현대 영성과 초대 신비 사상

Abstract

This paper investigates the recent phenomenon of Protestant Christians increasingly introducing the term 'spirituality' when discussing faith and religion. It is an attempt to identify the cause and meaning of such a phenomenon and to prepare appropriate countermeasures. While researching by synthesizing scholars' claims and reports on this phenomenon, the author found that the recent interest in spirituality expresses a thirst caused by a spiritual deficiency. This thirst is due to the separation of theology from its source, spirituality—that is, the experience of encountering the Ultimate. Research focusing on these problems and seeking solutions is becoming increasingly active and is called the studies of Christian spirituality. Researchers in this field pursue the restoration of harmony between spirituality and theology by emphasizing the importance of believers encountering the ultimate God in their lives and experiencing transformation through this experience. To achieve this, they focus on three tasks: the first is to present a vision for a transcendent life. The second is to provide guidance and training virtues for spiritual growth and transformation. Finally, the third is understanding the journey from the beginning to the perfection of this transformative life. While conducting research, the author became convinced that exploration of the mystical thoughts of the early church would be of great help in modern Christian spirituality scholars’ research. The teachings of early thinkers who uniquely synthesized theology and devotion will greatly support carrying out the three tasks of spirituality presented above. Therefore, it is inevitable that early mystical thought serves as a model for integrating spirituality and theology that we must pursue today and for resolving our spiritual thirst.