Song-Chong Lee – författare

Song-Chong Lee’s Ham Sok Hon's Ssial Philosophy for a Cosmopolitan Vision offers an introduction to the philosophy of Ham Sok Hon (???), an iconic figure in the intellectual and political history of modern Korea, and a discussion of the contributions of his ssial (??/seeds, people) philosophy to cosmopolitanism. Known as Gandhi of Han’guk, Ham (1901–1989) was at the epicenter of a series of tumultuous political events in Korea and played a pioneering role in progressive social activism, including the independence movement, promotion of nationalist education, protests against military regimes, and pietistic, religious liberalism. According to Lee, Ham developed his own syncretic, authentic philosophy of ssial and applied it to his understanding and assessment of theology, history, politics, and even international relations. His syncretism culminated at his anthropology of ssial and his expanded notion of community. Lee argues that Ham’s ssial philosophy, which reconstructed the citizen’s identity as an active agent for political progress, led him to defy the excessively parochial nationalism, romanticized patriotism, and indoctrinated religiosity with which he believed the whole society was infatuated during the mid-twentieth century--and ultimately to advocate for a cosmopolitan community.

Life of Meaning Anthology: Introductory Readings in Religion invites students to consider an array of existential queries that also serve as core questions for conversations on world religious traditions. Readers evaluate questions of meaning, faith, and vocation through enduring religious and philosophical texts.Part I encourages readers to consider big questions of life: What is most important? What does it mean to be human? Is there more to life than meets the eye? What obligation do I have to others and to the world? Part II introduces students to the study of religion and presents religion as a source of truth-claims. In additional parts, students explore seminal texts and perspectives within the traditions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The final section of the anthology addresses contemporary issues of religion, including interreligious dialogue, religion and science, the effects of internet on religion, and religion and the environment.Inviting students to consider spirituality and their understanding of the world and their place in it, Life of Meaning Anthology is ideal for introductory courses in religious studies.

This book addresses a notable lacuna within the corpus of English-language scholarship by investigating Ham Sok Hon’s philosophy of peace. Ham Sok Hon (1901-1989) is hailed as one of modern Korea’s most influential figures, having been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. Throughout his life, he embraced various roles, including those of activist, journalist, historian, poet, and philosopher, while consistently advocating for democratization, human rights, and labor rights. Whereas existing literature primarily offers biographical narrative, this work provides a focused and systematic analysis of Ham's fundamental doctrines concerning peace and non-violence. Central to this analysis is an in-depth exploration of Ham's key concepts, such as “ssial philosophy,” “saengmyeong (life) consciousness,” and the intriguing notion of “tteut (meaning).” By drawing from a wide range of philosophical and religious traditions believed to have influenced Ham’s thinking, including Christianity, Hinduism, Confucianism, Daoism, as well as works by notable figures like H.G. Wells, Henry David Thoreau, Henry Bergson, Rabindranath Tagore, and Mahatma Gandhi, the proposed text aims to provide a nuanced, syncretic understanding of his conception of peace. Furthermore, the book contributes to the overall global discourse on peace and nonviolence.

This volume project explores how evolving values and identities in contemporary Korean society are interpreted, particularly through the lens of religion, positioning it as a window into Korea’s dynamic cultural and social landscape. As Korea grapples with rapid modernization, shifting religious beliefs and expressions reflect new aspects of the Korean people’s values and identity, in both personal and communal dimensions. We believe that this dynamic backdrop creates a complex web of tensions as Koreans negotiate between established norms and newly infused or internally emerging global ideas, inspiring and provoking efforts to navigate and advocate for future directions both within and beyond the country.