종교다원주의 사회에서의 전도―레슬리 뉴비긴을 중심으로

Abstract

Evangelism in a Society of Religious Pluralism:with a special reference to Lesslie Newbigin Sunil Kim Westminster Graduate School of Theology It is widely admitted that the value of pluralism deeply permeates our society in general. Pluralism exercises its influence over the religious sphere as well. Coexistence between religions has been regarded as a norm in this pluralistic society. Can evangelism, which is the core practice of the Christian church, be compatible with the value of pluralism? People who are favorable towards religious pluralism are becoming more suspicious of Christians' intentional activities to convert people of other religions into Christianity. This paper seeks to consider the possibility of evangelism in the age of religious pluralism, noting the writings of Lesslie Newbigin, in particular, who had been missionary to India for 35 years and returned to England where paganism began to prevail to his shock. Newbigin has been known as the one who perceptively recognized the foible in religious pluralism and effectively responded to it with the unique Christian gospel. This paper divides into two sections. The first deals with the compatibility of evangelism with the society of religious pluralism. The Christianity faith has been missionary and exclusive in nature from its inception. Unparalleled to other ancient religions, Christianity claimed to its uniqueness and required exclusive commitment. However, its singular truth claim seems awkward and extraordinary to the eyes of religious pluralists. Is Christian witness still possible today? In order to tackle this problem, we must first establish the right understanding of pluralism, because pluralism understood in a religious sphere has tended to pursue an universal, totalizing truth which seeks to equate all religious quests. If religious pluralism claims that there is an universal truth that every religion seeks in a different fashion, it contradicts oneself since pluralism purports to recognize the truth claim of each religion in its own terms. Newbigin asserts that popular understanding of pluralism confuses facts with values. Religious pluralists often assume that facts are objective truth as they are. Facts are often considered as hard truths to which different approaches of knowing cannot be applied. Newbigin calls a myth this distinction between facts and values in terms of pluralism. In this scheme of thought, religious faith is regarded as a value pertinent only to individual's favor and desire. According to Newbigin who bases his discussion on the recent works of the scientific philosophy, we receive facts not as they are but as they are interpreted within the purview of certain beliefs or assumptions. It is thus improbable to make a sharp distinction between facts and values. We are inevitably faced with value-laden facts. In addition, belief is not confined to subjective area of life at all. When we assert that we should hold a certain truth, we presuppose that it is applicable to public area of life as well individual. Christianity confirms its truth claims to historical and public area not just for salvation of individual souls. We also need be aware that most religions has evangelistic nature in that they witness to the public value of their particular teachings. Thus the matter of evangelism in the age of religious pluralism does not lie in the necessity of evangelism, but how we practice evangelism in light of the pluralist value. This leads to the second issue of this paper to explore what type of shapes evangelism must take today. The shape of evangelism drawn from Newbigin’s understanding of Christian mission in the age of religious pluralism can be discussed in three ways. First, we need to take into account the concept ‘proper confidence’ Newbigin proposes. How can we properly and boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to a wider public world in this pluralistic age? age. It is on the basis of one historic person sent by God that we can tell the public truth of Christianity with proper confidence. We do not base our truth claims on objective and calculative data of evidence. Devotion to the lord of universe and history helps us be witness to the true truth. However, this confidence does not engender a kind of arrogant or superior attitude in doing evangelism. The truth is not what we own, but what has passed onto us in the wake of historic faith tradition. It is the spirit of humility which we need to take when we attempt to reach people of other religions. The way we do evangelism can be called proper only in this sense. Second, the congregation is ‘the hermeneutic of the gospel’ in the words of Newbigin. This calls for the communal way of doing evangelism. It is true that any assertion cannot be properly communicated without its social embodiment. Truth must be proven through its viable reality. Evangelism cannot be an individual activity. The faith community itself is both the medium and message of the gospel. The communal nature of evangelism is more enhanced and strengthened when we take into account the publicity of the Christian truth which Newbigin highlights, since the community should demonstrate the power of Christ who is the master of the universe by its existence. The people of the Christian faith has been granted with an inherent vocation as witnesses to the Kingdom. With this in mind, it is worth considering the well known phrase, “belonging is before believing,” since people tend to come to faith through various contacts with the Christian communities. Third, evangelism needs to be understood as an answer to the questions about Christian faith. After looking into the Pauline Epistles in the New Testament, Newbigin concludes with caution that evangelism is seen more as an answer to questions in situations where the gospel was proclaimed. It is mostly the case that direct exhortations to evangelistic activities are rare in the New Testament. This means that evangelism is, first of all, not understood as a coercive and humanly initiating activity. Rather, evangelism as an answer is in accord with the New Testament teachings such as 1 Peter 3;15, which exhorts the faithful to be prepared to answer to the questions about the Christian faith. With the aids of Newbigin’s insights on the Christian mission in the age of religious pluralism, we can come to grips with the sustainability and viability of evangelism with a fresh look. Religious pluralism poses a new challenge to us to think hard the raison d’etre of evangelism and seek a more biblical way of doing with discretion.