어느 여학생의 변신 오강남 Putting Away Childish Things

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Kang-nam Oh

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어느 여학생의 변신

오강남(캐나다 리자이나 대학교 종교학 명예교수)

10년 전에 써 놓았던 글이 무슨 글 검색 도중에 나오길래 여러 페친들과 나누고 싶어 여기 올립니다.

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잘 알려진 신학자, 제가 좋아하는 신학자 Marcus J. Borg 교수(1942-2015)가 최근에 쓴 소설, <Putting Away Childish Things(2010)>(어린 아이의 일을 버렸노라)를 요 며칠 재미있게 읽었습니다. 자기의 신학적 입장을 소설에 나오는 주인공의 입을 통해 부드럽고 싶게 표현하여 독자들이 스스로 현대 신학의 흐름을 체득하도록 도와주고 있습니다. (Borg 교수에 대해서는 제가 <예수는 없다>라는 책에 자세히 소개한 적이 있습니다. <기독교의 심장> 등 그의 저서가 한국어로 많이 번역되어 있고 Wikipedia.org에서도 그의 삶과 사상에 대해 알아볼 수 있습니다. )

여기 나오는 주인공 중 Erin이란 여학생이 있습니다. 이 여학생은 교내 보수주의 기독학생들의 동아리인 The Way 라는 클럽 회원으로, 그 클럽의 영향을 받아 이른바 근본주의 기독교인, 속칭 꼴통 기독교인이 되어 있었습니다. 소설에서는 이 여학생이 그 학교에서 종교학을 가르치는 Kate Riley라는 여교수의 강의를 들으면서 그가 무비판적으로 받아들였던 이런 보수 신앙에서 점점 풀려나는 과정을 상세히 묘사하고 있습니다. 그 결정적인 단계를 소설에서는 대략 이렇게 그리고 있습니다.

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Erin은 Riley 교수의 강연을 들으면서 자기가 당연하게 여기고 있던 것들이 조금씩 흔들리는 것을 느끼며 혼란해 했다. Riley 교수가 하는 말이 맞는 것 같기도 하지만, 보수 기독학생 클럽 The Way에서 가르치는 것을 그대로 믿을 때의 그녀가 느낄 수 있었던 확신이 그대로 좋지 않았나 하는 생각도 들었다. 모든 것을 똑 부러질 정도로 분명하게 설명해주는 것, 자기가 구원 받았다는 것을 확신하도록 하는 것, 그것을 고맙게 여기며 살아갈 수 있게 하는 것, 이런 것들이 정말로 마음 든든함을 가져다주는 것이 아닌가 하는 생각이었다. 그러나 The Way에서 모든 사람을 "구원 받은 우리(us)"와 "우리와 똑같이 믿지 못하는, 그래서 구원 받지 못한 그들(them)"이라는 두 범주 중 하나로 나누는 것까지도 참을 만했다. 자기 부모와 자기 동생이 이들이 말하는 "them"에 속한다고 믿어야 하는 것이 마음에 걸리기는 했지만.

이렇게 사람들을 두 가지 범주로 나누며 마치 "전쟁하는 듯한 태도(warlike mentality)"로 임하는 보수 기독학생들에 대해 Erin은 점점 질력이 나고 있음을 발견하게 된다. 그들은 더 많은 학생들을 자기들 모임에 끌어올 수 있게 해 달라고만 기도할 뿐, 다른 학생들의 생각이나 의견에 전혀 귀 기울일 자세가 되어 있지 않았다. 자기들은 종교에 대해 모든 것을 다 알고 더 이상 다른 이들로부터 배울 것이 없다는 식이었다. 절대적 진리를 독점하고 있다는 태도가 역력했다.

Erin이 위험한 Riley 교수의 강의를 듣는 것을 못마땅하게 여기고, The Way에서는 그녀를 보호한다는 명목아래 감시병처럼 그녀를 감시하려고만 했다. 그러나 Erin은 Riley 교수가 가르치는 것에서 자기가 의문시 했던 많은 것들이 해결되는 느낌이었다. 도저히 그 교수를 진리를 대적하는 원수로 여길 수가 없었다. 결국 그 교수가 가르치는 것처럼 기독교인되는 길도 여럿이라는 것, 성경을 문자 그대로 받아들일 필요가 없다는 것, 세상을 우리와 그들로 양분할 필요가 없다는 것 등을 깨닫게 되었다.(110~111 쪽)

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여기서도 볼 수 있는 것처럼 보수 기독교는 그리스도인의 삶을 아군과 적군으로 나누어 싸우는 싸움으로 보고 이 싸움에서 이기는 것이 그리스도인이 쟁취해야 할 승리의 삶이라 여기는 것입니다. 이른바 “승리주의”적 접근입니다. 삶이 각박하지 않을 수 없습니다.

시간이 되시면 이 책을 읽어보시기 부탁드립니다. Riley 교수의 강의실에 들어가 있는 기분이 들 것입니다. 저는 많은 경우 제 경험을 이야기하는 듯하여 아주 재미있게 읽었지요. 물론 Riley 교수의 강의를 통해 기독교의 더 깊은 뜻을 알게 되기도 합니다.

제 자랑 같아서 말씀드리기 뭣합니다만, 제 강의를 듣고 종교를 보는 눈이 바뀌었다는 학생들, 종교학을 전공하게 되었다는 학생들이 꽤 많습니다. 제가 리자이나 대학교에서 가르칠 때 제가 가르치던 과목들은 거의 다 들었던 Erin이라는 여학생이 있었는데, 이 소설의 주인공과 이름이 같아서 이 소설을 읽으면서 계속 그녀의 얼굴이 떠올랐습니다. 이 여학생(지금은 얘기 엄마가 되었지만 제 머리에는 아직도 여학생^^)을 비롯하여 지금도 facebook으로 간간히 소식을 전해오는 학생들이 있습니다.

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• Byung Sun Jung

  소개글 만으로도 교수님과 여러가지로 오버랩되는 부분이 있어서 읽는 내내 흡입력이 대단했겠다는 생각이 듭니다.

  신학자가 소설도 썼다는 게 재미있기도 하고요~~~

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  •  · 5 h
• Songhee Shin

  • Like
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  •  · 5 h
• 제임스강

  ■그런 상태에 빠져드는 것은, 하나님을 King 혹은 Lord에 비유하던, 지금은 낡아빠진 왕정시대의 신학적 사고, 그때를 계승해오고 있는, 또한 십자가 군병의 후예들을 양성해오고 있는, 배설물같은 낡은 기독교 신학적 사고의 산물 때문입니다.

  

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• Hosung Moon

  오강남 교수님과 제임스 강 님의 글을 보며

  새로운 안목을 만나게 되어 너무 감사드립니다.

  종교라는 조직이 앞으로 어떻게 나아가야 할 지..

  그동안 일방적인 가르침에 맹목적인 믿음이

  나의 눈을 가로 막고 있었습니다.

  감사드립니다

Putting Away Childish Things: A Novel of Modern Faith Paperback – 15 July 2011

by Marcus J Borg  (Author)

“We all know that Marcus Borg is a gifted teacher, biblical scholar, and writer of nonfiction, but it turns out that he's a master storyteller, too.”
- Brian D. McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity

Bestselling author, Bible scholar, and theologian Marcus Borg (Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, The Heart of Christianity, The Last Week) uses his core teachings on faith and the Bible to demonstrate their transformative power and potential in Putting Away Childish Things: the moving, inspirational story of a college professor, her students, and a crisis of faith.

“We all know that Marcus Borg is a gifted teacher, biblical scholar, and writer of nonfiction, but it turns out that he's a master storyteller, too.”

- Brian D. McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity

Bestselling author, Bible scholar, and theologian Marcus Borg (Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, The Heart of Christianity, The Last Week) uses his core teachings on faith and the Bible to demonstrate their transformative power and potential in Putting Away Childish Things: the moving, inspirational story of a college professor, her students, and a crisis of faith.

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Review

"In the end, it's the kind of novel where you underline teaching points that have been made especially well and dog-ear the pages in which the author has included poetry that speaks to urgent human questions."--Beliefnet

"In Putting Away Childish Things, Borg has chosen fiction as the best vehicle for exploring Christianity, important questions of career and vocation, and thorny issues within the church such as fundamentalism and homosexuality. This imaginative excursion is handled with aplomb...A thought-provoking novel."--Spirituality & Practice

"Borg offers up a didactic novel that explores some of the thorniest theological issues facing the Christian community. ... he is to be commended for taking up a new form of literature to share his theological perspective--a perspective that many have found to be generous, open and hopeful."--Christian Century

"Borg takes advantage of [main character] Kate's syllabus to teach readers what she teaches her students... The reader audits Prof. Riley's class and, thereby, drinks from Marcus Borg's font of knowledge about the Enlightenment, theology and religion.... [Borg] writes plainly, warmly, and with truth."--Beatitudes Review

"Borg writes fiction with passion. While the book raises many questions about faith, religion, and relationships, it also functions by itself as [a] truly moving story. I highly recommend this book for skeptics and people of faith alike."--Treehouse Monastic

"Can a world renowned biblical scholar really write an entertaining work of fiction? The answer is absolutely YES! I was hooked by the end of the first chapter."--Progression of Faith

"I see this novel as an ingenious way to open up dialogue between Christians of differing points of view, and as a window into Borg's understanding of what it means to be truly Christian in a world that has become rather inhospitable to Christianity and its claims."--Presbymergent-Musings

"I thoroughly enjoyed the book and wholeheartedly recommend it.... Many a book group will enjoy discussing Putting Away Childish Things, and many a questioning Christian's faith will be sustained by the story."--A Wee Blether

"Professor Borg spins a fine yarn and teaches much in the process, yielding a whole cloth of integrated and inquiring Christianity. Let's hope there is a second tapestry to come!"--The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church

"Putting Away Childish Things is a page-turning tale grappling with issues of faith confronting today's church. An inspiring and compelling story that will be treasured and revisited, Borg's illuminating insights and all-too-human characters make theology accessible to all."--Julia Spencer-Fleming, award-winning author of One Was A Soldier

From the Back Cover

In Putting Away Childish Things, Marcus Borg weaves his insightful teachings on Christianity into a new form--fiction. In this compelling tale, we meet Kate--a popular religion professor at a liberal arts college in a small midwestern town who thinks her life is right on track. She loves her job, is happy with her personal and spiritual life, and her guilty pleasure consists of passing her afternoons at the local pub with a pint of Guinness and a cigarette. Life is good.

Kate is up for tenure when it all starts to go wrong. A colleague warns her that her books are too Christian and too popular. She is offered a visiting professor job at a prestigious seminary, which sounds like the perfect solution except for one complication--it is the same seminary that employs the professor she had an affair with years ago. Kate now has to face her past and watch as the ramifications unfold in ways she never imagined. In the classroom, students ask for her views on Jesus, the Bible, and homosexuality, controversial topics that Kate candidly addresses until outraged parents start campaigning for the school to get rid of her. Through it all, Kate faces the toughest challenge yet--a crisis of faith that leaves her questioning what she believed so strongly before.

Putting Away Childish Things is an engaging way for readers to learn about the important issues dividing Christians today. Along the way, we join with the characters to ask the hard questions such as what does the Bible really teach? Who is Jesus? What is the nature of faith today?

This is a story that promises to leave us different in the end than when we started, as we learn how even in the twenty-first century, God works in mysterious ways.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Too cliched in an attempt to portray liberal progressive christianity ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2018

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Too cliched in an attempt to portray liberal progressive christianity (which I adhere to) and set it against right wing evangelical fundamentalism. There was little or no nuance to the book with every charater being an extreme one dimensional example of the chatacateur that he was trying to portray. Should have stuck to theology and not novels.

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rev.obejoyful

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting ordinary folk to think about faith

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I serve in a UPA parish in Somerset. The fact that this is a novel (primarily) means that none of my folk have been put off reading it and in fact, the vast majority have really engaged with the questions it asks. Most of them have no formal educational qualifications and would baulk at anything too intellectual. But this book has got them in despite their own perceived lack of education.

Almost everyone has found it 'unsettling' and most discover very early, that they have never really read their Bibles at all, just skimmed the surface and settled for an unquestioned series of assumptions, normally given with the traditional Nativity Play. The book raises serious and deep questions about what faith is really about. Not everyone can easily face the wrestling with doubts which this book inevitably raises. However, with encouragement, no one has dropped out so far and all are taking their courage in their hands, to persevere on a journey of self discovery and growth. I trust that most will indeed put away their security blankets and go on to develop a responsible and mature faith.

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This book arrived well before the date given.Although described as having been read, this book was definitely as new. It's a great novel for anyone trying to understand faith issues in an easy to read form.

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5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent sophisticated read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 March 2015

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An excellent read for the mature Christian. Reading this is a great way to review your thinking as well as develop some new idea. i enjoyed it very much. There is a lot of source material that can be read separately as well as the story line to tie things together.

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