"Christian education is the power to describe Christianity in universal language and bring it to life!"

Christianity has been the central pillar that has guided humanity, especially Western civilization, for the past two thousand years.
Even today, it accounts for one-third of the world's population, and there are many legacies surrounding us that cannot be explained without Christianity, such as the Western calendar, law, ethics, and art.
In that sense, Christianity is a vast field of thought that goes beyond faith and tradition, encompassing fundamental questions of human existence, community ethics, art and literature, civic consciousness, politics, and science.
As a Christian, you need the ability to understand and describe your faith in a universal language, that is, in a 'cultured' way.
I need to reflect on how my faith was formed, what it means, and where it is headed from various perspectives, including history, culture, and ideology.
Conversely, for non-Christians or non-religious people, Christian education provides an opportunity to become familiar with the power and traditions of a religion that has shaped today's world.
This is the power of culture.

In this book, a compilation of lectures given at Yonsei University over the past 20 years, the author proposes a perspective called “Christian liberal arts” and attempts to explain Christianity.
This is not only essential for educated people living in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society, but is also deeply connected to ‘religious literacy,’ which is becoming increasingly important worldwide.

When we look back on today's reality, there are times when the sounds of despair, anger, and skepticism sound louder.
But Christianity is ultimately a story about 'hope'.
And it is a Christian confession of faith that this hope comes from God.
I hope this book will be a time for Christians to calmly ponder the question, "How can I articulate what I believe?" and for non-Christians, a fascinating intellectual journey exploring the source of the immense power that has driven Western civilization and the world.

Christianity has been the central pillar that has guided humanity, especially Western civilization, for the past two thousand years.
Even an atheist scientist like Richard Feynman said that the two pillars of Western civilization are the spirit of scientific inquiry and Christian ethics.
Even today, one-third of the world's population considers themselves Christian, and traces of Christianity remain strong everywhere around us.
At first glance, it seems that the Western calendar, law, ethics, art, architecture, etc. cannot be explained without Christianity.
There are more than a few missing legacies.
--- p.11 From "Entering"

As a Christian, you need to make an effort to understand your faith in a universal language.
I need to reflect on how my faith was formed, what it means, and where it is headed, from a variety of perspectives: history, culture, and ideology.
There is also a need to examine the position of one's own faith.
Conversely, for non-Christians or those of no religious faith, Christian education provides an opportunity to become familiar with the power and traditions of a foreign religion that is our neighbor and has shaped the world today.
--- p.12 From "Entering"

The word 'culture' is used in many ways in everyday life.
When many people think of a "cultured person," they think of someone who enjoys art or classical music, someone with a wealth of cultural knowledge, or a thoughtful person with refined speech and attitude who is well-liked by others.
However, the culture discussed in this book is different from these examples.
In late 18th-19th century Germany, the concept of 'Bildung', which had a great influence on the modern concept of culture, was emphasized.
Bildung means that through knowledge in various fields such as the humanities, arts, philosophy, and science, humans gain a deeper understanding of themselves and grow into subjects who can form meaningful relationships with society and the world.
In this way, modern liberal arts have developed into an educational goal that values ​​the qualities appropriate for a free person, as well as the ability for continuous self-formation, citizenship, and critical reflection.
--- p.18-19 「Chapter 1.
From “Christianity and Culture”

Christianity is, of course, a religion.
Christianity presupposes that the triune God and the symbolic world of "heaven" where He resides are distinct from the everyday world, that Christ and the Holy Spirit mediate between the two, and that heaven and earth interact with each other.
Christianity seeks to tell us what the universe is, where it is now, and where it is going.
And humans who understand it make appropriate offerings and practice ethics.
Through this, internal motivation, emotions, and will are formed and expressed.
We also gather as a community called a church and perform specific functions.
Christianity is a religion.
What distinguishes Christianity from other religions? I would define Christianity as "the religion of those who believe in and confess Jesus as Christ."
And we can say that a Christian is 'a person who acknowledges that Jesus is an important person in his or her life and confesses his or her identity as a Christian.'
--- p.59-60 「Chapter 1.
From “Christianity and Culture”

Getting to know a belief system and its members as old and substantial as Christianity is never easy.
Moreover, because people have a certain degree of preconception about Christianity, it is difficult to see a side of Christianity that goes beyond that preconception.
In times like these, I often imagine aliens coming to Earth to explore and write reports.
What does Christianity look like in his eyes?
--- p.66 Chapter 2.
From “Jesus - The Center of Christianity”

Albert Schweitzer, a well-known physician and theologian, criticized all the scholars who conducted the research in his famous book summarizing the history of 19th-century historical Jesus studies, saying that they had ultimately only put forward their own ideal image of Jesus, especially a historical Jesus that projected the ethics of 19th-century liberal theology.
Although this research has been ongoing for over a century and its methodology has become increasingly sophisticated, it is impossible to completely overcome the limitations of the hermeneutic circle.
Even though the researcher's self-understanding is embedded in the results of his research on Jesus, the attempt to study Jesus as a historical figure is quite meaningful.
This effort to move beyond the framework of abstract philosophical language and rigid religious language gives our understanding of Jesus a richer and more multi-layered meaning.
--- p.91-92 「Chapter 2.
From “Jesus - The Center of Christianity”

The early missionaries of the Jesus Movement testified to the resurrection of Jesus, and because of that testimony, they were passionate about living out their faith, even enduring suffering and death.
This active missionary activity was a unique and unusual phenomenon in the ancient Mediterranean world.
If you think about it, it's hard to imagine an Athenian going around preaching about the gods of Athens or diligently spreading the worship of Poseidon.
It is also difficult to find documentation that states this.
The traditional religions of the Hellenistic-Roman period were largely tied to the identity of local communities and did not have structures for actively disseminating their beliefs outward or theological demands for their propagation into the world.
Even some of the new mystery religions that came from the East focused primarily on personal salvation or secret rituals, and there is little evidence of organized missionary work like the Jesus movement.
--- p.140 Chapter 3.
From “The Birth and Growth of Christianity”

There is diversity and unity in Christianity.
If we can accept and respect each other's views and opinions in the realm of diversity, we call each other a brotherhood or sisterhood.
Because there are differences in doctrine, precedent, and tradition, they were established as different groups.
For example, within Protestantism, Presbyterianism, Methodism, etc. can be called different denominations and respect each other.
However, there are groups called 'heresies'.
These are terms used by established religions to refer to religious groups that are similar to their own but hold different views/opinions in very important areas.
Christian education, which aims at Christian literacy, can be of crucial help in preventing falling into heresy.
Not only will it inform you of the common characteristics and dangers of heresy and cults at a cultural level, but it will also introduce you to what Christianity is.
--- p.229 「Chapter 5.
From “The Expansion of Christianity”

One of the important goals of liberal education is to establish human beings as free subjects, not as tools subordinated to specific purposes.
It also aims to cultivate citizenship, a communal quality that allows us to live together with other humans as well as non-human beings.
But are these goals complete ends in themselves, or are they merely a process toward something higher? This question touches on the fundamental question of "the meaning of life," a question we all ask ourselves at one point or another.
So, does universal meaning truly exist in our lives? If so, what does it look like? And if not, what attitude should we adopt? Is it acceptable to simply go with the flow, without any effort to find meaning? Or is the meaning of life merely a subjective narrative each of us creates? In this final chapter, we will explore these questions and reflect on how the long-standing traditions and resources of Christianity can connect with the ultimate meaning of human life.

--- p.240 「Chapter 6.
From “Christianity and the Meaning of Life Today”