• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.63
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• pp.283-315
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• 2020

This study attempts to suggest the direction of Christian education for young children by analyzing concepts related to how they understand the faith. For this purpose, this researcher conducted interviews of seventeen young children who had not yet entered elementary school. Answers to ten interview questions were analyzed and research participants' understandings of belief and church were identified. The results have shown that participants consider faith to be religious practices such as prayer, praise and worship, the practice of good conduct, the key to heaven and providing direction and mission for their lives. Participants also revealed the acquisition and internalization of biblical knowledge and theological terms and listed parents, ministers or friends as the important role models of faith. They recognized the church as a place where religious practices are performed, where spiritual joy is felt and where pleasure is experienced because they do things they like. It is expected that these results would be used as the basis for future research regarding young children's faith and as the principles of the practice of it.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.78
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• pp.21-55
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• 2024

Purpose of study: The purpose of this study is to examine the crisis situation of Christian education experienced by Korean churches and theological education institutions after the COVID-19 pandemic, and to seek new tasks and directions that Korean churches should prepare for the recovery and growth of Christian education. Research Contents and Methods: Before reviewing the current crisis experienced by Korean churches and theological education institutions after the COVID-19 pandemic, the terms and concepts of Christian education are first reflected. In addition, the causes and phenomena of the Korean church and Christian education crisis after the COVID-19 Pandemic are examined through statistics, media, and church field data. The researcher identified the causes of the crisis experienced by Korean churches and theological education institutions as follows: 1. The influence of COVID-19 Pandemic: suspension of faith and educational activities, 2. The age of population cliffs: increase in the elderly vs. decrease in young people, 3. Neoliberalism: marketism, infinite competition, efficiency, winner-take-all, 4. post-religious era: post-Christianity, weakened communitarianism, and reduced number of Christians. The results of this study are four points as follows: 1. Crisis of church education: suspension of operation of Sunday school and feeling of failure, 2. Crisis of faith of young generation: nurturing unstable future church leaders, 3. Faith of adult generation: crisis and hope, 4. The faith of the elderly generation: light and shadow. Conclusion and Recommendations: The new task and direction of Christian education that Korean churches should pursue after the COVID-19 pandemic are as follows: 1. New conversion of Sunday school faith education: From schooling-paradigm education to faith education that integrates family and generation. 2. New conversion of theological education: From knowledge education to spirituality training. 3. Re-ignition of faith education for middle-aged adults: Activation of faith through worship and small groups, 4. New conversion of church elder education: The need to change from caring objects to creative religious life.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.66
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• pp.147-178
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to clarify the contribution of Christian faith in the process of establishing self-identity and stably settling in the process of North Korean youth settling in Korean society. The research method used narrative. Participants in the study were nine late youth who belonged to the church, aged 17 to 24 years old, who had been in Korea for more than one year. Through this study, themes were derived from four categories. First, a retrospective narrative of the North Korean defection motive was dealt with. Second, it deals with the psychological adaptation process and unsolved tasks. Third, I dealt with the thoughts of the family, the discourse and vision for unification, which they dream of in Korean society as Christian believers. Fourth, it is about the Christian faith, and it is said that the Christian faith gives North Korean refugee youth the power to reflect on their lives, and to see the essence of life through the values of interest in others, history, society, and the kingdom of God. These results are based on the encounters with church and alternative school leaders and various curriculums that North Korean refugee youth experience and talk about. In the sense that it seeks and suggests a new direction in the era of preparation for unification, this article can be said to be of great value for Christian education.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.72
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• pp.117-146
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to understand the faith and life experiences of Christian seniors who hold a doctoral degree and to glean insights for the senior ministry of the church from what they propose based on their wisdom and own experience. To this end, seven participants were purposefully selected based on certain criteria and interviewed. Research findings were presented into three categories: faith, calling and life after retirement, and suggestions for the senior ministry of the church. For the research participants, the mature faith was fear of God and acknowledgement of Lordship of God, revealed through thoughts, words and actions and their agreement. The natural outcome is others may recognize such true godliness embodied in love of neighbors. The call to scholarship was a gift of God, which accompanies responsibilities, The research participants were immersed in meaningful work for the church and the next generation, following their calling even after retirement. The church's ministry for the elderly should start from recognizing resourcefulness of their life and wisdom for sanctification and growth of congregation members across all generations, aim for shaking souls of the elderly for God-pleasing life and eternal inheritance, and be supported by younger generations, online ministry and technology. To ensure that eternal goals, the fulfillment that comes from doing meaningful work, and passion to complete the race without stagnation in all aspects of piety, morality, and intelligence should become the characteristics of the lives of all elderly people, not just the research participants, such preparation should start before retirement by intervention and aid of the church.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.76
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• pp.73-93
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• 2023

Purpose of study: The purpose of this study is to propose an autobiographical writing as an alternative Christian education for the elderly. Research Contents and Methods : First, after analyzing the previous studies on Christian education for the elderly, it was found that most of the studies suggest the need for integrated Christian elderly education and church elderly ministry, and there is a need for a study that suggests a curriculum that can be implemented in the field. Second, there are two educational objectives derived from Fowler's study of faith. One is to describe, analyze, and reconstruct the three elements that make up the content of faith: centers of value, image of powers, and central stories. Second, to explore vocation through a life of pilgrimage in response to the call to partnership with God. Third, autobiographical writing involves an approach based on the tradition of qualitative research and should be oriented toward teaching and learning principles based on descriptive, native, holistic, lived-experience, pathic, interpretive, and open-ended principles. Conclusions and Recommendations: Autobiographical writing will contribute to helping the elderly experiencing crises of despair and anxiety to integrate the meaning of their lives through the holistic expression of their thoughts and feelings, to helping socially isolated older adults to feel connected to society, and to helping them to envision and imagine the future through the present act of revealing their voice. It is hoped that autobiographical writing will increase the number of conversations through retrospection and confession of faith of the elderly.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.64
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• pp.81-107
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• 2020

Church education in Korean churches is facing a very serious crisis. This crisis is a negative perception of the church as viewed by the present society. The negative perception of the church has led to children, adolescents, young adults, and even adults leaving the church. There have been countless studies on the problem of Christian education and its alternatives. However, those problems still remain a matter of church education. The alternatives do not become viable and remain a problem. To solve these problems, a paradigm shift is required, and in order to overcome the crisis of the church, it is necessary to study alternatives and its method factors and find application points. Today's church education is absolutely influenced by postmodernism and informationalization. However, church education is education for Christian identity that transmits Christian faith. This Christian education is facing challenges and crises against its religious and academic identity. Christian education has a responsibility to be aware of this reality and to present alternatives to overcome various crises facing church education. Therefore, it is the task of church education to establish standards so that we can live a life where the Bible becomes the standard. In other words, it is to give them biblical faith. Furthermore, it is necessary to point out and understand Christian faith in the Korean church, which has been evaluated as insufficient. In addition, establishing a Christian worldview and realizing the Kingdom of God that practice justice and love in society are tasks that can be accomplished efficiently through Christian education. Therefore, the Korean church should actively seek ways to support the practice of Christian education as well as church education in forming ideal Christians which is the goal of Christian education.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.159-171
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to introduce the programs implemented by Baekseok University in order to activate Christian studies, and to look for ways of developing the programs. To do this, programs such as the Faith and Learning seminars and the Christian studies small groups were introduced, and discussed limitations and suggestions to improve it. The suggestions are as follows. First, participants are expanded from full-time professors to lecturers. Second, the present way of simply completing the seminar should be changed to evaluate the results of the Christian studies. Third, the Christian studies small groups are to be expanded to wider group of professors. In addition, to spread the culture of Christian studies, Baekseok University should provide support for each stage of the growth of Christian studies. This study will be presented as a model to Christian universities in Korea and abroad, which is in pursuit to maintain the identity of Christian college through the activation of Christian studies.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.65
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• pp.163-187
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to find the implications of Christian education on the relationship between the formation of faith and digital literacy in the Korean society, which is rapidly changing within the fourth Industrial Revolution today through critical conversations on educational contexts. Over the past decade, Korean society has lived in an era of rapid and radical change more than any other time through a new way of life called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Korean church is also facing the reality that it must fulfill its urgent mission to deliver the unchanging truth in an ever-changing era. With this in mind, this study (1) identifies digital literacy as an essential competency requested in the era of the fourth industrial revolution by examining the relationship with congregation's life as well as its definition and contents, (2) discovers educational rationale for the relationship between faith formation and digital literacy by applying educational context of Christian education with attention to the educational efficiency of digital literacy, and (3) finds educational implications of digital literacy by re-conceptualizing the contents, context, role of teachers and students, and evaluation in the context of Christian education. I hope that this study will help Christian education serve for the spread of the Gospel of Christ and the realization of the kingdom of God on this earth through digital media in the future more time-responsively and mission-practically.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.78
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• pp.137-151
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• 2024

Purpose of Research: This study aims to gain insights into the direction of multicultural faith community education, which is a part of multicultural Christian education that contemporary Korean churches should establish, based on the holistic mission practices of missionary Elizabeth J. Shepping. Research Content and Method: The study begins with a brief overview of the life of missionary Elizabeth J. Shepping, who experienced multicultural living in various countries, highlighting the prepared professional missionary within the context of her time. The study then examines the details of her holistic mission practices as a professional missionary. The direction of multicultural faith community education in Korea is explored by understanding the background and research trends of multicultural Christian education that Korean society and the Korean church are currently facing. Practical aspects, supplementary points, and directions for the future implementation of multicultural faith community education in the Korean church are also proposed. Results and Conclusions: In conclusion, This study emphasizes multicultural faith community education as a component of the pastoral paradigm that the Korean church needs to improve. Four practical directions are proposed: first, education for holistic service; second, education for social and public practice; third, implementation of public service education linked to the local community; and fourth, activation of dedicated service departments and training of professional leaders. However, the study acknowledges a limitation in not providing specific practical programs for multicultural faith community education suitable for the Korean church context. Continuous research is necessary through various supplementary points in the future.

• 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.