• Title/Summary/Keyword: Christian worldview

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Beyond Armageddon: Is the Jehovah's Witnesses' Paradise Earth Conceivable? (아마겟돈을 지나서 - 여호와의 증인이 말하는 지상낙원은 상상할 수 있는 것인가? -)

  • Chryssides, George D.
    • Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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    • v.32
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    • pp.237-267
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    • 2019
  • The article considers the problems of envisaging a paradise on earth, with special reference to Jehovah's Witnesses. After an explanation of their relationship to the Christian Protestant tradition, particularly Adventism and American fundamentalism, some key doctrines of the Watch Tower organisation are identified, with particular reference to their belief in a coming earthly paradise. Jehovah's Witnesses are a restorationist movement, seeking a restored paradise on earth, and endeavouring to restore authentic Christianity in what they take to be its original form. Discussion is given to the possibility of physical accommodation on the earth, the position of animals, family life, language, and technology. Finally, brief comparison is made with the expected paradise of the Daesoon Jinrihoe, which is based on a radically different worldview. It is concluded that such differences help to explain why Jehovah's Witnesses have limited success in Korea, as compared with indigenous Korean new religions such as Daesoon Jinrihoe.

New Perspectives on Sunday School of Korean Church for Next Generation (다음 세대와 한국교회 주일학교의 새 전망)

  • Kim, Jeong Joon
    • Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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    • v.67
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    • pp.11-44
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    • 2021
  • In the early 21st century, the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has arisen during the development of the technological science of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has been a great challenge in all fields including politics, economy, industry, education and religion in Korean society. To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Korean government announced 'social distancing guidelines,' focused on the 'prohibition of three conditions'(crowd, closeness, airtight) for safety reasons. These quarantine guidelines made it more difficult for Korean churches and Sunday schools to operate. In general, looking at the statistical data of the major denominations of the Korean Church in the second half of the 20th century, shows that the Church has entered a period of stagnant or declining growth. Data also show that the number of students attending Sunday School is decreasing. The researcher identified four causes of the crisis faced by the Korean church and Korean Sunday school entering the 21st century. These trends are influenced by the tendencies of postmodernism, the deconstruction of modern universalism, the certainty and objectivity of knowledge, and the grand narrative and worldview of diffusion. Moreover, it is a phenomenon in which the young population decreases in contrast to the increasing elderly population in the age of population cliff in Korean society. Sunday Schools are also facing a crisis, as the youth population, who will become the future heroes of the Korean church, is declining. Finally, constraints of Church and Sunday school education activities are due to COVID-19 Pandemic. As analysis shows the loss of the Church's educational vision and a decrease in the passion for education. Accordingly, the researcher suggests four new strategies for the next generation of Korean Sunday schools, whose ranges from 200 members or less; this range covers the majority of Sunday School program run by churches in Korea. First, in the age of postmodernism, a time of uncertainty and relativism, Christian Societies requires teachers who are certain of absolute Christian truth and faith. Second, in an era of declining population cliffs for younger generations, a shift to a home-friendly Sunday school paradigm is needed. Third, during the COVID-19 pandemic, educational activities must appropriately utilize face-to-face and non-face-to-face communication. Finally, even in difficult times, Korean Sunday school should nevertheless remember the Lord's great commandment(Matthew 28:18-20) and restore the vision and passion of education to announce and teach the gospel. The researcher hopes that this study will provide small, positive steps in rebuilding Korean Sunday school educational activities for future generations in difficult times.