This thesis is one of the chapters of "A Critical Study of the Problems of the Elderly in the Pusan Presbytery, Pusan Korea". That Dissertation /Project is approved by the Advanced Pastoral Studies Committee of San Francisco Theological Seminary, upon recommendation by Advisor, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, "Doctor of ministry. "
This thesis is a Christian understanding on the elderly which shows the biblical perspectives of the aged and has been asserted by the theological perspectives of the aged.
In this basic understanding of the aged, the theology of the aged has been carefully attempted and introduced to gerontology circles in Korea.
A Christian understanding on the problem of the aged must based on the biblical understandang. It has been recognized that long life is God´s blessing, as a reward for piety and as a divine gift to those who have obeyed the commandments. And the aged persons are regarded as symbols of wisdom.
The New and Old Testaments have already given the foundation and base of the elderly´s security, up to today.
From the theological viewpoint, even though many areas of Christian theology can be applied to the ploblems of the aged, attention has been focused on the following theological concepts : the elderly as bearers of the Imago Dei, their relation to the aim of the incarnation, the objects of God´s justice and love and a member in the church as the body of christ.
From a missiological viewpoint, even though the interpretation of "mission" has been used so plural meanings as ´response´, ´dialogue´, ´service´, ´presence´, and ´fulfillment´ that menifest the every meaning of mission can be accepted the specific area for the security of the aged.
In development of the theology of the aged, the following three questions are raised : what special meaning dose the Christianity give to the aged? What should and can the church do in relation to the aged? How can the church serve for the aged, by using the resources of christianity and church, and what can the aged serve for the church?
The theology of the aged above mentioned challenges as the following responses:
1) The theology of the aging is to help the Aged through faith in God for their faceing the reality of loss and strengthening and facilitating them.
2) The theology of the aged must direct attention to the joy of self realization of the aged as a human being.
3) The theology of the aged should awaken the aged for acknowledging their duties and responsibilities.
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