Abstracts Category : Other

James NobleMackenzie's Ministry in South Korea : a Missiological Explorationfrom a Minjung Perspective

by Sang Pil Son

This research is into the ministry of J. N. Mackenziein Korea from a Minjung perspective. Minjung theology grew out ofthe context of the military government which took power by a coupd'tat and which amended the Constitution for long-term power. Alarge number of people were sacrificed in the name of economicconstruction. During this time a workers suicide prompted anationwide demonstration against the governments oppression. Itwas the contextual theology of Korea which set the direction ofthe Church in this situation. Minjung were an absolute majority ofthe population and they were politically oppressed, andeconomically deprived, poorly educated, socially dominated, andreligiously neglected. Yet they sacrificed themselves to right theinjustices in the society. This study of the ministry of Australianmissionary J. N. Mackenzie, who served in Korea from 1910 to 1938,is based mainly on the data from his materials left to HelenMackenzie and then to Dr John Brown. Mackenzie served in the timeof the Japanese colonisation. Mackenzie travelled as an itinerantmissionary in rural areas and devoted himself to educatingchildren and women who had been ignored in the culture whichaccepted the dominance of men over women. His ministry alsoinvolved a remarkable service to the lepers who had been abandonedby the state, society, and family. His devotion affected hischildren and during the Korean War two of them entered ministry andworked for pregnant women and orphans. Mackenzies ministry wascertainly a sublime dedication. Since then, many people havecontributed greatly to the flowering of Korea by devotingthemselves to the renewal of their homes and society. They havetruly shown the spirit of the Minjung in Minjung theology. TheJapanese imperialists forced Shinto-worship on Korea. MostPresbyterian missionaries and Korean churches sacrificiallyresisted this. Surprisingly, Mackenzie actively advocated it. Thisleft a stigma of his being part of a pro-Japanese group which hasled to his not being fully respected in Korean church history.This study has the task of studying the right direction of theseparation of church and state by the unjust power, and on themission policy of the Australian Presbyterian Mission.Advisors/Committee Members: Niemandt, Cornelius Johannes Petrus (Nelus) (advisor).