가정해체에 대한 기독교교육학적 고찰: 이혼의 책임과 결과를 중심으로

Koreans have come to embrace two contradictory models of personal and family life: marriage, a formal commitment to share one's life with another, and individualism, which emphasizes personal growth and development. The former promotes lasting relationships while the latter encourages more fluid and changeable relationships. Each model is culturally reinforced by two powerful societal institutions: religion and law. The inconsistencies between religion and law in Korea with regard to family life are explored. The idea that contemporary religion, although supportive of marriage, embraces the quest for self‐development is argued. Koreans in particular think of marriage primarily as a relationship between two adults, while ignoring the consequences affecting the children of divorced or separated parents. This paper explores the gap between these contradictions and examines the notion of marriage as being much more than a socio‐economic relationship between two adults. In an effort to answer the question of “Why do people marry?”, the notion of marriage as adult happiness was examined, with its implication that the responsibilities of parenting children is dismissed. We believe that the lack of clarity and cultural consensus about the decline of stable marriages is dangerous. Erasing the bond between marriage and child rearing weakens Korea's ability to fulfill its promises of fairness, equality, opportunity, and prosperity. Instead, it results in the disintegration of families and an increase in the inequality between people of stable families and people of broken families.