It is the contrast study of Wesleyan theology and theological problems presented in Doctrinal Statement, which has critically influenced on the Formation of faith for a Korean Methodist.
Wishing Wesleyan theology show itself on the Korean Methodist c...
It is the contrast study of Wesleyan theology and theological problems presented in Doctrinal Statement, which has critically influenced on the Formation of faith for a Korean Methodist.
Wishing Wesleyan theology show itself on the Korean Methodist church, it was written for the right settlement of Korean Methodist Confessions.
According to Doctrinal Statement in Chapter II - a standard for Korean Methodism, it is obvious that Korean Methodist church followed doctrine of Wesleyan theology and was honored with it when the Chapter II was written. In the other hand, Wesleyan theology can't be observed as a Korean Methodist ancestry for some reasons.
It can be easily noticed that Wesleyan theology has changed its theological point of view in the process from American Methodist church to Doctrinal Statement of Korean Methodism in 1930s. Because modern liberal theology reinterpreted and replaced Wesleyan theology, it could be liberalized in optimistic way. Therefore, this theology has been shaking in the tidal current between the modern theology and the modern tendency.
Wesley emphasized 'Doctrine of Salvation' using the concept of the 'Sin and Grace' and 'Justification'. Even so he connected present salvation to Holy Fire and Glory. At the same time, he kept dynamic and tension relationship of God's public works.
The theology, however, has gradually lost this dynamic tension relationship when it went over to America already occupied by human reason. Thus the Wesleyan theology in Korea Methodism, used to succeed in American Methodism, changed just like American one did.
Theological tendency of Korean Methodist church is based on moralism and personalism that A. Ritschl emphasized because both Bishop H. Welch, who founded Doctrinal Statement, and Bishop Yang, Ju Sam insisted John Miley's theological aspect and Albert Knudson's theological view. Jeong, Kyoung Ok, who is the first systematic theologist in Korean Methodism, was also largely affected by A. Ritschl when she studied in America.
As a result, theology in Doctrinal Statement would rather be Ritschl's theology than Wesleyan one. In this Doctrinal Statement, doctrines that Wesley gave emphasis on, such as justification, preventing grace, sin and salvation, were reinterpreted as Ritschl's moralism.
This change leaded to the collapse of Wesleyan tension relationship of doctrinal salvation. Instead, Wesleyan theology started to focus on anthropological problems. That can be observed as liberal theology that God's sovereignty took over to human sovereignty.
It is the most noticeable fact that nowadays Korean Methodist church has been trying to overcome the liberal theology and go back to Wesleyan tradition. It's a definite evidence of many recent studies and reference books on Wesleyan theology for Korean Methodist church to understand that with ease.
All we need now is to make sure that our theological tradition is honorable by reconsidering and understanding Wesleyan theology (though it has changed into liberalism in some ways) we have in Korean Methodist church.