Vatalized life theme pedagogy : a model for Christian religious education in the pluralistic context of Indonesia based on Jesus' example

Prayitno, Iky Sumarthina Putri Presbyterian University & Theological Seminary 2018 국내박사

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARGODUNGAN

Maruasas S.P Nainggolan PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY AND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2016 국내석사

First of all, I thank God for empowering me to study at Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary (PUTS) in Seoul, South Korea since 2013. As Apostle Paul said in Romans 14:7-8, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.” During almost two years, I realize that to write a research project likes this one cannot be done without participation of significant others. Indeed, I am deeply grateful to all those who have encouraged and supported me in one way or another to accomplish this task. I give my special thanks for my lovely family: my mother Royani Silaban, my father Lukman Nainggolan, my brothers Rev. Maringan J.F Nainggolan and Eko P. Nainggolan, my sisters Rajumida Nainggolan and Rani Sartika Nainggolan and my beloved wife Arti Maria Silaban for their permission for me to be able to study abroad and also their prayer, patience as we stay apart for this period, God will surely bless all of you abundantly. I offer special thanks to my indispensable supervisor, Prof. Young Seok Song, Ph.D., for his excellent working to direct me on the process of conducting and writing this research project. His countless professional suggestions from his experiences, his personal passion and encouragement, were remarkable. God bless you and your family. After completing my Th.M. at PUTS, I thank for the faculty members of Graduate Program: Prof. Bo-Kyoung Park, Ph.D., Prof. Chang-Uk Byun, Ph.D., Prof. Eunsik Cho, Ph.D., Namduck Hwang, Ph.D., Prof. Do Il Kim, Ed.D., Prof. One Ho Park, Ph.D., Prof. Hyoung Seop Shin, Ph.D., Prof. Aram Kang, Th.D., and Prof. Jooseup Keum, Ph.D.. Thanks to the Director of International Student: Prof. Shin Geun Jang Ph.D., Prof. Yoo-Bae Choi, Th.D. who have encouraged us to stand firm until the end. I never forget the Assistants of International student: Mr. John Young, Mrs. Jinsook Lee, and Miss Mi Young Kim for your wonderful assistance. My thanks go also to the Sinode Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP), my church organization and its members who encouraged and prayed me to complete my study especially Rev. Nelson Siegar and Rev. Dr. Binsar Nainggolan. As I complete this study, my sincere thanks go to my brother Elder Mangatas Panjaitan and his family, Elder Kapler Marpaung, Inang Dewi Tobing and his family, Mr. Kora Kwon Jeong, Punguan Partano Batak di Korea: My brothers Indra tambunan and Patar Sitorus for supporting me since I made a first journey to Seoul. So it is great to be uplifted by such extended families. Finally, thanks to my fellow International Students: Kinurung Maleh Maden, Hermanus Laelu, Eric Ntow, Chris Cabeya, Zarita Manalo, Da Vit Huu Nguyen, for your friendship, without you there is no name as international body. May the peace, justice and integrity for all creation are flowing through our heart for the others. Omni Vicit Amor. Kurie Eleison.

(The) impact of the northern outreach programme of the presbyterian church of Ghana in the dissermination of the gospel

Patricia, Grace Ayebea Agyei Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary 2016 국내석사

ABSTRACT The peoples of northern Ghana were found to be unChristianized at a time when they had populated the southern cities to seek greener pastures. As a matter of urgency, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana developed a strategy to evangelize them namely, the Northern Outreach Programme. Congregations were established with special attention to language and cultural background of the northerners which resulted in church expansion as it happened to the Korean church in the 1950s. They were trained in literacy and employable skills which have improved the social, spiritual and economic status of those who were fortunate to be part of the training programs. Assessment of the program through this work have shown that, though many people have benefited from the program, it has been discontinued because of lack of finance and logistics. Meanwhile, there are many more energetic people who are in the streets with rich talents and skills which need to be taped and developed to make them beneficial to their families and the society. Mostly, women and children have become vulnerable to city hazards and need to be helped to overcome such situation. Furthermore, children raised under this condition grow up to become social misfit. They create a lot of problems for themselves, their families and the society. It is noted that Christianity and civilization has the antidote to such challenge, that which has been handed by the Lord and savior Jesus Christ to the church. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana, therefore, need to employ all other available opportunities that enhance mission and evangelism such as media evangelism, contextualization and provision of social services and security to reach the unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

John Calvin's understanding of the apostles' creed : its importance within Calvin's theology and its role for christian life

조한민 Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary 2019 국내석사

최근 한국의 개혁교회 전통에 속하는 교회들은 신천지 등 이단의 공격을 받았고 그 결과 생각보다 이단에 취약한 것으로 드러났다. 교회와 성도들을 이단에 빠지지 않도록 하기 위해서는 기본적인 교리 교육이 급선무이다. 그러나 신천지 등 각종 이단과 로마가톨릭에서는 새신자교육시에 교리교육을 우선시하는 반면에 한국 개신교 교회에서는 종래의 교리문답 교육이 사라지고 있으며, 성도들에게 건전한 교리를 가르치고 교리문답을 교육하는 것을 등한시하고 있는 것이 현실이다. 건전한 교리를 위한 교육은 우리가 무엇을 믿는가에 관한 가장 적실한 요약이며 모든 성도들에게 친숙한 사도신경을 통해서 접근하는 것이 가장 좋은 방법이다. 또한 장로교회가 칼뱅신학에 기초하여 세워진 것을 감안할 때에 칼뱅이 사도신경을 어떻게 이해했는가를 살펴보는 것이 의미가 있을 것이다. 『기독교강요(최종판)』은 칼뱅이 사도신경을 성부, 성자, 성령, 교회의 네 부분으로 나눈 것과 같이 총 네 권으로 구성되어 있다. 칼뱅의 사도신경 강해는 『기독교강요』의 처음 세 판과 『제1교리문답』, 그리고 『1554년 제네바 교리문답』에서 찾아볼 수 있다. 이 논문의 첫 부분에서는 『기독교강요(최종판)』에 나오는 칼뱅신학의 주요 개념들과 『기독교강요(초판)』, 『제1교리문답』, 『1554년 제네바 교리문답』에 등장하는 칼뱅의 사도신경 강해와의 연관성에 대해서 살펴볼 것이다. 논문의 후반부에서는 칼뱅의 사도신경 강해와 루터의 『소교리문답』과 『대교리문답』에 나오는 사도신경 강해를 비교하여 칼뱅의 사도신경 이해의 특성을 살펴볼 것이다. 필자는 이러한 연구를 통해 칼뱅의 사도신경 이해가 칼뱅신학에서 그 전반적인 구조를 형성하는 중요성을 가지며, 성도의 생활에 있어서 성화로 인도하는 믿음을 가르치는 중요한 역할을 한다는 점을 주장할 것이다. The Churches in Korea that belong to Reformed traditions recently lost many members to heresies, such as Shinchonji, and proved to be weak in dealing with false teachings that are spreading like an epidemic in Korea. This is because Reformed Churches in Korea, including the Presbyterian Church, did not place much importance in teaching orthodox doctrines and traditional catechism. However, the Roman Catholic Church in Korea and other heresies like Shinchonji take care to teach doctrines when they receive new converts.Protestant Churches in Korea should take care to instruct sound doctrines to its members. And it is appropriate to begin such instruction with the Apostles' Creed, the most comprehensive summary of what it is to believe. Since the Reformed tradition owes tremendously to John Calvin's theology, it would be all the more fitting to explore how Calvin understood the Apostles' Creed. Among Calvin's works, the exposition of the Apostles' Creed can be found in the first three editions of the Institutes of the Christian Religion. The exposition of the Apostles' Creed can also be found in Calvin's First Catechism and 1554 Geneva Catechism. The final edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion consists of four books that are arranged in the order of the Apostles' Creed: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Church. In this dissertation, we will explore how John Calvin understood the Apostles' Creed by looking at how it is dealt with in his works. In the first part, we will see how key concepts in Calvin's theology as shown in the final edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion are related to his exposition of the Apostles' Creed in the first edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin's First Catechism, and 1554 Geneva Catechism, respectively. Then in the second part, we will compare Calvin's understanding of the Apostles' Creed with that of Martin Luther's, and see what stands out about Calvin's understanding of the Apostles' Creed. Through this process I will argue that Calvin's understanding of the Apostles' Creed plays an important role within Calvin's theology, and also that Calvin's understanding of the Apostles' Creed gives an important lesson in Christian life that is faith that leads to sanctification.

Rethinking Mission Moratorium Towards Mission Jubilee in Kenya

SILAH KIPKOSGEI PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY AND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2022 국내박사

In 1971, John Gatu proposed a moratorium on the sending of foreign funds and missionaries to Churches in Africa to allow them to discover their identity, self-reliance, curb unhealthy dependency, and challenge missionary-sending churches to reconsider and refine their mission strategies to foster healthier relationships and equality in mission. The proposal was well-intentioned, but its demands were too drastic to be implemented without severing collaborations and generosity with overseas partners. As a remedy, it was suggested that honest partnership, interdependence, equality, and mature relationships in mission be strongly cultivated. However, the remedies were essential but inadequate; fifty years have elapsed, but studies and the covid-19 pandemic reveal the deepening polarization and inequalities between the rich and the poor in the world today. This paper examines the moratorium analytically and qualitatively to understand its motives and proposes ‘Mission Jubilee’ as a hopeful paradigm to tackle the concerns of the moratorium while encouraging healthier relationships, generosity, interdependency, equality, and partnership in God’s mission. The Jubilee paradigm is fundamental because it embodies the frequent need for repentance, revitalization, good stewardship, justice, and fair economics in mission. It promotes holistic restoration, liberation, and provide equal opportunities for empowerment and development to all people and creates a world where conscientious principles guide actions and decision-making. It highlights our responsibility to care for one another and creation, as God’s stewards, and challenges everyone to live responsibly, productively, and interdependently with respect and dignity.

YES, WE CAN THRIVE: A CHRISTIAN EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SELF- REGULATION AMONG KENYAN YOUTH

GLADYS JEPKURGAT BUNGEI PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY AND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2022 국내석사

The youth in Kenya today are faced with a hostile political, social, and economic environment characterized by struggle in access to public resources and quality social services, unemployment, fragile livelihoods, abuse and exploitation, and crime and violence, among other things. These factors have been associated with the rise in substance use and abuse, juvenile crimes, dropping out of school, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and cases of suicide among the youth, even as young as nine years of age. But what does it take to ensure that the youth thrive and flourish even amid such negative forces? This study explored how young people in Kenya can be aided to develop a propensity to escape these vices through the development of personal self-regulation mechanism supported by spirituality. Self-regulation is the capacity for an individual to regulate their thoughts, feelings, and overt actions through an intentional harnessing of mechanisms and supportive meta-skills to guide own’s actions with enough willpower to persist until the goals are reached. It is a significant moderator of the person’s actions and defines how an individual makes choices, plan actions to achieve personal goals, and control how actions are executed. Spirituality, on the other hand is an awareness of the existence, and experience of inner feelings and beliefs in connection to the sacred, which in turn gives the individual purpose, meaning, value of life, inner peace, and harmonious interpersonal relationships. Spirituality has been positively associated with longevity of life, and significantly associated with psychological wellbeing and subjective wellbeing, more positive family relationships, academic success, and fewer problem behaviors especially for young people. It has also been negatively associated with crime, delinquency, and youth sexual behaviors, all of which are risk factors for poor outcomes in adulthood. This study further built a Christian education program for self-regulation that can be implemented through the church and school clubs. The program recognizes the home as an important place for reinforcing the skills learnt. When the youth are adequately supported and provided with opportunities for secure identity, and an ability to respond constructively to their circumstances, they can maneuver through obstacles and encounters that would otherwise hinder their future accomplishments. When they are guided to be able to self-regulate, it becomes an investment in the society since a thriving young person is said to have personal satisfaction, a sense of purpose, and can give back to the greater good of the society. [Keywords: Self-regulation, Youth, Spirituality, Thriving]

(The) idea of 'disredemption' and 'agape' as its remedy in the four loves : C. S. Lewis' soteriology concerning love

이형진 Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary 2019 국내석사

Throughout the history of Christianity, the analogy perhaps most frequently utilized to draw the picture of salvation has been that of legal justification. This is, no doubt, due to its biblical basis stemming from the covenantal relationship between God and Israel, as well as the towering influence of St. Paul who in his great epistles continued to paint the journey of salvation through legal terms, centering on justification. In distinction to this familiar legal rationale permeated in Christian theology, C. S. Lewis uses the word redemption with a very different semantic approach in his book, The Four Loves. In the chapter on Eros, Lewis describes the state of a person derailing from Eros ? that is, falling out of romantic love ? by calling the state ‘disredemption.’ What does Lewis imply by this logic? In essence, Lewis is boldly positing that the true expression of the natural loves including Eros can only be practiced by those who have at least begun the process of change due to the divine love of God. Only this supernatural love, which is purely disinterested in oneself and interested in the benefit of the other, can administer the natural loves according to their own wishes. What Lewis builds through the chapters of The Four Loves is a picture of soteriology. His idea of salvation, starting from the natural loves and their shortcomingsleading onto Agape as their remedy, consists of one of the most critical ideas on our incessant desire to be saved. What Lewis argues is much more palpable, yet in a way much more subtle, than what the mainline Presbyterian denominations tend to imagine. The content of this dissertation will consist in first analyzing what Lewis means by the word disredemption inEros. For this task, a brief overview of the rest of the loves will take place beforehand. Then the remedial picture of salvation as described in Charity will be analyzed, in order to gain a renewed understanding of the role of love in God’s work of redemption. 국문초록 및 주제어 본 논문은 C. S. Lewis의 ‘네 가지 사랑’을 구원론의 관점에서 바라보며 이제까지 법정적 이미지로 생각되어져 왔던 구원의 서사를 ‘사랑의 변화’로 의식할 수 있도록 하고자 하는 분석적 연구이다. 역사적으로 개신교, 특히 장로교 안에서 ‘구원’을 논할 때, 주로 사용되는 비유는 하나님이 계신 법정에서 예수 그리스도의 십자가 사건으로 인하여 의롭게 여김을 받는 죄인의 모습이다. 우리의 도덕적 실패를 그리스도의 죄 없는 삶과 맞바꾸어 그의 공로로 신자가 천국에 들어가게 되는 ‘칭의론’의 이미지가 그것이기 때문이다. 하지만 신자가 구원을 이해하는데 있어서 법적 의로움의 맞바꿈으로만 해석하는 것은 이제껏 많은 신학자들이 지적해왔듯 충분치 않은 이해이다. 이 설명 안에서 예수 그리스도를 믿고 ‘다시 태어남’이 현재 우리의 삶에 어떤 변화를 가져다주는가, 라고 질문할 때 대부분의 신자들은 이제까지 불법적으로 행하던 죄악들을 범하지 않도록 결심하는 수준에 머무른다. 예수 그리스도께서 자신을 위해 돌아가신 이유가 나의 ‘죄’들을 사하여 주시기 위함이라고만 배웠기 때문이다. 하지만 이는 치명적인 율법주의 내지는 무법주의를 초래할 수 있다. 이전에 하던 행위들(behavior)을 한 문화가 보기에 거룩하고 옳은 행위들로 바꾸는 것은 비교적 쉽기 때문이다. 이에 반해 C. S. Lewis는 그의 책 ‘네 가지 사랑’에서 흥미롭게도 남녀 간의 사랑에 실패한 순간을 일컬어 ‘부不구원’(disredemption)이라 명명한다. 이 말은, 우리가 사랑을 하는 순간 일종의 구원을 맛본다는 이야기다. 하지만 마지막 챕터에서 그는 우리가 우리들의 자연적 사랑들(natural loves)이 최종적으로 하고자 하는 사랑을 하려면 예수 그리스도를 통한 하나님의 구원을 받았을 때에만 가능하다고 말하며, 구원의 필연적인 결과는 바로 이 사랑들의 변화라고 말한다. 구원의 결과가 단순히 우리에게 행위적 변화를 요구하는 것뿐만 아니라 우리의 사랑을 점진적으로 변화시킨다는 것을 이해하게 될 때 구원의 의미는 또 다른 동력을 얻고 그리스도인의 삶은 더 바람직한 동기를 마주할 것이다. 주제어 : 구원, 사랑, 루이스, Redemption, Justification, Love

(The) possibility of hermeneutical dialogue with the "Apostolos" for missiological purpose

Kabeya, Beya Christian Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary 2016 국내석사

ABSTRACT THE POSSIBILITY OF HERMENEUTICAL DIALOGUE WITH APOSTOLOS FOR MISSIOLOGICAL PURPOSE For many years ago up to now people understand the word of God in different ways that sometimes they go into heresy which is the matter to be treated in this work. A group of believers emerge in DRCongo claiming to be in the orthodoxy with their practices that attract the attention of many. There is a need of internal mission in the Christianity of the country. Apostolos that are mentioned in this paper interpret the Bible in their own way and the same teaching is given to many who are converted to this religious movement. With reference to their liturgy it has been important to the author to study this group and find out if there will be any possibility of dialogue with them in order to save the Christianity. Their meeting is always in the place like desert referring to the Mount Horeb where God met Moses and told to put off the shoes because he was on the holy ground. For them this is used every time that they need to pray, they have to put off the shoes. The baptism is through fire as it was declared by John that he was baptizing with water but the one who was coming after him would baptize through the Holy Spirit and fire. And another fact is that as David warned the messengers who have been disgraced by king Hanun to stay in Jericho until the beards will grow, Apostolos never shave their beards in reference of that word. The interpretation of the Bible is based on the Holy Spirit and scientific knowledge mostly theological because the reception of the message plays an important role in the communication. For trying to save the image of Christianity, the author studied this group and came to the conclusion that even though the gospel can use the elements of the culture to communicate with people, the culture cannot dominate the gospel. Because this group did not understand the contextualization, it is not different from folk religion which is bringing the ancestral worship but under the umbrella of Christianity. Therefore there is need of leader training to communicate the good vision to the followers. Depuis des siecles le peuple a compris la parole de Dieu a tort et a travers, ce qui a donne a l’heresie qui fait l’objet de ce travail. Un groupe des croyants se declarant etre dans l’orthodoxie emerge au sein de la Republique Democratique du Congo essaie de s’attirer des troupes derriere lui, ce fait demande une mission interne au sein du Christianisme en RDC. Les Apostolos dont on fait mention dans ce travail interprete la Bible de leur facon et le meme enseignement est transmis a plusieurs qui se convertissent dans leur mouvement. En se referant a leur facon d’adorer, il a ete important pour l’auteur de ce travail d’ouvrir un dialogue pour voir s’il y a possibilite de sauver les ames qui perissent par manque de connaissance. Leur rencontre est dans le lieu semblable au desert, ils se referent a Moise pendant qu’il fut rencontre par l’Eternel au Mont Horeb ; comme Dieu lui avait demande d’oter les souliers, ceci reste pour eux une pratique avant de prier ; il faut enlever les souliers. Le bapteme se fait dans le fait selon Jean Baptiste declare ; moi je vous baptise dans l’eau mais celui qui vient apres moi vous baptisera du Saint Esprit et du feu. Et un autre fait comme David avait interdit aux envoyes d’entrer dans la ville, de rester a Jericho jusqu’a ce que leur barbe va pousser ; les Apostolos ne rasent jamais la barbe. L’interpretation de la parole est basee sur le Saint Esprit et sur la connaissance surtout theologique car la reception du message joue un role important dans la communication. Pour sauver l’image du Christianisme dans ce pays, l’auteur a fait une etude dessus et a la fin il s’est rendu compte que l’evangile utilise les elements de la culture pour communiquer mais dans ce cas la culture continue a dominer le christianisme ; d’ou il n’y a pas de difference avec des religions folkloriques ou ancestrales. Donc cette religion se presente comme ancestrale sous le parapluie du christianisme, d’ou la formation des leaders pour mieux comprendre la conceptualisation.