칼빈과 웨슬리 신학의 주요 사상 비교

Abstract

Calvinism and wesleyanism are two major pillars of Christian theology in Korea. Needless to say, the foundation of all the protestant theologies(even churches) is the theology of Luther. both Calvinism and wesleyanism are standing on the theology of Luther. Luther, who fought against the wrong way of salvation taught by the Catholic church, established ‘biblical way of salvation’. Calvin accepted Luther’s ‘biblical way of salvation’, then established the idea of ‘the sovereign God’ as an answer to his own question of “who saves me by the ‘biblical way of salvation’. Almost two centuries later, Wesley standing on the principles of Luther and Calvin established the idea of “man as the object of salvation” as an answer to his own question of “who is saved by ‘the sovereign God’ with the ‘biblical way of salvation’. As “a threefold cord is not quickly broken”(Eccles. 4:12), the protestant theologies can be completed when the three great theologians’ ideas are properly and supplementary understood. Just like there were some controversies with ‘predestination’between calvinist and wesleyan in the 18th century, some arguments are often occurred between calvinist and wesleyan in Korea today. Therefore theological dialogue between calvinist and wesleyan is required to promote mutual understanding. Through dialogue, we can also find out the common or different factors in two theologies. To promote mutual understanding through dialogue, the following themes are needed to discuss : such as 1) God’s sovereignty and human free will, 2) salvation by faith, 3) limited or unlimited atonement, 4) the object of salvation, 5) sanctification (holiness). From the comparative study of those themes between calvinism and wesleyanism, we come to a conclusion that they agree to principle, but disagree to application of the principle. It is impossible to have a perfect theology, therefore we must humbly cooperate in a course of theologizing to know the truth.