신종교에 대한 현상학적 이해

A Phenomenological Understanding of New Religions - New Issues in Mission Studies

This paper is to propose the possibility of new issues in mission studies by examining new religions in a phenomenological way. The phenomenology of religion emphasizes the stopping of value judgment and the empathetic understanding of religious essence. Though scholars in mission studies pay attention to the study of world religions including Islam and Buddhism, they seem to have overlooked the necessity and importance of the study of new religions such as Unification Church and Mormonism. The scholars in the West, especially, the USA, UK, Italy, and Sweden, initiated the study of new religions in order to give proper information on new religions to the public, government, and churches. Anti−cultist's criticism on new religions often distorted the contents and image of new religion, so we need more objective research on new religions based on the analysis of text analyses, interviews, and field works. The death of Mun Sun Myung(1920−2012), the founder of the Unification Church, recently increased the public concern to new religions. Considering its influence on Korean society and the world, scholars should study new religions existing in the world. According to tradition, the six classification of new religions is possible: ① Christian tradition, ② Islamic tradition, ③ Asian religious tradition, ④ UFO tradition, ⑤ self−cultivating tradition and ⑥ New age tradition. New religions have different views on religious authority, scriptures, family, and the role of women from existing majority religions. Their mission strategies focus on the youth group and the elite intellectuals seeking for the new meanings through individual contacts and mysterious experiences. Like the case of 1978 mass suicide of the People's Temple, new religions sometimes shows the destructive respect. Therefore, more objective and scientific studies on new religions are necessary for us to protect the security of society and the health of religion from its fanaticism. In conclusion, the author proposes three possible issues related to new religions in mission studies. First, the updated information on new religions is needed. Second, the publication of documents, the training of religious experts, and the establishment of academic institutes on new religions are necessary. Third, rather than theological debate, ethical engagement should be considered.