산업화(産業化)에 관(關)한 신학적(神學的) 일고찰(一考察) = A Theological Viewpoint on Industrialization

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

I. Introduction
The purpose of this thesis is to develop a proper perspective on industrialization from a theological point of view.
Throughout history several views of nature have been advanced. I have attempted to look at the question of nature from a biblical viewpoint as a means of developing an acceptable concept of industrialization. Here in the Republic of Korea efforts have been made to formulate and implement a national industrialization policy. A number of weaknesses in this program are apparent.
Ⅱ. Dehumanization
A. Division of humanity
The ultimate purpose of industrialization is to produce a wealthy society. However, industrialization inevitably seems to result in two groups: the haves and the have nots. This is a clear weakness of capitalism. The wealthy man does not understand poverty and the poor man hates the moneyed class in the affluent society. Thus a great gap exists between the poor and the rich.
B. Man as a tool
Man must not be treated as a slave. However, the employer sometimes treats labor in the industrial society as a slave. This is true to such an extent that some people argue that, next to the military, industrial society is the most undemocratic.
There is only order and obedience between employer and employee. Hence, man becomes man’s tool.
C. Man as a machine
Technology dominates man and man loses his freedom. Because the machine is more important than man in the industrial society, man is sacrificed for the machine and obeys orders of the machine.
Ⅲ. Industrialization and a Theology of Humanization.
We have to humanize the machine. The machine itself is neither good or evil; the problem is with man. We must learn to use the machine for the liberation of man and for the restoration of humanity. Man must be the producer of the machine as God is creator of nature. Man should control machines as God controls all things in his universe. As God is not creature, so man is not the machine.
Incarnation does not mean the transformation of God. Likewise, in relationship to machines, man must preserve his essential image and essence. The machine has to be used for the sake of man’s freedom and happiness. We call man a sinner if he is not humanized. If a sinner handles the machine, he becomes a slave of that instrument; and if the sinner participates indiscriminately in the wave of industrialization, he will become a slave of mammon.
Only God is able to change man properly. Jesus Christ becomes the basis for the development of any proper theology of humanization.
The treatment of humanity in the industrial sector is usually quite unacceptable. This is because the industrial leadership has not accepted the Biblical concept for rebuilding man. This rebuilt man must develop nature and improve human relationships according to the will of God. Man must use technology to build the Kingdom of God on earth.
VI. Industrialization and a Theology of Ecology.
As a result of industrialization we are witnessing increasing air pollution, water pollution and destruction of much of the beauty of God’s world. A theology of ecology is demanded and this will be a part of eschatology.
Ecology means “the study of the balance of living things in nature”，but as the word is currently used is means not only that but the problem of the destruction man has wrought in nature. It is related to such things as water pollution, destructive noise-levels, and air pollution in the great cities of the world.
What has brought about this ugly destruction of the environment? There is but one reason: man’s greed.
Thomas Aquinas said: “Grace does not destroy nature but perfect it.”
Francis Bacon wrote: “Man by the fall fell at the same time from his state of innocency and from his dominion over nature. Both of these losses, however, can even in this life be in some part repaired; the former by religion and faith, the latter by the arts and sciences.”
Richard L. Means asserted that our ecological problem exists because of Christianity, and he proposed the pantheism of Zen Buddhism to resolve the problem. But pantheism is not the way to resolve the ecological crisis.
The only way is to come back to the Biblical view of nature and the material assets of this world. We need to try rereading the Bible: for instance Gen 1; Psalm 104; Gen. 9. 4; Rom. 8.18―26; Rom. 6. 8一12; and Matt. 25. 14―30.