실천신학의 규범적 과제에서 책임 개념의 함의 : 신학윤리와 정치철학의 매개를 중심으로

Abstract

This article aims to make ethical contributions to successfully perform the normative tasks of practical theology. The normative task of practical theology consists of theological reflection and the steps of finding ethical principles. This article first Bonhoeffer’s theological ethics for theological reflection on responsibility, and then analyzes Arendt’s political philosophy to establish ethical principles on responsibility. Through this, the controversial issue and point of agreement between the two scholars are drawn. The concept of responsibility in Bonhoeffer’s theological and ethical system is not merely defined on the intersubjective dimension of human beings, but also it must always be emphasized that responsibility is mediated through Jesus Christ. In other words, the concept of responsibility for Bonhoeffer is a theological and ethical concept derived from the incarnation of Christ. This event of Christ’s incarnation requires critical thought of the contradictory social structure of this world that enforces such suffering from the standpoint of those who are suffering. On the other hand, Arendt’s discussion is inevitable to compare with Bonhoeffer because it starts at the final point where Bonhoeffer’s responsibility ethics has reached. Unlike Bonhoeffer, Arendt conceptualized collective responsibility as political responsibility. According to Arendt, while in the center of moral considerations of human conduct stands the self, in the center of political considerations of conduct stands the world. Arendt’s approach, which distinguishes personal and moral sins from political and collective responsibilities, can be a methodological example of embodying Bonhoeffer’s theological responsibility ethics in the practical theological direction. Despite the difference in approaches of theology and philosophy, the concept of responsibility of the two scholars can be complementarily related by means of the problematic of social structure. This is because Bonhoeffer’s theological ethics and Arendt’s political philosophy show common reasons why social structural dimensions should be introduced into social ethical ideas to perform normative tasks of practical theology. Conclusionally, through this mediating possibility, Christian social ethics can substantially contribute to elaborating and expanding the principles of ethics of responsibility in the normative task of practical theology.