In this article the author makes a pioneering effort to investigate the distinctive social phenomenon of civil religion in Korea. Originating in the familism supported by Neo-Confucian Weltanschauung, this civil religion emphasizes private, not public, human relationships and is characterized by strong connectionism. Today, it has become a kind of traditionalism which obstructs the development of modernization in Korea. While acting as a driving force in the modernization of Korean society, it has also prevented the eradication of the collusion between politics and business, crime and corruption, and so on. In addition, it impedes the development of democratization, which depends on openness. Koreans face the task of re-conceptualizing their civil religion in the context of modernity.
References
1.
Bellah, Robert N. (1970) “Civil Religion in America”, in Robert N. Bellah (ed.) Beyond Belief: Essays on Religion in a Post-traditional World, pp. 168-189. New York: Harper & Row.
2.
Bellah, Robert N. and Hammond, Phillip E. (1980) Varieties of Civil Religion. London: Harper & Row.
3.
Cha, Seong Hwan (1984) “Transformation of the Moral System and the Social Stratum in EarlyChosun”, Sociological Studies1: 114-137.
4.
Cha, Seong Hwan (1995) A Sociological Understanding of Korean Religious Thought. Seoul: Moonhak-gwa-jisung Press.
5.
Choe, Young-sung (1997) A History of Confucian Thought in Choson Dynasty II. Seoul: Asiamoonhwasa.
6.
Choi, Jae-suk (1983) A Study of the Korean Family. Seoul: Iljisa.
7.
Choi, Jang-jip (1988) “Korean Regionalism: What is the Problem?”, in Institute of Korean Society (ed.) Trend and Perspective, pp. 200-209. Seoul: Taeamsa.
8.
Deuchler, Martina (1992) The Confucian Transformation of Korea: A Study of Society and Ideology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
9.
Economic Planning Board (1965, 1985, 1986) A Statistical Yearbook of Korea. Seoul: Economic Planning Board.
10.
Helgesen, Geir (1998) Democracy and Authority in Korea: The Cultural Dimension in Korean Politics. New York: St Martin's Press.
11.
Hwang, Yon-soo (1988) “Monopolistic Capital and the Problems of Farm Prices”, in Korean Institute of Fishing and Agrarian Villages (ed.) A Study of the Problem of Korean Agriculture and the Peasant, pp. 367-403. Seoul: Yongusa.
12.
Jung, Do-jeon (1984) Translated Collection of Jung, Do-jeon's Articles, Vol. 1. Seoul: Association for National Culture Promotion.
13.
Jung, Young-il (1984) “The Present State of Korean Agriculture and Its Task”, in Hyun-chae Parket al. (eds) A New Perspective on the Agricultural Problem in Korea. Seoul: Dolbaege.
14.
Keon, Gyu-sik (1985) “Civil Religion in America: Centered on R. Bellah”, Religion Today8: 81-100.
15.
Keum, Jang-tae (1993) “On Moral Obligations”, in Academy of Korean Studies (ed.) Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Vol. 7, pp. 839-844. Seoul: Woongjin Press.
16.
Kim, Byung-seok (1999) “A Study of the Four Kinds of Solidarity in Korea”, Monthly Choson5: 625-656.
17.
Kim, Man-heum (1987) A Study of Regional Conflicts in Korea. Seoul: Institute of Contemporary Society.
18.
Kim, Moon-jo (1987) “On Civil Religion”, in Institute of Christian Philosophy (ed.) Contemporary Society and Religion, pp. 167-186. Seoul: Seokwang Press.
19.
Kim, Moon-jo (1995) “The Emerging Process of Regionalism and its Characteristics”, in Yim, Hee-seopet al. (eds) Korean Society Today. Seoul: Sahoe-bipyung Press.
20.
Kim, Sung-kun (1996) “Tocqueville and Civil Religion in America”, in Kim, Sungkunet al.In Search of Alexis de Tocqueville, pp. 157-198. Seoul: Hakmoon-gwa-sasang Press.
21.
Kim, Sun-up (1995) “Connection Networks and Connectionism”, in Yim, Hee-seopet al. (eds) Korean Society Today, pp. 169-190. Seoul: Sahoe-bipyung Press.
22.
Kim, Taek-gyu (1993) “Sul, A National Holiday in Korea”, in Academy of Korean Studies (ed.) Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Vol. 12, pp. 325-333. Seoul: Woongjin Press.
23.
Ko, Heung-hwa , ed. (1989) Bad Blood in Korea. Seoul: Sungwon Press.
24.
Korean Psychological Association , ed. (1989) A Psychological Interpretation of the Korean Regional Conflict: With Special Reference to its Fixed Ideas and Alternatives. Seoul: Sungwonsa.
25.
Lim, Dong-Kwon (1993) “Chu-Seok”, in Academy of Korean Studies (ed.) Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Vol. 22, pp. 524-528. Seoul: Woongjin Press.
26.
Maison, E.S.et al. (1985) Socio-Economic Modernization in Korea. Seoul: Korean Development Institute.
27.
Masao, Maruyama (1998) Fidelity and Treason: Mental Historical Status of Japan in Transition, trans. Park, Choong-suk et al. Seoul: Nanam Press.
28.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry (1985) The Present State of the Industrial Complex. Seoul: Ministry of Commerce and Industry Press.
29.
Ministry of Home Affairs (1996) A Yearbook of Korean Cities, Vol. 25. Seoul: Ministry of Home Affairs Press.
30.
Moon, Suk-nam (1984) “A Study of Regional Differences and Conflicts in Youngnam District and Honam”, Korean Sociology18 (Winter): 184-209.
31.
Nam, Young-shin (1993) A Study of Regionalism. Seoul: Hakmin Press.
32.
Paek, Sun-gi (1997) “Korean Politics and Connectionism”, in Yim, Tae-sup (ed.) Pity, Face, Connection, and Human Relations in Korea, pp. 211-234. Seoul: Hannarae Press.
33.
Legge, James (trans.) (1960), The Chinese Classics, Vol. V. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
34.
Weber, Max (1980) Gesammelte Politische Schriften, ed. Johannes Winkelmann. Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr.
35.
Yi, Dong-hoon (1998) Humanism in Confucian Thought and Korean Traditional Thought. Seoul: Hanwool Academy Press.
36.
Yi, Hwang and Yi, Yi (1991) Korean Confucian Thought, trans. Yoon Sa-soon et al. Seoul: Sam-sung Press.
37.
Yi, Jong-tae (1996) “The Early Confucian School, Rooting the Spirits of Confucian Morality”, in Association of Korean Thought Studies (ed.) Schools of Confucianism in Chosun, pp. 59-89. Seoul: Yemoon-sewon Press.
38.
Yi, Tae-jin (1993) “Kim, Sook-ja” in Academy of Korean StudiesEncyclopedia of Korean Culture, Vol. 4. Seoul: Woongjin Press.
39.
Yoo, Cho-ha (1996) “On the Theoretical Foundation of Neo-Confucianism in Chosun”, in Association of Korean Thought Studies (ed.) Neo-Confucian Schools in Chosun, pp. 19-58. Seoul: Yemoon-sewon Press.
40.
Yoo, Seung-kook (1991) “On Confucian Thought in Korea”, in Korean Confucian Thought, trans. Yoon, Sa-soon et al., pp. 8-38. Seoul: Samsung Press.
