• 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.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.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.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.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.70
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• pp.207-238
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• 2022

Faith education focuses on 'changing the direction of life' that pursues the life of Christ. This is possible only when the message of the Bible is embodied in life, not by accumulating biblical knowledge. Today, however, faith education does not allow biblical messages to be embodied in life. This is the result of focusing on knowing the Bible itself, instead of guiding the faith education to meet the Bible and the experience of human life. Church education emphasized the inner faith of individuals rather than changes in life and practice, preparing for the afterlife, and mostly for the training and quantitative growth of the church. As a result, in the COVID-19 era, Protestants showed an immature appearance that only cared about the safety of the church, and social trust in Protestants was lost. Therefore, faith education should educate what life of the Bible and the experiences of the learner will meet and respond to God in order for the Bible's message to be realized in life. I tried to find out how to prepare for this faith education in detail. So I would like to look at "The preparation process for religious classes related to experience" compiled by the German Protestant Lutheran Bavarian Presbyterian Church and present tasks for application to the Korean Church. Preparation for experience-related religious classes consists of five courses. It is a personal meeting, a theological orientation, a pedagogical orientation, a pedagogical decision, and a summary of the progress plan. The main purpose of this process is to learn how biblical believers interpreted their experiences in life from the perspective of faith and tried to overcome the problem. Faith education related to experience deals with the essence of faith education, not one of the Bible teaching methods. Although the field of education is in the social change of expanding from the real world to the virtual world, the essential nature of faith education cannot change. Therefore, research and application of faith education related to experience in Korean churches will help the biblical message to be embodied in Christian life.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.72
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• pp.25-48
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• 2022

This essay is a critical study of the three models of practical theology that emerged in the second half of the 20th century: the critical correlational model (Sherrill, Browning), the hermeneutical model (Groome, Gerkin), and the faith community formation model (Westerhoff, Campbell). This essay first explores the central ideas of practical theologians who adhere to each of the three models and focuses on Christian education, pastoral counseling, and homiletics. This essay then critically evaluates the three models in accordance to the following four themes: how practical theology has 1) responded to the challenges of postmodernity, 2) engaged in dialogue with different types of theology, 3) participated in interdisciplinary dialogue, and 4) understood Christian practice. In conclusion, this essay suggests that the essential tasks of contemporary Christian education as practical theology include: 1) providing an active response to many challenges of postmodern, postsecular, postdigital, and posthuman era, 2) engaging in interactive dialogue with diverse forms of theology, and 3) facilitating interdisciplinary dialogue based on transversal rationality, and 4) establishing of the concept of Christian practice at the individual, ecclesial, social, public, ecological, and digital levels.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.61
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• pp.203-232
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze various factors that influence the academic life of students through a theoretical review. As a result of the analysis, sub-factors were derived to diagnose the factors. From the study's findings, principles and models for developing learning status diagnosis tools were designed. The study first, based upon the competencies of university students, university life, students' low academic achievement, and academic probation studies, confirmed what factors affect student learning and from them derived a set of sub-factors. The setting dimension was divided into psychology, learning, and career factors, while also including a factor of faith for Christian university students. Next, in the draft model, sub-factors were constructed for each factor: faith maturity and faith training in the faith factor, positive thinking, emotion regulation, and self-esteem in the psychology factor, self-directed learning ability, learning motivation, and learning strategies in the learning factor, and career reflection, career exploration, career management, and career barriers in the career factor. By using the Delphi method, the final model of learning status diagnosis was confirmed. As a result, we completed the model comprised of nine sub-factors in four parts. A follow-up study should be conducted that examines learning status diagnosis tools development research.