• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.511-530
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• 2008

In "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," Flannery O'Connor describes a striking journey of a family, in which all the members dramatically get killed. Through the tragic death of Bailey's family, O'Connor evokes the reader to think about life and the life after death. Growing up in the communities of Catholicism and Protestantism, O'Connor herself had agonized with the same question between the two types of Christian belief throughout her life. In the story, O'Connor embodies her anguish with the major characters and questions the reader about the meaning of Christian salvation. More specifically, Bailey's family represent the people who get lost in life. They live without any direction and purpose. Red Sammy and his wife, on the other hand, provide travellers with rest, food, and the necessaries. The Tower is a shelter of travellers in life; however, it is not everlasting but temporary. The Misfit, exemplifying religious stragglers, has been completely frustrated with the variance of Christian salvation theories, and no longer practices the religion but knows enough to justify his cruel behaviors. Finally, the grandmother is the manipulator and opportunist of the religion. All those characters are fragments of human characters and their life - obscene and transitory. In the story, there is little God's grace on the surface even though the writer claims "all my stories are about the action of grace." Nonetheless, the reader should be able to identify with those characters because they are the mirror images of themselves. While visualizing the characters, O'Connor wants the reader to have a moment to think about the "Righteousness," and ultimately to seek out God's grace that she essentially wishes to show the reader. Instead of showing God's grace directly, O'Connor ultimately leads the reader to consider about God and the grace as she/he reads the work.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.333-351
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• 2009

R.W.B. Lewis called Greene's three novels - Brighton Rock, The Power and the Glory and The Heart of the Matter - Greene's 'trilogy'. Greene was paid full attention by many readers and many critics after publishing these Catholic novels. The themes and plots of his Catholic novels are unique and beyond those of traditional Catholicism. Greene is always willing to stand on the edge of reality. He always conflicts with the reality and eagerly searches for a higher, more spiritual dimension. If we view Greene's protagonists from an open-minded viewpoint, Pinkie of Brighton Rock will be saved at the mercy and grace of God in spite of being evil. Whiskey Priest of The Power and the Glory is worthy of being called a saint in spite of his drunkenness and adultery. Scobie of The Heart of the Matter will be within God's grace in spite of his suicide. The reason all protagonists are saint-like is clear and simple because they all have faith and sacrifice themselves to obey God's first commandment, to love others. To summarize the theme of Greene's 'trilogy', we can say that love is the most valuable in the world. God has mercy for all human beings. The protagonists love God and they love others. In fact, Greene's faith is found in his love of human beings and God.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.167-185
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• 2002

The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between sin and grace represented in The Power and the Glory. This work is composed of two thriller patterns of the pursuer and the pursed. The first pursuit is that the whisky priest, the representative of religious order is pursued by the lieutenant, the representative of secular order. And the second pursuit is that the whisky priest is trying to escape from God. In the course of his flight from God the whisky priest discovers his sinful nature and this self-recognition helps him restore his proper relationship with God. When he was a young priest he had religious piety, but he didn't feel true love for others. Ironically, after he is corrupted he finds his sinful nature and regrets his wrong behavior. He then comes to understand God's will and his responsibility to have love for the miserable human beings. The whisky priest is willing to accept his destiny as a martyr, after having repented his sins to God. Though the lieutenant captures the whisky priest and executes him, he doesn't feel triumph or hope but feels empty. The Power and the Glory shows us the irony that the lieutenant's power is a symbol of his weakness, while the priest's weakness is a symbol of his power.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.137
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• pp.81-108
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• 2016

In Medieval and Christian history, disputation between Augustine and Pelagius originated from different perspectives regarding the free-will of humans and the grace of God. This debate has continued throughout the Middle-Ages and the Reformation to date. In this regard, the purpose of this article is to investigate the implication of opposition and disputation between Augustine and Pelagius on today's society. Overemphasis on human capacity and free-will leads to humanism, while the arguments supporting the grace of God can encourage evasion of the ethical obligations of humans. Augustine and Pelagius had opposing views on this subject. Pelagius emerged in the Roman Empire, emphasizing the ethical responsibility of humans with free-will. On the other hand, Augustine argued that human nature and free-will had been damaged. With a pessimistic outlook on human capacity, he emphasized the grace of God. Shocked by the self-indulgence and ethical negligence of the Church of Rome which was the center of Christian nations at that time, Pelagius strongly urged Christians of the Roman Church to take moral responsibility. However, the theology of Augustine justified the status quo of the Roman Church while Pelagius focused on the necessity of an ethical life of humans based on free-will. Viewing Pelagius' strict moralism as a humanist view that emphasizes human capacity and action, Augustine showed strong opposition to such a view and instead emphasized God's grace. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic as his belief in free-will did not follow Augustine's Doctrine of Grace. However, Pelagianism penetrated Christian history and still poses a threat to Christianity to date. Societal corruption and depravity is still prevalent in today's society as it was in the time of Pelagius. South Korea for instance is exposed to serious moral corruption and a lack of social responsibility as shown in the sinking of the MV Sewol in April 2014. For those reasons, Christian society emphasizes Christian ethics and requires an honest leader who will set an example of Christian life. In this light, I want to examine the implications of disputation between Augustine and Pelagius on today's society.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.613-626
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• 2020

This study reconsiders covenant theology through the relationship between law and grace. In order to do this, it first evaluates whether the Sinaitic Covenant is a covenant of grace or a covenant of works. This has been in discussion for a long period of time among theologians, yet is far from settled. Traditional studies form a wide spectrum, which can be divided into at least four major branches. First, the Sinaitic Covenant is the same as the covenant of grace. Second, the Sinaitic Covenant is the same as the covenant of works. Third, the Sinaitic Covenant forms a third, independent category of covenant. Fourth, the Sinaitic Covenant exists in harmony with the covenant of grace. Each category is summarized along with its representative proponents. Also, even though the term covenant of works is not accepted as prevalently among modern theologians, observations is made on how each category connects to and continues in modern theological discussions regarding law. Special emphasis is given to the fourth category and the fourth perspective on law with respect to how they differ from the others in viewing the relationship between law and gospel. Moreover, recognizing that the unique understanding of the fourth view grows out of a careful observation of the Biblical text, the structural similarities between the Sinaitic Covenant and other Biblical covenants are compared based on the Biblical text. Based on this comparison, it is observed that God's grace and human duty coexist in several Bible covenants including the Sinaitic and New Testament covenants. From this observation, it is proved that conditionality regarding covenant fulfillment exists in them all. This conditionality does not entail from exclusiveness on the part of God, but from the weakness on the part of humans. However, some unconditional covenants, albeit few in number, can be found in the Bible. Therefore, the difference between unconditional covenants and conditional covenants is discussed. Lastly, the proper place and role of grace in covenants is studied.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1979

This is a study on angels' costumes in religious paintings, especially as this relates to the questions of concepts and theological symbolism. Angels, as spiritual creatures in Christian thought, play the role of praising God's glory, as messengers of God, the role of guarding Israel and the Church, and protecting or punishing human beings. Sometimes the angels appear in incarnate form. They display no sexual differences and are not able to procreate. The angels' funtional classification being thus; nevertheless, they are pictured in various costumes and appearances according to characteristics of the paintings. The angel Michael appears as a man of dignity when pictured as a guard; the angel Gabriel in the annunciation is often portrayed as a woman of mystical beauty. Under the Renaissance, the mighty cherubim and seraphim at Yahweh's throne are degraded as plump child-angels, or winged child-heads looking alike Eros or Cupid. They have become playful and all too obviously non-heavenly chrubs, accepted features of the Temple decorations. However, cherubim are often depicted as naked or wrapped around with a piece of cloth and accompanied with wind, which symbolizes the Glory of God. The angels, costumes without seam are hung over or wrapped around the body, and when sewn they are simple and ample enough that they fall in a great many folds. However, by the 14C. angels are mostly dressed in costumes common to all Europe, and after that angels gradually appear in folk costumes; for example Italian, Flemish, etc. Dalmatic, the typical costume of Byzantine often shows up as angels' dresses even after the period. Originally the dalmatic was the Roman tunic to which Eastern influences added. The Roman clavus on the tunic had gradually lost distinction until, by the Imperial epoch, it was worn by the lowest servants. It was proudly therefore, as 'The servants of God', that the early Christians are shown wearing the clavus on their wide, ungirdled, sleeved dalmatics. In addition to their costume, angels have some other distinct charateristics. First, angels have a halo around their head; this symbolizes their holiness. Second, angels wear a narrow diadem or a queen's crown that seems to denote their glorious status close to God's throne. Third, the cloth band across the breast resembles a priest's stole, which suggests the sacred role of a priest and symbolizes the grace santified. Fourth, lilies in the annunciations are symbols of Mary's virginity. chastity, innocence and heavenly bliss. Angels hold palms or olives in their hands. The former denote prosperity. beauty and the Christians' reward after death; the latter represent peace and amity. the imperial crown made of olives means victory. Fifth, angels in paintings always have a pair of wings, which can be traced to scripture where cherubim and seraphim are described as having pairs of wings. Angels' wings often have colors of the rainbow, and the rainbow is compared to God's glory. Sixth, generally artists paint angels' costumes as white, blue, green, gold and purple. Other colors such as red rarely appear. According, to scriptures it is believed that angels should be depicted 'as white as snow'. According to the biblical expressions of angels as lightning, sun or a pillar of fire, angels should be described as creatures of light. Nevertheless being a form of art, religious paintings may differ in their presentation according to an artist's inspiration and intention. Since religious paintings illustrated above were almost all done before the Reformation, symbols of colors used in the Catholic Church will also be mentioned. The white color symbolizes chastity, purity, brightness, delight and divinity. Green represents new birth, eternal life, spiritual revival and the expectance of the grace of God. Blue, the color of sapphires, denotes chastity and truth. Red, the color of rubies, represents divinity, love and religious passion. Violet is the color of dignity, indicating the sovereign, royal or imperial power and the great Sacrifice of Christ. As mentionad above, angels' costumes were expressed in accordance with contemporary patterns or as indicated in the Bible, and accesories and colors correspond with Christian symbols. Therefore these facts should be taken into consideration when it comes to the study of costume history.

• Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 1988

The writer has worked out his original philosophy both scientific and religious, which he calls "Knownism" The new thought states; the word "known" in "knownism" means "already well-informed in the providence" about the essence of the things, and the true state of the reality, hence the knownism, as the existence of God is set forth as a premise. The knownism is a philosophy unified reasonably the science and the faith into one, for the humans can perceive and realize the essence and the true state, and authorize the truth transcending the experience by the scientific method. The new thought of the knownism is a bridge-building between the natural science and the religious faith. The idea explains that the life is the process to pursue the essence of the things and the god, and the truth is immanent in the original nature of things and in God′s sphere. This thought is a philorophy of possibility to solve the paradigms-to-be such as thinking, faith experience, and supernatural power, so that it presents a vision in the human life as a profitable religious science philosophy. The knownism is much different from agnosticism, skepticism, empiricism, and agnosticism. The grace of God may be detected differently from the supernatural power. The new dark clouds overspread abruptly the summer sky are not new ones but originally derived frosm worn-out water drops. Thus those are called the old clouds. The Korean word "known"(노운) of which pronunciation is same with the English "known" means the old clouds, hence also the name, Knownism. The root of the new clouds is detectable from the preserved old clouds. The old clouds symbolized in the paper indicate the essence and the principles of the things and the fittest, or the key for the solution of the problem in the epistemology, believing that everything has its own, proper nature, the writer sums up his theory by insisting that the humans have to find out the "old clouds" or the "known" in knownism to live eternally either in this world or in other dimensions, though the human beings are transformed into the other phases of life. The writer proclaims through the ideas for the United Nations to fortify the Confederate System of World Nations in order to ensure the world peace and the future of the humans.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.494-504
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• 2014

This is a study of Hick's self-described Christological 'Copernican revolution.' Since Hick as a former Christian theologian did not want to reject one of the core Christian doctrines(incarnation), he presented his copernican revolution in terms of Agape Christology, an inspiration Christology and myth Christology through his Christological reinterpretation. Thus Hick's Christologies that are developed gradually are discussed and evaluated chronologically. First, agape Christology understands that the incarnation is taking place all the time in different degrees everywhere. As a result agape Christology makes Jesus as a mere human being. Second, an paradox of grace or inspiration Christology views the incarnation as the Spirit of God enabling people to fulfill the will of God by their free responses. This Christology assumes that divine incarnation can occur anywhere and anytime in any person. Thus, according to this, Jesus is not literally God incarnate as Christian claims. Third, myth Christology views that the incarnation is not literal but mythological. Though he prefers to use metaphor in his later writings because it has a more positive connotation than myth, myth and metaphor have one thing in common: they are neither literal nor historical. Hick's mythological Christology implies the denial of Jesus Christ as God incarnate. Accordingly, the researcher must conclude that Hick's Christology as copernican revolution cannot said to be a perfect solution for today's religious situation, even though it was a sincere try to communicate with pluralistic world.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.147
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• pp.117-146
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• 2018

This paper discusses, whether religion is possible even in the age of artificial intelligence, and whether humans alone are the subject of religious faith or ultra intelligent machines with human minds can be also subjects of faith. In order for ultra intelligent machines to be subjects of faith in the same conditions as humans, they must be able to have unique characteristics such as emotion, will, and self-consciousness. With the advent of ultra intelligent machines with the same level of cognitive and emotional abilities as human beings, the religious actions of artificial intelligence will be inevitable. The ultra intelligent machines after 'singularity' will go beyond the subject of religious belief and reign as God who can rule humans, nature and the world. This is also the common view of Morabeck, Kurzweil and Harari. Leonhart also reminds us that technological advances should make us used to the fact that we are now 'gods'. But we fear we may face distopia despite the general affluence of the 'Star Trec' economy. For this reason, even if a man says he has learned the religious truth, one can't help but wonder if it is true. Kant and Bloch are thinkers who critically reflected on our religious ideals and highest concept in different world-view premises. Kant's concept of God as 'idea of pure reason' and 'postulate of practical reason', can seem like a 'god of gap' as Jesse Bering said earlier. Kant recognized the need for religious faith only on a strict basis of moral necessity. The subjects of religious faith should always strive to do the moral good, but such efforts themselves were not enough to reach perfection and so postulated immortality of the soul. But if an ultra intelligent machines that has emerged above a singularity is given a new status in an intellectual explosion, it can reach its morality by blocking evil tendencies and by the infinite evolution of super intelligence. So it will no longer need Kant's 'Postulate for continuous progress towards greater goodness', 'Postulate for divine grace' and 'Postulate for infinite expansion of the kingdom of God on earth.' Artificial intelligence robots would not necessarily consider religious performance in the Kant's meaning, and therefore religion will also have to be abolished. Ernst Bloch transforms Kant's postulate to be Persian dualism. Therefore, in Bloch, even though the ultra intelligent machines is a divine being, one must critically ask whether it is a wicked or a good God. Artificial intelligence experts warn that ultra intellectual machine as Pandora's gift will bring disaster to mankind. In the Kant's Matrix, a ultra intelligent machines, which is the completion of morality and God itself, may fall into a bad god in Bloch's Matrix. Therefore, despite the myth of singularity, we still believe that ultra intelligent machines, whether as God leads us to the completion of one of our only religious beliefs, or as bad god to the collapse of mankind through complete denial of existence.

• 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.