김찬국의 출애굽 신학 이해

Abstract

Interpretations of biblical texts vary depending on the interpreters’ historical, sociological, and political contexts. In the history of Korea one of the most turbulent periods would be 1970s and 80s. The late professor Chan-Kook Kim lived in that difficult time when the democratic movements became part of everyday life. His theology was naturally shaped according to the experiences of his time. As the title of this article shows, “Understanding of Chan-Kook Kim’s Exodus Theology”, Kim’s understanding and interpretation of the Exodus event is pretty much harmonized with the historical demand that he experienced in Korea. When Kim quoted the biblical passages, he used the Korean translation of the Catholic Bible instead of the Protestant Bible. The fact that a Protestant pastor used the Catholic Bible itself could be controversial but he did not seem to care much. From the ecumenical perspective, what Kim did was a pioneer. In Kim’s opinion the vivid image of Israel’s oppression and lament could be felt only in the Korean translation of the Catholic Bible. Kim called the Exodus event the ‘Exodus Movement’ and understood it as ‘Liberation event’ for the people of Israel. Although he did not use textual criticism or the archaeological approach, he adopted the hermeneutical interpretation of the biblical texts. It is all because Kim’s theology is based on the Neo-Orthodox theology which belongs to systematic theology. Therefore, his understanding of the Exodus theology was heavily influenced by ‘Liberation Theology’ and ‘Minjung Theology’. The context of the Israelites in Egypt in 13th century BCE was recontextualized with the context of the 1970s and 80s in Korea.Kim’s position that the real purpose of the Exodus event was the liberation of the Israelites, was the earnest hermeneutical demand of his day. However, we should remember that in the field of Hebrew Bible Study the Exodus event tends to be understood not as a liberation movement but as a indispensable event for inheriting the land YHWH promised to Abraham. Although Kim did not build up his Exodus theology upon the basis of the textual analysis of the Exodus texts, his work should be highly evaluated and given distinguished honor. He understood the Exodus event as ‘the Liberation event’ in order to express the earnest voice and hope of Korean society of his time.