신학적인 방법론에 대한 성찰은 매우 중요한데, 신학적인 방법은 방법 자체를 넘어서 신학의 내용까지 규정하기 때문이다. 이 연구는 이정용의 양면긍정의 신학 방법론을 고찰하는데, 이 양면긍정의 사유는 그의 실존적 신학적 난제를 해결하는 배경이 되었다. 그는 재미신학자로서 동양적 세계관에 근거한 동양적 신학내지는 한국적 신학을 창조하는 구성신학적 작업을 하였다. 그는 서구 신학의 난제들을 발견하면서, 그 난제들을 동양적 사유방식을 통해서 해결하려고 도전하였는데, 그의 작업은 포스트모던 시대에 동서의 지평융합을 지향해야 하는 신학자에게는 매우 의미있는 작업이었다. 포스트모더니티는 도전인 동시에 기회인데, 비서구적인 전통과 문화들이 자기 목소리를 낼 수 있도록 하는데, 기독교는 이제 서구의 종교가 아닌 명실공히 세계종교의 자리를 확보해야 하기 때문이다. 즉, 비서구 전통들이 기독교 속에 융합내지는 제소리를 내지 않으면 세계기독교는 가능하지 않다. 이것이야말로 타자를 포용하고 담아내는 내적인 외적인 스트러글이 없다면 이루어질 수 없는 난제이다. 서구신학이 문화적 상대성과 대화에 주목하게 된 것을 넘어서서, 다른 문화들이 제목소리를 내면서도 기독교적 정신이 자리할 수 있어야 한다.
유비적 사고는 서구 신학적 전통에서 신과 인간, 신과 세계의 차이를 보충하고 매개하기 위해서 반드시 필요한 사고였다. 이정용은 관계와 신앙으로 하나님과 인간의 간극을 초극하려고 했던 칼 바르트의 유비에서 출발해서, 동양적 음양론으로 그의 신학적 사유를 넓혀나갔으며, 동양적 삼위일체적 사유를 말하는 자리까지 전진했다. 이런 과정에서, 동양적 전통의 언어가 철학적 해석을 통해 신학적 언어로 기능을 해도 전혀 손색이 없는 차원을 발견하게 되었다.
그의 신학적 구성은 동양의 종교적 전통의 일종의 서구화로 읽힐 수 있으나, 기독교의 토착화로 볼 수도 있다. 이것은 그런 작업자체가 양자택일의 길이 아닌 양면긍정의 길이다. 동서는 이제는 더 이상 고정된 틀이 아니다. 이정용의 신학적 테제에 따르면, 기독교의 본질은 배타성에 있지 않고, 포용성에 있다. 이것이야말로 한국의 기독교인들에게 세계 기독교의 형성을 위해서 기여하기 위해서 우리 자신의 신학적 방법론을 발전시키라는 소명일 수 있다.
A reflection on theological method is very important, for a theological method even regulates the content of theology. This study is focused on Jung Young Lee's theological method, both/and way of thinking, which is the background to show his existential and theological conundrums. He was a Korean American constructive theologian who had tried to construct an Asian or Korean theology based on East Asian worldview. Acknowledging conundrums in the Western theology, he attempted to resolve them through East Asian way of thinking, which is very meaningful for contemporary theologians in the postmoderm age. Postmodernity challenges and gives us opportunities that non-Western traditions and cultures raise their own voices and contribute to constructing Christian culture and theology for the sake of forming a World Christianity. On the other hand, these kinds of theological works could not be accepted universally without serious struggles of embracing others in their own lives and cultures. Analogical thinking was required in the Western theological tradition in order to complement and mediate the difference between God and human beings. Jung Young Lee's theological journey was started from Barthian analogy based on relation and faith as a neo-orthodoxian. On the other hand, his analogical thinking was expanded to East Asian way of thinking as Yin/Yang and even East Asian trinitarian way of thinking. In this process, his theological construction had been enriched and deepened through embracing East Asian traditions. His theological construction is not only a kind of Westernization of East Asian religious traditions but also a kind of indigenization of Christianity, which seems to go beyond this kind of category. East and West is not a fixed category any longer. According to his theological These, the essence of Christianity is not exclusivity but inclusiveness, which is a calling for Korean Christian theologians to develop our own theological method and theological creativity for the sake of forming World Christianity.
A reflection on theological method is very important, for a theological method even regulates the content of theology. This study is focused on Jung Young Lee's theological method, both/and way of thinking, which is the background to show his existential and theological conundrums. He was a Korean American constructive theologian who had tried to construct an Asian or Korean theology based on East Asian worldview. Acknowledging conundrums in the Western theology, he attempted to resolve them through East Asian way of thinking, which is very meaningful for contemporary theologians in the postmoderm age. Postmodernity challenges and gives us opportunities that non-Western traditions and cultures raise their own voices and contribute to constructing Christian culture and theology for the sake of forming a World Christianity. On the other hand, these kinds of theological works could not be accepted universally without serious struggles of embracing others in their own lives and cultures. Analogical thinking was required in the Western theological tradition in order to complement and mediate the difference between God and human beings. Jung Young Lee's theological journey was started from Barthian analogy based on relation and faith as a neo-orthodoxian. On the other hand, his analogical thinking was expanded to East Asian way of thinking as Yin/Yang and even East Asian trinitarian way of thinking. In this process, his theological construction had been enriched and deepened through embracing East Asian traditions. His theological construction is not only a kind of Westernization of East Asian religious traditions but also a kind of indigenization of Christianity, which seems to go beyond this kind of category. East and West is not a fixed category any longer. According to his theological These, the essence of Christianity is not exclusivity but inclusiveness, which is a calling for Korean Christian theologians to develop our own theological method and theological creativity for the sake of forming World Christianity.