On November 1 (local time) in the auditorium of Trinity Western University (TWU), VIEW held its 20th anniversary celebration, together with a ceremony of farewell to the former director and installment of the new director. New Director Chun said, “Now I must follow the Don Quixote who has been dancing alone for the past 20 years. If you all will join me in this dance to draw up the future of the church, we will bring about a new Korean and world Christianity.” Some 200 school staff, TWU guests, supporters from local Korean churches, and alumni participated in the ceremony.
The change of VIEW directorship indicates the change of generation in the Korean church’s Christian worldview movement, which began in the 1980s. In his farewell remarks Prof. Yang, one of the movement’s first members, said, “It has been nearly 40 years, and now I’m in my 60s. The primary reason I decided to hand over the directorship is that it’s become more difficult for me to communicate with members in their 30s and 40s, the main axis of the new generation.”
Early this year when “Worldview” magazine, published by the Christian Worldview Studies Association of Korea, dealt negatively with the Moon Jae-in administration’s clearing away of longstanding power abuses, it was criticized for having become “too conservative.” Last year’s heated debate over creation science, which erupted during the hearing on Park Seong-jin as a candidate for the post of Minister of the Ministry of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and Startups, clearly showed that the Christian worldview movement has failed to communicate adequately outside the church. Many have pointed to the need for self-reflection and change in the movement.
In his inauguration speech, new Director Chun (photo above) spoke about the direction of change. “The Christian worldview has to be humble. Dialogue is necessary, rather than trying to compete and win over different worldviews. The Christian worldview we are newly dreaming of is to walk in a new direction in everyday and public settings, toward a Gospel of hospitality, not a law of hatred, and toward human prosperity beyond church growth.”
Reporter Kim Jibang (fattykim@kmib.co.kr), from Langley (Canada), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo provided by VIEW
Full Story in Korean:
‘기독교 세계관 운동’ 변화가 시작됐다: VIEW 설립 20주년… 전성민 신임 대학원장 취임
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