The Influence of the Donghak on the Emergence and Task of Minjung Theology

Minjung1 theology is “a contextual theology of the suffering people in Korea.”2 It attempts to contextualize the Christian message to the Korean context. Thus, minjung theologians consider Korean history as an important dimension in its theological reflection. Nam Dong Suh says, “Korean history is one of the paradigms of Korean minjung theology.”3 Those who have studied Korean history are familiar with its oppression, poverty, and affliction imposed upon the Korean people due to frequent invasions by foreign powers, as well as the political oppression under tyrannical rulers. In history, Korea had experienced brief periods of peace and autonomy. According to Sok Hon Ham, throughout the history, there were foreign invasions every thirty years. One of the reasons for this is that geopolitically, the Korean peninsula occupies an important strategic position in northeast Asia and is surrounded by three major powers: China, Russia, and Japan. Because of this strategic position, the Korean peninsula has served as a battleground for its powerful neighbors in times of war. The general experience of the Korean people in this whole process has been that of the “Queen of Suffering.”1 This experience of suffering has given rise to a unique Korean feeling referred to as “han.”