한국에서의 군종제도의 시작은 기독교가 주도적인 역할을 하였다. 기독교 군목제도는 반공을 국시로 하고 다수의 기독교 신자들이 참여한 이승만 대 통령 시절에 독점적인 위치를 차지하고 있었다. 초기부터 천주교도 신부들 도 참여했지만, 기독교 군목만큼 그 활동이 활발하지 못했다. 1960년대 후반 에 월남전이 발발하면서 불교도 파병된 한국 병사들을 위해 군승을 파송하 기 시작하면서 표면적으로는 세 종교가 선의의 경쟁을 하는 것처럼 보였으 나, 실제로는 적지 않은 종교적 갈등을 빚은 것도 사실이었다. 최근에 들어 햇볕정책을 비롯한 대북정책의 변화로 반공이라는 단어가 서 서히 사라지고, 북한이 더 이상 우리의 주적이 아니라는 이데올로기 진공의 정치적 상황은 군종 병과의 존폐를 위협하고 있다. 뿐만 아니라, 종교 간의 과열경쟁도 군종무용론을 부추기는 요소가 되었다. 현재의 군목 활동은 상 당히 제한되고 있으며, 병사들의 군대적응을 상담하고 교육하는 정도이고, 장병들을 위한 정신교육이나 종교 강연도 사라지고 있다. 전통과 절대 진리 를 거부하는 포스트모더니즘의 영향으로 탈(脫)이데올로기적이고 탈(脫)윤리 적인 이 시대에는 군대에서 도덕교육도 불가능하게 한다. 그럼에도 불구하 고, 군종제도나 군종장교들의 활동은 한국군의 신앙전력화와 사병들의 군생 활에 긍정적인 공헌을 해 왔음을 부인할 수 없다. 대한민국 헌법이 지향하는 평등이 획일적 평등이 아니라 공정한 평등이라 면, 군대 내의 군종장교의 수나 군종정책을 수행해 나가는 데에 있어서 고려 해야할사항이바로군신자현황이아닐수없다. 기독교, 천주교, 불교, 그 리고 원불교의 신자현황을 비교해 보면 현역사병의 수나 군무원, 부사관, 준 사관, 위관, 영관, 장군수에있어서기독교신자의수가압도적으로많은것 은 사실이다. 군목제도를 창설하게 된 동기가 기독교의 특혜를 위한 것이라 기보다는 국가의 운명을 좌우하는 치열한 전투 속에서 장병들을 정신적으로 위로하고 영적으로 무장시켜 절박한 위기를 극복하도록 피눈물 나는 고생과 수고의 결과이었음을 인지해야 할 것이다. 국방부가 군종제도에 대한 객관 적이고 합리적인 정책을 펼쳐갈 수 있도록 자문하고 합의에 도출할 수 있도 록 최대한의 노력을 해야 한다. 헌법에 보장된 “종교의 자유”를 추구하다, 결국은 “포교의 자유”를 희생시켜야 할 처지에 놓일 수도 있기 때문이다.

The military chaplain system in Korea has been originated and developed mainly by Korean Christian Churches. When chaplain system was established by President Seung-Man Rhee, and his government, it went well with Korean Christianity’s anti-communism. Especially, at the time of Korean War(1950-53), military chaplains recruited by Department of Defense and supported by various denominations of Korean Protestant Churches, have effectively done their role in their ministry fields. From the early stage of military chaplain system, Korean Roman Catholic Churches have sent their priests even though their activities were not prominent. However, when Korean armies participated in Vietnamese War in the late 1960s, chaplains were recruited from Buddhists also. In spite of cooperation in the ministry of military chaplains sent by Korean Protestant Churches, Roman Catholic Churches, and Buddhists, lots of religious struggles have been intensified. Recently, the national mood against communism has been remarkably weakened by “sunshine policy” to North Korea practiced by the previous governments in Korea. And also, due to religious competitions and struggles among various religions, a kind of negative impression against military chaplain system became bigger and stronger. With the spread of religious pluralism and post-modernism in Korea, religious roles of military chaplains can not be done properly. Particularly, the role of Christian military chaplains is being weak in many ways because of its strong claims on the absolute nature of Christian faith and truth. But, it is to note that the military chaplain system has greatly contributed to the enhancement of Korean soldiers’ spiritual life and their successful service to the army. Especially, the ministry of Christian military chaplains have been essentially important to the development of it from the beginning. The concept of “religious neutrality and freedom” declared in the constitution of Korea, is to be fairly practiced in the process of recruiting and disposing of chaplains sent by various religions in Korea. However, it is very essential to consider the present situation of believers in armies in this process. Without its consideration, the military chaplain system will not play a very positive role in maintaining national religious life in the army. The ultimate reason of starting military chaplain system in Korean army by the Korean Christian Church was to make safe our national crisis at wars, not to just propagate Christian message to the Korean soldiers. The military chaplain system will be developed well on the condition that the concept of religious freedom guaranteed by constitution is to be practiced, not at the expense of the freedom of propagation of each religion’s important messages. Politics should not be interfered to the religious areas, especially in the military chaplain system.

The military chaplain system in Korea has been originated and developed mainly by Korean Christian Churches. When chaplain system was established by President Seung-Man Rhee, and his government, it went well with Korean Christianity’s anti-communism. Especially, at the time of Korean War(1950-53), military chaplains recruited by Department of Defense and supported by various denominations of Korean Protestant Churches, have effectively done their role in their ministry fields. From the early stage of military chaplain system, Korean Roman Catholic Churches have sent their priests even though their activities were not prominent. However, when Korean armies participated in Vietnamese War in the late 1960s, chaplains were recruited from Buddhists also. In spite of cooperation in the ministry of military chaplains sent by Korean Protestant Churches, Roman Catholic Churches, and Buddhists, lots of religious struggles have been intensified. Recently, the national mood against communism has been remarkably weakened by “sunshine policy” to North Korea practiced by the previous governments in Korea. And also, due to religious competitions and struggles among various religions, a kind of negative impression against military chaplain system became bigger and stronger. With the spread of religious pluralism and post-modernism in Korea, religious roles of military chaplains can not be done properly. Particularly, the role of Christian military chaplains is being weak in many ways because of its strong claims on the absolute nature of Christian faith and truth. But, it is to note that the military chaplain system has greatly contributed to the enhancement of Korean soldiers’ spiritual life and their successful service to the army. Especially, the ministry of Christian military chaplains have been essentially important to the development of it from the beginning. The concept of “religious neutrality and freedom” declared in the constitution of Korea, is to be fairly practiced in the process of recruiting and disposing of chaplains sent by various religions in Korea. However, it is very essential to consider the present situation of believers in armies in this process. Without its consideration, the military chaplain system will not play a very positive role in maintaining national religious life in the army. The ultimate reason of starting military chaplain system in Korean army by the Korean Christian Church was to make safe our national crisis at wars, not to just propagate Christian message to the Korean soldiers. The military chaplain system will be developed well on the condition that the concept of religious freedom guaranteed by constitution is to be practiced, not at the expense of the freedom of propagation of each religion’s important messages. Politics should not be interfered to the religious areas, especially in the military chaplain system.

Public Policy, Military Chaplain, Plurality, Religious Freedom, Separation between Politics and Religion, Constitution