From temple to house-church in Luke-Acts: a Lukan challenge to Korean Christianity
Abstract
This dissertation examines the portrayals of the Temple, synagogue, and
house-churches in Luke-Acts to pose a Lukan challenge to the Korean church by using
a model of architectural space which is derived from social-scientific ideas originating
in anthropology, sociology and social psychology. The dissertation proposes the
relevance of the Lukan house-church to the Korean church today so as to transform
the latter's character in its architecture and use of space into the inclusive and
missionary one which is featured in Luke-Acts. The argument of the dissertation
begins with an exploration and defence of social-scientific method (Chapter 1).
Chapter 2 begins with a history and analysis of Korean Christianity which raises
problem surrounding its use of architectural space, before setting out a socialscientific
model of architectural space, which is then applied to contemporary Korean
church architecture. Challenging current understandings of a positive Lukan attitude
toward the Temple, this study proposes in Chapter 3 that Luke had a negative
understanding of the Temple in that it was an oppressive institution characterised by
segmented spaces which divided the people of God and thus showed its illegitimacy in
relation to the saving plan of God in Jesus. The dissertation next proposes in Chapter
4 that first-century synagogues were subsidiary Temple spaces which were extended
to most parts of Mediterranean world from the central sanctuary in Jerusalem, and that
Luke portrays the synagogues as similar to the Temple. Contrary to the Temple and
synagogue, the house in Luke-Acts expresses the inclusive salvation of the gospel
which incorporates a variety of people regardless of social status, gender, age and
ethnic origin (Chapter 5). In this interpretation, the house-church is represented as an
inclusive space accessible without institutional constraints. In the Gospel, it serves to
express the Kingdom of God into which sinners are invited to enter through meals and
to be incorporated into a fictive-kinship group created by Jesus. In Acts, the house is
not only a locus of Christian meetings in which the social relationships, characteristic
of family, are practised to enhance and legitimise the social identity of Jesus'
followers, but also the modus operandi of Christian mission through which the Christ-movement
spreads throughout the Mediterranean world. This study concludes with an
Epilogue containing brief suggestions for changes in Korean church architecture and
use of space based on these Lukan insights, which have the potential radically to
transform Korean Protestant Christianity.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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