• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.67
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• pp.77-116
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to argue that religious maturity is necessary for the healthy life of the aged of Korean churches in the rapidly aging society. It is also to suggest educational method for the formation and development of a positive image of God for relations with God, which is essential factor in religious maturity. To this end, this study argues that the direction and task of senior education should be religious maturity through the search for prior research on church education of senior citizens. This study also looked at the variables involved in how religious maturity affects many areas of human life. To achieve the task of religious maturity, the biblical and theological concept of maturity and religious psychological concepts of maturity are summarized, and the concept of God's image for relations with God, which is important in religious maturity, and the variables related to mature human life are examined. This study was proposed methods of church education for the formation and development of a positive image of God in order to have the right relationship with God for the religious maturity of the elderly on intellectual, emotional and behavioral levels. In the intellectual aspect, it was proposed to educate the concept of biblical and theological God and and to educate the elderly to recognize themselves as beings that need to grow and mature in order to constantly establish relationships with God. In the affective aspect, it was proposed to educate the elderly to reflect on and identify the origin and formation process of God's image and to heal their distorted God's image with an educational counseling approach. In the behavioral aspect, it was suggested to educate their roles of faith education for the next generation as parents and grandparents and to educate using educational methods that induce them to practice their relationship with God to appear in daily life.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.63
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• pp.221-253
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to define the key competency as Christian(in another word: Christian key competency) and to interpret the six key competencies of the 2015 revised curriculum in a Christian educational way. Also as an alternative to the key competencies model of the 2015 revised curriculum, this study aims to materialize the formation of a Christian key competencies model based on Christian faith. This study derived 'faith' from the key competencies as Christian throughout preceding research analysis. The 'faith' of the key competencies as Christian means the ability to know oneself, and to know the world and God within the knowledge of the Bible (knowledge of God) in the personal relationship with God, and also it is the ability to think, judge, and act with biblical values, Christian world view, and Christian self-identity. The key competency 'faith' could be the basis (standard) of motivation, attitude and the value of all competencies in cultivation and exercise. The model of Christian key competencies has the structure in which each six key competencies become to be cultivated based on the Christian key competency called "faith." Based on the structure, the six key competencies of the 2015 revised curriculum were interpreted and explained from the perspective of Christian education. In the self-management competency, self-identity can be correctly formed in relations with transcendent God. In aesthetic emotional competency, the empathic understanding of human beings comes from the understanding of the image of God, the supreme beauty, the source of beauty. About the community competency, human community is the source of God who created the universe, human and all of things. It is because a Christian community is a community within the relationship of Trinity God, Nature and others. Therefore regions, countries, and the world become one community. Communication competency first stem from good attitudes toward yourself and others with respectful mind. It comes from an understanding of Christian human beings. Also, there is a need of having a common language for communications. The common language is the Bible that given to us for our communicative companionship. Through the language of the Bible, God made us to know about God, human being and the creative world, and also made us to continue to communicate with God, others and the world. For having the knowledge-information processing competency, a standard of value for the processing and utilization of knowledge and information is required. The standard should be the basis of moral and ethical values for human respect. About creative thinking competency, the source of creativity is God who created the world. Human beings who have the image of God own creative potential. As well as, creativity has different expression forms depending on individual preferences and interests, and different approaches will be made depending on each individual's importance and achievement. Individual creativity can be found through education, and it can be embodied by converging knowledge, skills and experience.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.66
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• pp.413-437
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• 2021

Humans are created as spiritual beings that can relate to God. However, when a human spirit refuses to transform through confronting God, it experiences a crisis. A spiritual crisis results from disconnecting with God, who is the ultimate foundation, but we humans try to overcome such absence through accomplishments and efforts. In this technological age, the ethics issues of AI (Artificial Intelligence), robots, and cloning are related to anthropology. The development of the mind, heart, and logic cannot suggest a basis for destruction and confusion as much as the development of the world. In fact, education focused on the human mind cannot be considered holistic. Mind, together with thought, will, and belief, plays a crucial role in making choices and leading a human life. So it is actively studied in other domains other than Christian education. However, although the human spirit takes care of some territory of humanity, unlike the mind, it can neither be partial nor fragmentary. Instead, it manages the transformation that influences the core of human life. Therefore, Christian education must clearly concentrate on the spirit rather than on other human elements, intentionally concerning spiritual transformation through encounters with God. In other words, Christian education is the passage connecting a human spirit to God's presence at work, which enables us to understand the human being as a whole. For this, we must put our efforts to increase the chances of encountering God through Christian education. While "Encounter" requires both parties' interaction, "Transformation" stresses God as the main agent and His proactive nature. I also want to emphasize "worship" as the opportunity to communicate and experience God in our daily lives. By examining the preparation and the process of the spiritual transformation of humans, this paper would offer a theological foundation for continued transformation of the human spirit in the faith community, rather than personal experience or conviction.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.65
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• pp.9-27
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• 2021

Religious language learning is crucial for children's spiritual development and how each child is encouraged to speak about the Sacred will drive the capacities for healthily connecting with one another, God, and the nonhuman world. Religious educators have an ethical imperative to teach religion with a commitment to celebrating lived experiences, while resisting dogmatic instruction that stunts linguistic, cognitive, and spiritual development. Cultural influences must encourage approaches that nurture children's wonder and inquiry, by teaching religious language as a tool for meaning-making and expression.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.71
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• pp.371-399
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• 2022

The era we are living in is an era of hyperconnectivity where boundaries and limitations of each field and domain disappear and organically converge and share with each other. Christians living in the age of hyperconnectivity are losing their direction of life due to various divisions and severances, such as holiness and secularity, church and world, soul and body, faith and life, and humans and nature. However, in a hyperconnected society, it is necessary to break free from division and conflict caused by disconnection, and realize the kingdom of God through connection and solidarity between humans, nature, and the world. In order to explore the direction of Christian education for this purpose, this study examined the characteristics of the era of hyperconnectivity and the principle of solidarity, which is the core of hyperconnectivity. The theological meaning of solidarity was examined in terms of humans, nature, and the world, and based on this understanding, the direction of Christian education in the era of hyperconnectivity was sought. It can be summarized as having a religious understanding of human beings of Homoconnectus with a pericoretic mode of existence. Third, education on the kingdom of justice and peace where we can live together in a solidarity relationship can be summarized.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.70
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• pp.175-206
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• 2022

In this study, a mixed research method that collects and analyzes qualitative and quantitative data together was used to broaden the understanding of young children's faith. First of all, the contents of interviews with 18 research participants were divided into categories, and the frequency of each category was calculated. From 75 statements made in the interview, the importance of each was evaluated with a 5-point Likert scale. The means and standard deviations of the evaluation score were calculated, and sub-factors were identified through exploratory factor analysis. The frequency of categories mentioned in the qualitative interview was in the following order: faith manifested in difficulties, religious activities, Christian education at home, Christian education in the church, love and faith in God, and the formation of a Christian worldview (identity). The statement on the perception of God, theological concepts, religious activities, and Christian education at home and in the church received high scores. On the other hand, statements on developmentally difficult or abstract content, value judgment or conflict resolution based on the Word, and evangelism showed low scores. The sub-factors extracted through factor analysis were faith education through home and church, awareness of God and religious activities, identity based on the gospel, character based on the gospel, and overcoming a crisis through faith. In conclusion, the results of each of the mixed methods of looking at young children's faith were very similar-relationships with God, religious activities, Christian worldview (identity), Christian education at home and church were highlighted, even though various methods were used. This study is meaningful in that it suggests what and how to teach in early childhood Christian education.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.434-447
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to examine influence and leadership of church communities through analyzing the causal relation between charisma and spirituality, used inside and outside of the churches. This study will show two things in detail. First, charisma leadership of pastors significantly influenced the spirituality of lay people, that is, subcategories of the relationship with God, such as nurturing, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and leaders. Second, therefore, charisma leadership of pastors is an important factor which influences the spirituality of lay people, that is, subcategories of the relationship with God, such as nurturing, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and leaders.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.62
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• pp.75-99
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• 2020

What means the Waldorf school based on integrative imagination to our educational reality in our days? This is the key question in this article. This article seeks to the fundamental meaning of the Waldrof school to know our educational problems. For this purpose this article explore understanding on the theosophy of Rudolf Steiner in the insufficient research until now. The theosophy of Rudolf Steiner in this article is investigated with the understanding of Triune God, human, and educational arts. The understanding of triune God is identified as the critiques to the view point of materialism, the meaning of logos in the scripture of John, the Christ as the foundation of all creatures. The understanding of human being is distinguished as the nature of body, soul, and spirit in the theosophy. Especially the nature of spirit is to see the invisible in the visible things through the eyes of mind that means esoteric spirituality not unrealistic spirituality of monasticism but integrative spirituality of overcoming the dualism between spirit and material. The educational characteristics for the integrative spirituality and imagination is called as the educational arts by Rudolf Steiner. The educational arts includes contents of the soul life, the education of freedom with individuality, and integrative education. The educational arts intends to the wholistic education with harmonious interaction of intellect, feeling, and willing to equip the individual human being in the spirit. And the educational arts educates with the harmony of story, play, art, and integrative curriculum of subject contents. The educational arts is to intend for reformation in christian education including church school and alternative school, etc. The Waldorf school needs to emphasizing the christian spirituality in the educational arts.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.74
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• pp.159-188
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• 2023

This study examines the process of Chou Sun-Ae's spiritual formation in the light of Carl Jung's conception of individuation. Spirituality is defined in different ways by different scholars, but most consider self-transcendence as a necessary element. This self-transcendence can occur in the relationship with self, with others, and with the transcendent. In the relationship with the self, it appears as self-objectification; with others, it is as moving toward others; and in the relationship with the transcendent, it moves toward the transcendent. Spirituality is closely related to individual identity, in that it surrounds and integrates life. Spiritual formation is thus closely related to Jung's concept of individuation, as this involves the separation of persona and ego, and shadow recognition which are closely related to the level of self-objectification. In addition, the withdrawal of shadow projection that occurs in individuation is closely related to moving toward others, in that it recognizes the shadow instead of blaming others, allowing one to look at others without prejudice. The fact that Jesus Christ is the symbol of the Self, the driving force of the individuation process, tells us that spirituality leading to a relationship with the transcendent God and Jung's theory are closely related to each other. Thus, if we examine the process of spiritual formation through the Jung's individuation process, we can better understand the psychodynamic dimension of spirituality. This article investigates the process of Chou Sun-Ae's spiritual formation through Jung's individuation process. Throughout her 98 years, Chou Sun-Ae experienced national pain and hardships, as well as personal adversity and difficulties; but through all of these hardships, conflicts, and difficult moments, she accomplished individualization. Therefore, by examining the spiritual formation through individuation in Chou Sun-Ae, I consider the direction of Christian spiritual education. In this study, three main characteristics of Chou Sun-Ae's spiritual formation can be identified. First, through a life of repentance, the identification between persona and ego can be weakened. Second, the ego develops, and individualization is achieved, through a new calling. Third, in shadow integration, the spiritual development comes to recognize Jesus Christ on the cross and achieve the process of sanctification. Investigating the direction of Christian spiritual education through Chou Sun-Ae's spiritual formation indicates that Christian spiritual education should harmonize vertical and horizontal relations and should develop an experience of the transcendent God in everyday life. By this means, the believer can achieve Self-realization and be a true Christian who practices love for God and love for neighbors.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.70
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• pp.267-302
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• 2022

Digital transformation, which is accelerating in each area of society due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is also having a profound effect on Christian education. A representative example of digital transformation is the emergence of a digital world called the metaverse. This study understands the metaverse as an expanded space for Christian education and explores digital storytelling as a method for faith formation. It is argued that the characteristics of digital storytelling through metaverse spaces are characterized by interactivity, agency, audiovisuality, sociality, and openness, and that modification through Christian educational frames is necessary in order for this approach to be appropriated to Christian educational practice. To this end, this study examines Anne Wimberly's story-linking approach, and Mary Hess' approach on digital storytelling, which is understood as a way of faith formation for the liberation and Christian vocation through storytelling in a digital space, focusing on authority, authenticity, and agency. It is argued that Christian education on the Metaverse should be a place for change in the Christian life and formation of vocation, and a space where participants' active responses to God's grace be practiced in a digital space in a reciprocal way. This means that learners are encouraged to participate in expressive and relational education that is practiced in the form of play and creation, responding to God's initiative in the metaverse. This study argues that for digital storytelling through the metaverse to become a process of faith formation, it is necessary to connect stories of participants with the story of God's Kingdom in the expanded digital world, aim for a reciprocal space through hospitality and listening, and promote immersive participation and holistic reflection.