HDR Candidate: Chang, Hyecheong


Title of Project A Study of the Re-establishment toward a Discipleship Theology for the Korean Diaspora in Australia: Focused on the Meaning Analysis of “ἀνάθεμα”
Course of Study Doctor of Philosophy
Language of Instruction Korean
Abstract

This thesis aims to re-establish a discipleship theology for the Korean diaspora Christians, thus focusing on the meaning analysis of a Greek word, ἀνάθεμα. The core of discipleship theology has a close theological correlation with the word, ἀνάθεμα. The meaning of ἀνάθεμα has been variously interpreted by the times in the interrelationship between ἀνάθεμα and discipleship theology. Based on this correlationship, this study presents ἀνάθεμα discipleship through the critical examination on materials of the precedent studies and those of a discipleship theology. Given that ἀνάθεμα mainly means offerings (dedication), annihilation, curses, oaths, expulsion, and excommunication, the ἀνάθεμα discipleship can be understood as the dedication (offerings, sacrifice) due to the love of God and to the hatred of sin at the same time, by putting sins under God’s curse. However, the problem is that discipleship, which most of the immigrant churches had learnt in South Korea, has been accepted as the true discipleship. This acceptance of the South Korean-typed discipleship has revealed the drawbacks that the discipleship has been functioned within the framework of the programs that played a role in the growth and revival of the church. Therefore, the ἀνάθεμα discipleship that is grounded on such critical understanding, will serve as the main catalyst in establishing a discipleship theology for a context of diaspora, namely the Korean Christians Diaspora in Australia.