민중신학에서 생명신학으로 : ‘민중의 사회전기’ 개념을 통해 본 민중신학의 변화 가능성

Abstract

It was thought that Minjung theology have lost its influence since the democratization of Korea in the 1990s. But now it seems to revive in the arena of public narrative, with its changed name, ‘Minjung Life Theology' or ‘Life Theology.' The major theme of this paper is to investigate how this transformation was possible. I want to demonstrate that Minjung theology is a fusion of the Minjung liberation movement and the Minjung cultural/religious movement. One of the reasons that made this fusion possible was the concept, ‘social biography of Minjung.' Minjung theologians view the Gospel of Mark as a ‘social biography of Minjung,' namely, the description of ‘Minjung's self-transcending’ experience in the midst of Minjung's social oppression and poverty. They believe that Mark provides a hermeneutical framework that makes possible the fusion of the Minjung liberation movement and the Minjung cultural/religious movement. According to Minjung theologians, the Gospel of Mark is both a ‘myth' and a ‘history.' They emphasize the social reality of suffering Minjung, criticizing Bultmann's existential interpretation of the New Testament. But at the same time, Mark is a reinterpretation of the Markan community, agents of the transformation of Jesus' story. The Gospel of Mark, as a social biography of Minjung, uses a special language, ‘rumor.' Rumor is Minjung's imprecise, biased, cultural (even religious) language, with ‘narrative truth' in it. But it is based upon ‘historical truth,' and more reliable than the oppressors' language. Jesus' story in Mark, is both the individual Jesus' story and that of a corporate Jesus, Minjung. Jesus movement, in this sense, is both a religious movement and a socio-political movement orienting toward a Messianic community. These characteristics of first-generation Minjung theology make it possible to head toward a new religious/social movement, Life Theology.