한국 신종교의 개벽사상에 관한 고찰 －수운, 증산, 소태산을 중심으로－

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to categorize thoughts of the Great Opening of Suun, Jeungsan, and Sotaesan which become a central principle of Korean new religions, and to illuminate its characteristics. The thoughts of the Great Opening performed the function to make new religions appear and its thoughts develop. Further, the thoughts become an axis to run through movement of the public. The thoughts faced up to social contradiction and negative effect of traditional society and suggested new social ideology. This thoughts had developed showing creative aspects according to difference of recognition about time, space, and identity. This development may be named as 'new post-cosmic creation' of Suun, 'transformation of the Three Realms' of Jeungsan, 'spiritual civilization' of Sotaesan. Suun proclaimed 'new post-cosmic creation' through view of the world in circle shape according to the turn of the wheel. Further, Jeungsan advocated 'transformation of the Three Realms' for creating Paradise on earth that has never existed until now by authority as the highest ruling God, Sangje. On the other hand, Sotaesan suggested to solve all the problems followed by 'spiritual civilization'. Apart from these individual elements, they share characteristics such as emphasis on human identity, organic view of the world, this worldly values. By this, identity only for thoughts of the Great Opening at Korean new religions had been established. The rapid development of modern civilization is making crisis consciousness causing various social problems. Therefore, it is expected that as human race's universal values required at this time, thoughts of the Great Opening can contribute to overcoming such problems.