식민지 시대의 개신교와 공산주의의 관계 유형 연구

Abstract

This study explores the diverse relationship patterns between Protestantism and communism during the colonial period in Korea. The relationship between Korean Protestantism and communism did not operate as an independent variable. Instead, it functioned as a dependent variable shaped by a broad set of contextual factors. These included the ideological conflicts among democracy, communism, and fascism, the resulting power dynamics in international politics, the colonial policies implemented by imperial Japan, and the internal divisions within Korean society between those who supported Japan and those who opposed it. Before liberation, Korean Protestantism and communism coexisted within the anti-communist framework of the Japanese imperial system. Despite this structural constraint, they sometimes found themselves in conflict and at other times formed temporary alliances in pursuit of a shared political goal, which was to resist Japanese colonial rule and achieve national independence. In this complex relationship, various types of responses emerged. One example was the moral reformist approach of YMCA-affiliated groups, which accepted certain aspects of communist criticism of Protestantism’s social role and sought to promote social reform through moral awakening and cooperative efforts. Another example was the defensive stance taken by figures such as Park Hyung-ryong, who rejected communist critiques entirely and focused on preserving the existing social and religious order. Some thinkers, including Ham Seok-heon, viewed communist persecution of Christianity as an opportunity to recover the original spiritual essence of the faith. Others, such as Kim Gyo-shin, continued to maintain personal friendships with communists. Meanwhile, figures like Lee Myeong-jik adopted a pro-Japanese position and used Christian rhetoric to justify Japan’s emperor-centered fascism and its anti-communist and anti-Soviet policies.