In this thesis, the present writer conducted a comparative study of Tongilgyo and Donghak in their understanding of humankind. In order to research the understanding of humankind according to the Tongilgyo, I suggest three categories: humankind as fa...
In this thesis, the present writer conducted a comparative study of Tongilgyo and Donghak in their understanding of humankind. In order to research the understanding of humankind according to the Tongilgyo, I suggest three categories: humankind as fallen beings, humankind in their original state; and humankind as perfected individuals.
Tongilgyo uses the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve to explain the fallen aspect of humanity. As the common ancestor of humankind, Adam and Eve were the source of the separation between God and His children.
Using Adam and Eve to explain Humanity's fallen state is common among Korean Christian churches. Korean Christian Spiritualists, e.g., Kim Sung Do's SungJuGyo, Jung Deuk Eun's the Principle of Life, and Kim Baek Moon's Holy Spirit Theology explain humanity's present state using the Bible's account of Adam and Eve.
As the result of my research, I have concluded that there are other churches that have closely related explanations of the fallen state of humankind that are similar to Tongilgyo's theory.
The second part of my thesis is concerned with humankind created by God in an original state. Tongilgyo reconfirms the traditional Christian view of the parent-child relationship between God and humans. God is the Parent of humanity, and we are the children who receive the divine love and concern of our creator.
According to the Principle of God's Creation, humankind were designed to exist possessing our creator's divine nature. Human life and spirituality were meant to reflect that divinity. In light of this principle, reconciliation with our original state needs to occur through individual effort.
Humankind who possess the divine love of God try to accomplish individual growth through the development of their personality. The individual experiences further growth and development through their spouse and children. In addition, humans must seek harmony with nature and with all humans.
A person who accomplishes this ideological state is defined as a 'saint', but this concept is used differently from the Christian one. According to the Tongilgyo Ideology, a saint is one who tries to accomplish the original state of humankind and lives a life that demonstrates this state of divine love.
Consequently, Donghak's new humanism, which revived the dignity of humankind, set the Confucian society on fire by the theory of serving God and serving humankind as Hanul-nim. This theory includes the ideas of nurturing the development of God who is innate within each humankind, regarding humankind as Hanul-nim, and the view of humankind as the Hanul-nim. This revolutionary perspective of humankind raised the Harmony(調和), SangSeng(相生) in the relationship among God, humans, and the natural world.
The opening of the Tongilgyo's new era is supposed to offer a new explanation of humankind in relation to humanism. This new perspective will shed a light on the role of the individual as the one who is responsible for perfection of personality, family, and harmony with the natural world.