The Trinity in Asian perspective
by Lee, Jung Young
Publication date 1996
Topics Trinity, Theology, Doctrinal -- Asia, Christianity and culture, East and West, Religion, Theology, Doctrinal, Trinitätslehre, Christian sociology, East and West -- Religion -- Christianity, Asia -- Religion, Asia, Asien, Asia -- Religion -- Christianity
Publisher Nashville : Abingdon Press
Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks
Contributor Internet Archive
Language English
255 pages : 23 cm
Western Christians often despair of finding meaning in the paradoxical statement that God is both "One" and "Three". The problem, says Jung Young Lee, is not with the doctrine of the Trinity itself; rather, it is with the Western conceptual tendency to view reality in exclusive, "either/or" terms. The Trinity is at its heart an inclusive doctrine of one God who is nonetheless three distinct persons. In order to grasp this fact, we need different conceptual categories, not only with which to view God, but all of reality. The Asian philosophical construct of yin and yang can offer a way out of this problem, with its inherently "both/and" way of thinking. Drawing on a variety of East Asian religious traditions, Lee offers a creative reinterpretation of this central Christian doctrine. He shows how a global perspective can illuminate Western theological constructs as he establishes the necessity of a contextual approach to the doctrine of the Trinity. -- Book cover
Includes bibliographical references (pages 246-251) and index
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삼위일체의 동양적 사유
이정용 (지은이),임찬순 (옮긴이)동연출판사2021-12-09
===
삼위일체의 동양적 사유
이정용 (지은이),임찬순 (옮긴이)동연출판사2021-12-09
원제 : The Trinity in Asian Perspective (1996년)
412쪽
목차
1장 머리글
2장 음양의 상징적 사유: 동양적 시각
3장 삼위일체적 사고
4장 성자 하나님
5장 성령 하나님
6장 성부 하나님
7부 신의 삼위일체 서열
8부 삼위일체적 삶
9장 결론
저자 및 역자소개
이정용 (지은이)
저자파일
신간알리미 신청
1935년 평안남도 출생으로, 한국동란 직후 도미하여 오하이오 핀들레이대학에서 화학을 공부한 후 개럿신학교에서 신학석사를, 보스턴대학원에서 신학박사 학위를 받았다. 1963~1964년 흑인 대학인 하워드대학의 전문사서로 근무하면서 흑인민권운동에 참여했으며, ‘한국농촌목회자 평생교육을 위한 재단’(Fund for Continuing Education for Korean Ministers)을 설립하여 농촌목회자들을 돕기 위해 헌신했다. 1968년부터 오토바인대학, 노스다코타주립대학에서 종교학 교수로 재직하면서 기독교 및 세계종교를 가르... 더보기
최근작 : <[큰글자책] 역易과 모퉁이의 신학>,<역易과 모퉁이의 신학>,<그 길을 걸으라> … 총 8종 (모두보기)
임찬순 (옮긴이)
저자파일
신간알리미 신청
서울대 철학과와 한국학중앙연구원 한국학대학원에서 철학과 종교학을 공부했다. 벨기에 루뱅대 연수 후 미국 뉴저지 드루대학교 신학대학원에서 목회학 석사(M.Div.)와 박사(Ph.D.)를 마쳤다. 현재는 텍사스 알링턴에 있는 언약감리교회(UMC of the Covenant)를 섬기고 있다. 재미 신학자 고 이정용 박사의 제자로 ‘정용리안’으로 불렸으며, 역서로는 줄리아 칭의 『유교와 기독교』, 이정용의 『삼위일체의 동양적 사유』와 목회현장을 담담하게 그려낸 영성시집 『바람의 노래, 목자의 노래』가 있다.
최근작 : <[큰글자책] 역易과 모퉁이의 신학>,<역易과 모퉁이의 신학> … 총 5종 (모두보기)
412쪽
목차
1장 머리글
2장 음양의 상징적 사유: 동양적 시각
3장 삼위일체적 사고
4장 성자 하나님
5장 성령 하나님
6장 성부 하나님
7부 신의 삼위일체 서열
8부 삼위일체적 삶
9장 결론
저자 및 역자소개
이정용 (지은이)
저자파일
신간알리미 신청
1935년 평안남도 출생으로, 한국동란 직후 도미하여 오하이오 핀들레이대학에서 화학을 공부한 후 개럿신학교에서 신학석사를, 보스턴대학원에서 신학박사 학위를 받았다. 1963~1964년 흑인 대학인 하워드대학의 전문사서로 근무하면서 흑인민권운동에 참여했으며, ‘한국농촌목회자 평생교육을 위한 재단’(Fund for Continuing Education for Korean Ministers)을 설립하여 농촌목회자들을 돕기 위해 헌신했다. 1968년부터 오토바인대학, 노스다코타주립대학에서 종교학 교수로 재직하면서 기독교 및 세계종교를 가르... 더보기
최근작 : <[큰글자책] 역易과 모퉁이의 신학>,<역易과 모퉁이의 신학>,<그 길을 걸으라> … 총 8종 (모두보기)
임찬순 (옮긴이)
저자파일
신간알리미 신청
서울대 철학과와 한국학중앙연구원 한국학대학원에서 철학과 종교학을 공부했다. 벨기에 루뱅대 연수 후 미국 뉴저지 드루대학교 신학대학원에서 목회학 석사(M.Div.)와 박사(Ph.D.)를 마쳤다. 현재는 텍사스 알링턴에 있는 언약감리교회(UMC of the Covenant)를 섬기고 있다. 재미 신학자 고 이정용 박사의 제자로 ‘정용리안’으로 불렸으며, 역서로는 줄리아 칭의 『유교와 기독교』, 이정용의 『삼위일체의 동양적 사유』와 목회현장을 담담하게 그려낸 영성시집 『바람의 노래, 목자의 노래』가 있다.
최근작 : <[큰글자책] 역易과 모퉁이의 신학>,<역易과 모퉁이의 신학> … 총 5종 (모두보기)
====
A Glimpse at Spirituality
Quiet Reflection: Toward Human Flourishing by Lan Yong Xing
Wednesday, 17 July 2013
TRINITY IN ASIAN PERSPECTIVE
Jung Young Lee’s Trinity in Asian Perspective departs from the author’s view on the needs to present and share Asian perspective of the Trinity to the Western world. As the world has become more and more interrelated as the result of globalization, therefore no longer can Europe be seen as the axis of world civilization. The rapid growth of Christianity in Asia has changed the once “Christian West” into “Global Christianity” (my terminology). Lee’s attempt in introducing the Trinity in Asian perspective is not to replace the traditional theology of the Trinity but to complement it. Lee modestly presents this new insights or new dimension of thinking in his thesis. He equates his thesis to his daughter’s Sunday School drawing of God – a flat-faced person with big eyes. Due to our finitude, we cannot have full understanding about the infinite God. God is far beyond our comprehension to grasp.
The reviewer agrees with the author on the understanding of God as “an unknown mystery” (p.12). God is beyond human comprehension. Lee has rightly said, “When we speak of God, we therefore mean the God of our understanding, who is not identical with Godself” (p.13). Lee is right when he adds “everything we say or attempt to say about God is not about God himself but about our perception of God through the symbols or images that are meaningful within the limits of our own existence in time and space” (p.50).
Lee also reminds that every theological statement we make is “a symbolic statement” because we cannot talk about the reality of God for we can only understand God in terms of its meaning to our lives (p.13). Hence, the task of theology is not to replace symbols but to find its meaning to our lives. Lee understands the task of theology as “symbolic quest” seeking the meaning of divine reality (p.14). With this in mind, we can move forward to explore Lee’s delineation on the Trinity in Asian perspective.
Yin Yang symbolic thinking is used by Lee as East Asian way of thinking to examine the concept of Trinitarian God. Lee believes that yin-yang symbol is deep-rooted in the sub consciousness of the East Asian mindsets (p.23). He calls it “collective sub-consciousness”, imprinted and resides in East Asian worldview. Similar to David Kwang Sun Suh, Lee also thinks that theology is autobiographical, however Lee adds that theology is more than an autobiography, it is the story of a life journey (p.23). This is Lee’s prolegomena in developing his minjung theology.
Yin-ying symbolic thinking is relational thinking, non-conflicting but “complementary dualism” (p.31). Lee calls the yin-yang complementary dualism as “both-and” thinking different from Aristotelian either-or logic. By “both-and” meaning it also includes “either-or” because “both-and” that rejects “either-or” is an “either-or” itself. According to “I-Ching” change is the ultimate reality whilst being and substance is its manifestation (p.27). Hence, in order to understand yin-yang we need to shift our basis of thinking from ontological to changelogical (p.27). “Change is the ultimate reality in yin-yang symbolic thinking” (p.53).
Lee urges his readers to preserve the symbol of “one in three and three in one” (p.57). Lee affirms that replacing the numbers “three and one” with other symbols such as “plurality-singularity or unity-diversity” does injustice to Trinity (p.55). Jesus’ Trinitarian statement “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:11) is the best proof for the co-existence and non-contradictory for one and three and three in one according to yin-yang thinking (p.59).
“If everything in the world can be described in terms of yin-yang symbolism, then everything that happens in the world can be regarded as a trinitarian act” (p.63). Lee uses East Asian notion of Trinity: heaven, earth and humanity in correspondence with Christian Trinity - heaven as Father, earth as the Holy Spirit and humanity as Christ (p.64). Lee explains that God is both personal and non-personal being (p.65). In the reviewer’s understanding, God is personal because He relates, He is deeply involved in His creation and God is impersonal in His various manifestations in His creation.
Lee demonstrates that Christ is beyond male for Christ is both male and female as He is a single person but also a people representing a community (pp.78-79). Thus, according to yin-yang thinking system, Christ is both the Son and the Daughter of God. Ironically, Lee’s yin-yang thinking system is open for Christ to be the Daughter of God but cannot accommodate God the Father as God the Mother. Lee firmly states that the view of God as Mother is making Christianity into an “ahistorical religion” (p.191) because Christ Himself calls God as Father. Isn’t it more ahistorical if we call Christ the Daughter of God? Does Jesus have to be a female in order to be able to represent individuality and communality?
The most important aspect of the doctrine of the Trinity is its connectivity and relevancy to living. We can probably view “Trinitarian Living” as the pinnacle of Lee’s doctrine of the Trinity (p. 180). Lee has clearly explained in the beginning of his book that theology is autobiographical, it is a life story and our knowledge of God is derived from His revelation as well as our experience with Him. Hence, we cannot take “Trinitarian Living” out of the doctrine of the Trinitarian God. God the Creator, Provider and Sustainer of Life will never be apart from living. Our living is dearest to Him, for He cares and loves to relate.
Lee’s cosmo-centric approach to anthropology can be a good bridging point to bring across the gospel to the Chinese community as the Chinese tends to use cosmological approach to explain about the human person. Yin-yang philosophical thinking is the best example of this kind of approach. The role of human beings in the world is an important point for reflection for it determines the meaning of life. Lee uses Chi in parallel with the Spirit. Seemingly, Lee is unconcerned to differentiate between Chi as the Holy Spirit and Chi as any other spirits. The reviewer thinks it is important to differentiate between Chi and the Holy Spirit. Using the term Chi to explain about the Holy Spirit can be helpful but it will be harmful if differentiation is not made. Other spiritual entities or demonic spiritual entities are to be carefully considered and observed.
Hopefully, Lee’s modest presentation of the Trinity in East Asian perspective inspire more Asian theologians to explore and develop theology in Asian perspective to complement the so-called western theology. With the help of the Internet, communication becomes much easier. Theology from various parts of the world can interact and complement one another. It is time for Global Christianity.
at July 17, 2013
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