Public Theology in Korea?

Public Theology is one of the most important topics in the field of theology across the world but not in Korea. There are several historical and theological reasons for this indifference of Korean Reformed Christianity as the mainstream in Korea. In order to dispel doubts of Korean Reformed Christianity to the public theological approaches it is necessary to demonstrates a coherence between some characteristics of public theology and Reformed theology.  This study analyses and utilises the six characteristics of public theology presented by Heinrich Bedford-Strohm as a lens to engage aspects of John Calvin's theology and the period of the Reformation in Geneva. Based on this work, the author re-examines the history of Korean Christianity with a public theological point of view and asserts the justification for Korean Reformed Christianity to actively embrace public theological approaches.

Minseok Kim is a Research Fellow at the Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology and Researcher at the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology at University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.