19세기 “문화-프로테스탄티즘”의 낙관적 종말론에 대한 역사신학적 평가

This paper evaluates from a historical viewpoint the optimistic eschatology of the “Culture-Protestantism” in the 19th Century. The Culture-Protestantism, a term for Liberal Theology, was a specific theological zeitgeist which emerged as an antithesis of theological orthodoxy. In the 19th century, Christianity faced a challenge of rationalism under the influence of the Enlightenment. Christianity responded to the challenge with Culture-Protestantism on the basis of Hegelian and Kantian epistemology. In particular, the culture-protestantism stands in line with the optimism of the modern rational philosophy which views the ethical Kingdom of God as realized by the good will of humanity. Friedrich Schleiermacher, Albrecht Ritschl, and Adolf von Harnack constructed the optimistic eschatology by interpreting that the Kingdom of God exists in the history and culture of humanity. This optimistic understanding of the Christian eschatology emphasized by the culture-protestantism has a historical value since it has provided a theological principle to solve the dilemma of a biblical eschatology caused by the delay of the second coming of Jesus Christ. However, the optimistic eschatology of the Culture-Protestantism was challenged in the 20th century by reason that the modern progressive ideas have failed. Upon the Culture-Protestantism’s failure, Christian theologians were able to develop various understanding of the biblical eschatology through seeking new theological eschatology. As a result, the optimistic eschatology of the Culture-Protestantism laid a foundation, from which to formulate Christian eschatology in historical-dialectical ways.