몸을 존중하는 영성

Abstract

Christian spirituality doctrinally rejects the dualism of distinguishing the spirit from the body and seeing the body as inferior. However, in actual spiritual life, the meaning of the body has been understood ambiguous, and even today, the dualistic view of the body exerts considerable influence. This paper aims to overcome this dualism and to pursue the restoration of the original Christian spirituality that honors the body equally with the spirit. To this end, this paper first examines three representative views that have caused a misunderstanding of the body. First, it is a view that regards the opposition between the spirit and the flesh in Paul's theology as the opposition between the spirit and the body. It is appropriate to view the conflict between the spirit and the flesh as a conflict between the way of life following the Holy Spirit and the way of life following the fallen human nature. Second, it is the view of dualism. In dualism, there are radical versions that view two causal principles, such as good and evil, as coequal and coeternal, and moderate versions that view evil as a secondary principle that emerges as a result of a crisis or corruption in the world of the primary principle. The former sees the body as wholly polluted and opposed to the spirit, the latter as beneficial temporarily as a training ground for the spirit but ultimately to be abandoned. The latter has not completely disappeared from the history of Christian spirituality. Third is Gnostic view. Only a select few have gnosis that enables them attain salvation, that is, escaping from matter and ascending into the divine world. The Church Fathers break the Gnostic view of salvation by solidifying the doctrines of God's creation from nothing, the incarnation, the cross, and the resurrection of the body. Next, this paper deals with the definition of spirituality and the mystery of the ongoing Incarnation. Sandra Schneiders defines spirituality as a way of life formed in the process of trying to consciously integrate one's life in accordance with the ultimate value experienced by the subject. This definition frees us from the fallacy of thinking that spirituality is cut off from the external material world and only caring for one's inner world. The early church confirms the orthodox Christology that Jesus Christ is the incarnate God, that is, true God and true human. Jesus Christ achieves in his person the reconciliation of the Creator and the creature. Therefore, the incarnation is the foundation of holistic spirituality that honors the body. The incarnation continues even now. The historical Jesus, the Eucharist, and the community of faith are the body of Christ. Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist, in the community of faith, and also in the children, the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the prisoners with whom he identifies. Finally, this paper proposes some exercises and prayers in which the body is participatory based on holistic spirituality that honors the body.