최병헌의 ‘종교’ 개념 수용과 유교 인식 : 『만종일련』을 중심으로

Abstract

The traditional knowledge system of ‘jong (宗)’ and ‘gyo (敎)’ was assimilated into, or excluded from the semantic field of the Christian concept of ‘religion’ in the modern conceptual formation of religion in Korea. Jonggyo (宗敎), which settled itself as a translation word of ‘religion’ in the 19th century, is an example of ‘transligual practice’ and ‘mutual appropriation of culture’ and in itself a keyword to the understanding of the modern conceptual communication in East Asia. The process where it was mingled with traditional terms at its early stage and then converged into itself reflects social reality, and furthermore, it was a movement that changed the existing frame of perception and constructed reality again. Choe Byeong-heon’s Manjongillyeon shows well the change of religious topography at the time including the linear frame of propagation and acceptance and the conceptual movement. He considers that every religion contributes to the completion of the Gospel, though insisting on the absolute value of Christianity. It can be said that he understands ‘religion’ as an extension of the traditional concept ‘gyo’ and ‘hak (學)’. There is also an aspect of discontinuity as he proposes theism, theory of afterlife and faith as three concepts of religion, and regards these as a standard of appraisal for every religion. He approves some practices as religion though they lack part of the three concepts, but it is obvious that he consider Christianity as the highest and most universal religion. The acceptance of Christianity promoted the transformation of the traditional knowledge system on the basis of Confucianism, and contributed to the formation of the modern knowledge system. For example, the descriptions of the Confucian mental theory based on Hwa Ji An’s Seonghaeyeonwon is a kind of reconstruction of the Confucian knowledge system in view of Christianity, witnessing the acceptance of Christianity and the changes in the status of Confucianism. Manjongillyeon is a kind of handbook of comparative religion study, but it could not help that various networks of meaning the traditional ‘jong’ and ‘gyo’ hold are reduced by the Christian concept of religion. It shows both modern significance and limitation of East Asian conceptual acceptance of ‘religion’ in the early 20th century.