• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.95-131
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• 2012

This study compares the two biggest Islamic organizations in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama(NU) and Muhammadiyah. As previous studies focus on their theological and ideological aspects, this study tries to analyze not only their religious orientation but also position of religious leaders, organizational structure, leadership system, routine activities and susceptibility to new religious change. The second part of this paper deals with religious and socio-political backgrounds under which the two organizations were established and with differences in the ways of interpreting Islamic teachings. This will provide the basis for understanding the dynamics of their later development. The third part explores religious authority supported by both. For this, perspectives on established religious schools, rational interpretation of the Scriptures, mystical practices and hereditary succession of religious leadership are to be analyzed. In addition, the ways different attitudes towards religious authority have impacted on organizational structure are to be examined. The topic of the fourth part is leadership composition, and blood and teacher-student relationships among chairpersons are to be analyzed. The last part deals with how different orientations of the two have impacted on their activities and especially on the ways of accommodating new religious ideas. For this, the ways 'liberal Islamic thought' has been introduced, accommodated and negotiated in each organization are to be compared with. With these discussions, it is expected that religious orientations, organizational structure, leadership system and organizational flexibility of the two can be understood. This analysis can help to have a glimpse on Islamic development in Indonesia and of socio-cultural and political influences the two have exerted on Indonesian society.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.22
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• pp.471-507
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• 2014

Edification in Daesoonjinrihoe is not only a phenomenon that occurs following the differences of religious experience or spiritual development among the community members, which enables the members to share teaching and learning experiences with one another, but also an issue determined as one of the major activities of the religious order and a plan for achieving the purpose of the religious order-Podeokchenha(Wordly Propagation), Gujechansaeng (Salvation of all mankind) and Jisangcheonguk Geonseol(Building of earthly paradise). The purpose of this article is to clarify its concept and provide an example of edification, through considering the historical model for edification to help the cultivators with their work of edification. The archetype of edification of Daesoonjinrihoe was formed and gradually developed in phases by Sangje, Kang Jeungsan, the Supreme God(姜甑山, 1871-1909), Doju, Jo Jeongsan(趙鼎山, 1895-1958) and Dojeon, Park Wudang(朴牛堂, 1917-1995), by the three of whom the Religious Authority was succeeded. Sangje descended to the human world and preached to people to live by the rule of Haewon Sangsaeng(Resolution of grievances for the mutual beneficences of all life) and set an example of abolishing the old customs, living in mutual beneficences and having respect for human being. Doju, in revering the last will of Sangje, established the religious order by setting its creed, rituals and activities, which formed most contents of the archetype of edification. Dojeon set up a religious faith system by firmly establishing the Religious Authority and performed the True Law in accordance with Sangje's program of heaven to educate the cultivators to achieve the goal of self-cultivation following the last will of Doju. Through this, a perfect method to reach the state of Dotong(The Truly Unified State of Dao) is fulfilled. In this way, the archetype of edification was formed in the process of succession of Religious Authority. In conclusion, edification in Daesoonjinrihoe contributes to a 'systematic conveyance and understanding' through the historical archetype of edification, and it can be described as a concept that becomes a model to put into practice the 'True Law' of teachings given by two Sangjes for Dotong. Therefore, edification of Daesoonjinrihoe is drawing attention of its development as an important activity that realizes the ultimate value of the religious order because it solves the problems of immorality(absence of Dao), disorder and disregard of human value generated from the other side of this material civilization, with the truth of Haewon Sangsaeng, and has a function of rebuilding and leading the individuals and the society to the Truly Unified State of Dao through performing of the True Law.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.36
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• pp.153-199
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• 2020

The teachings of Sangje teachings have been spread to humanity and were provided as basis for building the earthly paradise due to His having performed the Reordering Works of the Universe (Cheonjigongsa) for nine years. The work that remains will be completed year by year following the cosmic program that Sangje set for the universe. The chapters titled 'Gyoun (Progress of the Order)' in Jeon-gyeong (The Canonical Scripture) can be summarized into three parts: Viewing Gyoun, Spreading Gyoun, and Establishing the firm ground of Gyoun. Viewing Gyoun is seeing how the teachings would be transmitted from the beginning to end. The work of Gyoun was established by Sangje and promoted as the teachings of Sangje which will ultimately unfold into the realization of an earthly paradise. Spreading Gyoun is performed by disciples who received the teachings from Sangje and then the successor to whom Sangje transmitted the religious authority. Since chapter two of Gyoun is about the hagiography of Doju Jo Jeongsan, it is shown that Doju unfolded and developed Sangje's teachings. Establishing the firm ground of Gyoun is carried out to enable practitioners to understand that Dotong-gunja ('Dao-Empowered Sages,' Earthly Immortals) will be produced as a result of Sangje's Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth and that humans can perfect themselves through cultivating the Dao. In conclusion, Gyoun can be summarized as a process that started during Doju Jo Jeongsan's 50 years (1909~1958) of holy works and spreading of the teachings. Next, it was continued through the time of Dojeon who was bestowed with religious authority through Doju's last words. Dojeon, like Doju before him, spread the teachings. In later times, there will be Dotong-gunjas who transmit Sangje's teachings to the whole world. Although the above characterizations are accurate, I compared some verses from Chapter 1 of Progress of the Order (Gyoun) in The Canonical Scripture (Jeon-gyeong) of Daesoon Jinrihoe to the 6 th edition (1965) of Daesoon Jeongyeong, a key scripture from the earliest strata of Jeungsanist scriptures, and found that there were a few earlier variations of the same content. The use of words and sentences were different though in several of these verses. Also, some of the verses indicated alternative historical dates (years), and some of the verses from Chapter 1 of Progress of the Order from The Canonical Scripture do not appear anywhere in the 6^th edition of Daesoon Jeong-gyeong.