earticle

영어

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Korea first provided two separate rituals (baptism and reception of members) for the process of adult initiation and, in the 1900s, reformed it by adding one more ritual (hakseup [reception of persons on probation]) as a new first ritual. The Methodist Episcopal Church's changed adult initiation track, with three separate rituals (hakseup, baptism, and ipgyo [reception of persons after probation]), was adopted by the united Methodist Church in Korea. In contrast, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in Korea consistently provided two rituals (baptism and ipgyo) for the process of adult initiation. The process for infant initiation was composed of two rituals (baptism and ipgyo for baptized children) in both Churches, and it was not completely formed until the early 1920s. In contrast, the third track of Christian initiation for children and youth existed only in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. However, this third track of children and youth initiation disappeared with the formation of the united Methodist Church in Korea in 1930. In addition, because the Korean Methodist Church adopted the Methodist Episcopal Church's rituals for the process of Christian initiations, there were only two tracks of Christian initiation for adults and infants until 2002, when a third track of Christian initiation was created by the approval of a new ritual for the administration of baptism to children. This historical study shows that although the two Methodist Episcopal Churches in Korea were different in the number of rituals for adult initiation, the ritual of baptism was thought of as a step in the process, and not as an end, in both Churches. In 1939, the Korean Methodist Church created a joint ritual of baptism and ipgyo, and abolished the ritual of hakseup in 1996. These changes in the formation of the rituals for adult initiation have resulted in a lack of understanding of Christian initiation as a process. With one ritual, and in one day, the so-called process for adult initiation is completed in the Korean Methodist Church today. It is time to rethink the lost process of Christian initiation in Korean Methodism. Several practical ways could make Korean Methodists regard Christian initiation as a process. First, a new sequence of baptismal renewal for the baptized should be added in today's baptismal rite. Second, John Wesley's Covenant Service could be adapted as a special service for baptismal renewal, especially on the first Sunday every year. Third, the services of the Baptismal Covenant need to appropriately converge around the Lord's Supper. Christian initiation is a life-long formation in which all creatures of God experience rebirth and live a new life. Becoming an initiated Christian today has to be an ongoing experience that requires time and sustained effort in the sacramental nature and union, and could even be a life-long pursuit.

한국어

오늘의 목회현장에서 대두되는 가장 어려운 문제들 가운데 하나는 세례를 단지 과거의 기억에만 간직하고 있는 교인들에게 오늘을 살아가는 새로운 삶의 원천이자 미래의 지표로 인식시킴으로써 본래 세례를 통해 얻어야 하는 그리스도인의 참된 영성을 회복시키는 것이다. 본 소논문은 한국감리교회에서 형성되고 변화되어온 그리스도인이 되는 과정을 역사적으로 살펴봄으로써 한국감리교회라는 울타리 안에서 이 문제를 해결하기 위한 실천적 방안들을 제시하고자 하는 것이 그 주된 목적이다. 초기 한국감리교회에서 형성되었던 기독교 입문은 세례예식이 성인교인에게 있어서 유일한 입교의식이 아니라 오히려 전체 과정에 있어서 하나의 단계였음을 분명히 보여주고 있다. 성인교인에게 세례와 입교를 하나의 예식으로 행하고 있는 오늘의 기독교대한감리회와는 달리, 초기 한국감리교회에서는 세례가 그리스도인이 되기 위한 중간과정으로 여겨졌으며 반드시 별도의 입교예식을 거쳐야만 했다. 한국감리교회의 기독교 입문의 형성과 변화에 대한 역사적 고찰을 통해서 세례가 성인을 위한 기독교 입문에 있어서 하나의 단계였음을 알 수 있으며, 또한 입교가 세례 못지않은 중요한 단계였다는 사실을 알 수 있다. 그러나 1939년에 세례와 입교 합동예문이 등장한 이후 오늘에 이르기까지 초기 한국감리교회에서 입교예식이 감당했던 최초의 견신과 세례언약 갱신의 기회가 사라졌다. 세례를 받고 하나님의 자녀가 된 그리스도인은 세례를 지나가버린 추억 속의 사건으로만 기억해서는 안 된다. 오늘의 삶 속에서 계속해서 하나님과의 약속이 갱신되고 하나님과의 첫 사랑이 지속적으로 고백되어져야 한다.