개신교 교회와 러시아 정교회 사이의 협력선교의 문제점 연구 - ‘볼가 선교’ 프로젝트를 중심으로 -

Abstract

Abstract A Study of Problems Concerning Collaborative Missions between Protestant Church and Russian Orthodox Church -With the Focus on "Volga-Mission" Project- Nam, Myung-Chul Chang Se Presbyterian Church The Korean Church and Russian Orthodox Church share a mutual mission history. After it formed friendly relations with Korea, Russia has expanded its powers through Russian Orthodox Church and performed a lot of missionary work on the influx of Koreans in Russia to convert them to Orthodox Church. Similarly, the Presbyterian Church of Korea also became responsible for dispatching evangelists to foreign countries after it has formed an independent synod and a foreign missions department. Thus, the third annual synod of Korean Presbyterian Church was able to send off Reverend Gwan-Hol Choi to Vladivostok, a seaport located on the eastern part of Siberia, Russia, to evangelize to Korean-Russians living there. Russia has been the oldest destination of Korean Church's foreign missions. Korean Church was able to dispatch many missionaries to Russia in the 1990s as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and emancipation of Russia. However, the IMF financial crisis served as a pivotal point that discouraged many missionaries from going to Russia, and this slow wave of missionary send-offs to Russia has continued until the 2000s. As of now, Russian missions stand at a critical turning point where it needs a re-evaluation in every aspect. A new Russian missions policy is essential at this point. However, in order to form an effective missions strategy for Russia, one must first learn the current religious situation in Russia. The core and most central religious power is Russian Orthodox Church. Therefore, it is important that one understands and establishes an appropriate relationship with Russian Orthodox Church. We must have an insight of what the Russians' understanding of religion is and the missionary view of Russian Orthodox Church. And it is critical that Korean missionaries understand the limit to collaborative missions between Protestant Church and Russian Orthodox Church. In chapter one, the writer analyzed Russians' understanding of religious situation. Russians believe that Russia was evangelized through Russian Orthodox Church. They perform religious rituals by following the practices, traditions, and social systems established by Russian Orthodox Church. It is extremely difficult to convert Russians because the majority of them have their identities rooted in Russian Orthodox Church. Moreover, Russians wish to restrict missionary opportunities and activities in Russia, including those performed by Protestant Church. They even advertise many protestant churches as heresy. In chapter 2, the writer examined Russian Orthodox Church's missionary work. Their missionary view originates and develops from that of Russian Orthodox Church. Russian Orthodox Church's missions are similar to that of Roman Catholic Church, and those include the expansion of the parish in the church. It claims that a church ought to perform missionary works, and the most important missionary work is building a church. At first, Russian Orthodox Church targeted the minority races living in Russian territory after the 14th century. However, it started to focus more on foreign missionary work after the 19th century. In chapter 3, the writer studied the problems concerning collaborative missions that surfaced during Volga-Mission Project. Volga-Mission was carried out during the early 1990s with the main purpose of creating a harmonious atmosphere and facilitating the exchange of gospel between Russian Orthodox Church and Protestant Church. This project clearly reflected Russian Orthodox Church's position and containment against Protestant Church's missionary work in Russia. Volga-Mission also revealed the limitation in many ways. In conclusion, Russian Orthodox Church is concerned that a rapid inflow of Protestant Church and its missionary activities after the open-up of Russia in 1991 will influence and transform the religious culture in Russia as a whole. Therefore, it opposes and criticizes various conversion activities performed by missionary organizations and agencies. The Church asserts that if Protestant and Reformed Churches wish to spread gospel with pure intentions, they must realize that true missionary work is spreading the doctrines of Russian Orthodox Church in Russia. Thus, the main limitation and obstacle in performing collaborative missions with Russian Orthodox Church occurs when the discussion on soteriology begins. Most importantly, it is urgent that current Korean missionaries in Russia overcome this problem and find a way to carry out effective collaborative missions.