Was the Proclamation of the Canon a Medicine or a Poison?

• 발행기관: 한국민중신학회
• 저자명: Kim Eunkyu
• 간행물 정보: 『Madang: Journal of Contextual Theology』제13권, 1~25쪽, 전체 25쪽
• 주제분류: 인문학 > 기독교신학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2010.06.30

영문 초록

Did Christianity’s proclamation of the biblical canon serve to expand Christian thought? Or did it limit it? Early Christianity experienced its share of persecution in its beginnings from the Roman Empire. However, after its legitimization as the national religion in the fourth century, it came to serve the side of the European countries which expanded their lands for gaining profit through the wars of the age of the Roman Empire, the time of the Crusades, the period of colonialist expansion, the ages of imperialism and the global empire until today in history. Either intentionally or unintentionally, Western Europe’s theology has been justifying the ways of the Christian empire as well as utilizing the Bible to strengthen the ruling ideology in keeping and reinforcing religious power. Then, what roles did concepts like “the expansion of the world of God” and “the prohibition of idolatry” play in the expansion of these? Ever since Christianity was legalized by the Roman Empire, why did Christianity persist in maintaining the canon and not accept any other thought, philosophical idea or religious idea for the last two thousand years? I think that the role of the canon may have been an excellent shield for the Bible and also served historically to tear down the religious and aboriginal, indigenous cultures of Asia, Africa and South America. I seek not to address the historical tendencies in the defense of the canon through the protection of Christianity, but to search for the canon’s meaning in a new perspective in the context of the history of ruling Christianity and of minjung Judaism.