클라라 하워드의 공공신학적 사역의 사상적 기반에 대한 연구-자전적 기술을 중심으로-

Abstract

This paper analyzes the ideological foundations of Clara Howard (1895-1995), who served as a single education missionary in Korea, from the perspective of public theology. Public theology, which has recently emerged, interconnects the sacred and the profane areas rather than separating them and builds a new form of participation theology in various cultural areas such as politics, economy, education, media, and art. In the 20th century, single female missionaries engaged in Protestant missionary work in public areas, including education and women’s issues. Unlike women at the time, Howard, who grew up in a devout Methodist family in the southern United States, received systematic early childhood education and theology as preparation for overseas education missions and discovered her calling as a missionary to Asia. Howard’s missionary vision grew from childhood under the influence of community faith, which later became the basis of public theology in Korea. Forming a community service center, her families worshiped together, read the Bible, and actively helped local neighbors. Looking at the foundation of Howard’s educational missionary works in Korea in the United States, we can see the vision of religious and social responsibility toward the world at the time of single women participating in the religious mission fields.