다문화사회와 교회의 역할 모색- 인권과 문화통합을 위한 토대제공의 관점에서 -

Abstract

The world is getting smaller and integrated in diverse dimensions, due to the acceleration of globalization. But, on the other hand, a life of a person and community are being scattered. Due to the labor market change, family members are being scattered to find a work all over the world. Local communities are controlled by the market values. People are at a point of losing their traditional culture by the profit oriented foreign cultures. In a situation like this, the church has to do not only comfort the dis-connected and isolated communities but also try to provide the concrete ways to guarantee their rights as human beings and promote the socially inclusive culture. Christian social ethics should always concern the least ones first. Under these circumstances, Churches should promote the global culture which protects all human rights and security, especially for the migrant people. The time like this is an opportunity for the church to fully function as a critical majority to bring a constructive social integration. Korean church should enhance the cultural understanding of migrant workers to facilitate their settlement in Korea in order to accommodate the cultural diversity caused by the accelerated globalization. The criticism that the Korean church receives as not having fulfilled her social responsibility is, at the same time, pointing to the fact that the Korean Christian has not truly lived a life of faith. Therefore, we must first re-affirm the basics of what it means to be a Christian. The acknowledgement of the close relationship between faith and life, a new confession of the sovereignty of God, and a continuous self-renewal founded on the confession of deep rooted sins are important pre-requirements that need to be addressed in order for the Korean church to properly carry out her social responsibility. Such a life of re-evaluation and re-assessment of the basic foundations of faith help the individual Christian to live a more responsible life as a citizen, combining a life of “love God” with a life of “solidarity and journeying together with the weak and poor” which is the core of human rights. Taking into the consideration of the ambivalent impact of multiculturalism and the strong incumbent nationalism in our society, the Church should make efforts to provide the foundation for human rights and the integrated social culture.