신앙과 이데올로기, 일제 말기 신도(神道/信徒)의 문학적 표상과 종교의 정치성

Abstract

This study intended to explore how Christianity was excluded and acculturated under the Imperial Citizens Forming Policy by looking at the indication reflected in the literature of the Chosun dynasty during the latter part of the Japanese ruling. Newspapers and magazines of the time such as Maeilshinbo and Gukminmunhak published many novels and articles. Forums hosted by major publishers covered religion as main agenda. In such forums, Japanese educators claimed that Christianity could not be eradicated forceful laws. Christianity was a way to indicated that an outside entity owned Chosun and how a religion was ideologized against the background of the colonization. This became more evident under the Policy. Japan then forced every Korean to pay homage at Shinto shrines and to memorize the Oath for Subjects of Japanese Empire. Highlighting the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere theory, Japan also depicted the West such as Britain and America as enemies during the Pacific War. Japan tried to create negative images of the religion by means of media in order to prevent Koreans from forging relations with those from the Western countries through Christian groups and from being exposed to antiwar ideas. In consideration of these social environments, Christianity depicted in novels often appeared sensitivity or ideology, instead of showing its religious strictness. The religious culture of Chosun ended up producing a new unique side without hiding such political intervention. This can be translated to cultural acculturation which was spawned by the combination of Christianity and the colonial ruling. The “sensitivity” of prayers is common worldwide, but the religious boundaries and implications are flexible. Under the Policy Christianity was subject to monitoring. However, it was shown that continuous monitoring rather bound the public with its influence. The Christianity of the time was able to co-exist with the public, contending with the Japanese emperor and being transformed nationalism.