians, through the controversy, can learn that Korean Protestant churches have the potential to create a new prayer culture and tradition and need spiritual discipline through silence.

20세기 초 한국 개신교인들은 통성기도와 새벽기도를 시작했다. 이 두 기도는 이후 100년 동안 한국 개신교인들에게 사랑받고 널리 행해졌다. 방언은 1950년대에 도입되기 시작해 통성기도 및 새벽기도와 함께 가장 대중적인 기도가 되었다. 이후 한국 개신교회는 1970년대 매일 성경과 같은 묵상집을 통해 성경 묵상을 시작했다. 그리고 한국 개신교 기도 역사에서 가장 최근에 관상기도라는 생소한 기도가 등장하게 되었다. 관상기도는 곧 개신교 학자와 목회자에게 논쟁의 주제가 되었고 이러한 논쟁은 관상기도가 2000년대를 즈음해 등장한 후로 줄곧 지속하고 있다. 관상기도는 개신교계에서 기도에 대한 논쟁을 불러일으킨 최초의 비(非) 개신교 기도라는 점에서 의미가 있다. 관상기도 논쟁은 주로 성경적 기원, 신학적 적합성, 역사와 전통에 대한 일치성에 관련되어있다. 이전의 연구들이 관상기도의 적합성에 대해 논했다면 본 연구는 관상기도 논쟁이 왜 중요한지 묻고 답한다. 이 연구는 관상기도에 대해 찬반을 논하는 학자들의 연구를 소개하고 양측의 관점을 분석한다. 그리고 한국 개신교 기도와 관상기도의 만남이 의미하는 바가 무엇인지 논한다. 관상기도는 통성기도, 새벽기도, 방언 등으로 대표되는 한국 개신교의 기도 문화와 음성의 유무, 개별성과 집합성, 기도의 방법과 목적 등의 차원에서 충돌하고 있다. 본 논문은 한국 개신교에서 관상기도 논쟁이 한국교회가 새로운 기도 문화와 전통을 창조할 잠재력이 있다는 점을 보여주고 침묵을 통한 영적 훈련을 할 필요가 있다는 점을 주장한다.

Keywords

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