김찬국의 평화 사상

Abstract

Bible scholar Kim Chan-Kook’s idea of peace is primarily based on the Bible. In particular, it emphasizes the theology of liberty and liberation based on social justice according to the prophetic thought of the Old Testament. Therefore, his theology and the idea of peace are formed by the practical result of the demands of the times of Korean society. His lectures and writings show the value of college democracy that he experienced through his college life and his interest and affection for the marginalized people throughout the Korean society. He also emphasized the personal salvation of Christians, but even more important was the social salvation of oppressed and marginalized people. On the basis of this biblical theology, Kim’s philosophy of peace can be classified into four categories. First, as a biblical peace idea, the Old Testament emancipation thought of the Exodus and the justice thought of the prophets Isaiah and Micah are foundational. Second, peace involves democracy and equality. He lived in the dark period of the 1970s, personally committed to the human rights movement, and was a democratic and equitable thinker who resisted irrational and unequal social structures. Third, his idea of peace is evident in his missionary activities: Human rights and industrial missions, and prison and hospital missions. Fourth, the idea of peaceful unification. We are hoping for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula through democratic procedures. Although Kim Chan-kuk did not have many practical activities for peaceful reunification, he showed the will of unification in the whole of his peaceful thoughts, just like Israel’s unification will based on biblical theology.