기독교가 군산 지역에 미친 사회적 영향 - 남장로교 선교사 편지를 중심으로 -

Abstract

The Presbyterian Church in the U.S. was able to prevail in the education and medical activities for Koreans by starting missions in the Gunsan region, which had not been noticed by missionaries and Koreans. Through this work, it encourage the Koreans who were pushed to the periphery by the Japanese Imperialism after the opening of port in 1899. Since Gunsan was almost a compulsory modernized place by Japan, Koreans who could not receive modern education and modern medicine had to fall behind in the development of the city. This phenomenon occurred in the entire Joseon Dynasty, but especially in Gunsan, where the street of educated and wealthy Japanese people and the street of poor Koreans were totally different at a glance. Therefore, the typical mission method of establishing church, modern education, modern medical through station was inevitably welcomed in Gunsan area, and this method became effective way. The missionary attitude of The Presbyterian Church in the U.S. has the strength and disadvantage. Presbyterian missionaries have shown missionary abandonment to teach the gospel because they thought missions has a top priority. On the other hand, their attitude of giving priority to missions opened the way to escape from the anti-ethnic attitude such as shrine visits. In addition, their mission-centered approach to the station opened the way for the Japanese to avoid interference as much as possible, providing a place for nationalists to anti-Japan Imperialism work. On the other hand, their limited range of missions was insufficient to affect the whole of Gunsan and Gunsan area. However, the mission and the devotion of missionaries who did medical education and education without discrimination against Koreans in the situation where medicine and education in Gunsan area were mostly targeted to Japanese. This missionary movement as an opportunity to become Christian in Gunsan area, In the cultural and educational level of Gunsan, which has been transformed. Therefore, Christianity could positively influence the modernization of Gunsan.