기독교 신앙에 대한 철학적 성찰-믿음과 깨달음의 얽힘에 주목하면서-

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assert that, even in Christianity, faith and awakening be intrinsically interwoven with each other in such a way that awakening or practical act is not a separate subsidiary but an essential component of faith. For this purpose, it analyzes the problems raised by the conventional tendency to overemphasize the divine grace, and tries to elaborate the significance of faith in terms of the whole process of human life. For such analysis, this study deals with the object of faith, the identity or essence of faith, the reason or basis of faith, and the way of faith consecutively and consistently. In other words, it takes the method of faith-reflection in order to arrive at such conclusion. More concretely speaking, this study begins its analysis of God as the object of faith in Christianity who cannot be believed in terms of Godself but as desirably believed by human existences. This analysis includes a discussion on the essence of faith which may explain why people believe God in accordance with what they want to believe. In order to solve this problem, this study tries to reveal the vacuity of the reason or basis of faith such that there should be no substantial reason for faith. Consequently, the unconditional faith which overcomes narcissism and idolatry caused by vulgar and blind beliefs appears to be the way in which faith and awakening may be interwoven and co-constitutive with each other in such a way as to include kenosis and iconoclasm. This task not only implies an alternative approach to the perennial controversy over the relation of faith and act in the history of Christianity, but also provides a clue to a more fruitful encounter and dialogue between Christianity and Eastern religions including Buddhism.