울산에 사는 사람이 거창, 그것도 첩첩산중 웅양면 하성마을을까지 편도 200킬로, 왕복 400킬로의 길을 달려 북토크를 다녀왔습니다. 올해 10월 홍성사에서 출간한 <샌들 신은 사도 도마>라는 책을 쓴 작가 표성흠 선생의 이름을 처음 들은 것은 67년 학번으로 대학 1학년 때였습니다. 입학동기였던 거창고등학교 출신 강민숙 님께 군대에 있으면서 편지를 열심히 보냈기 때문입니다. 그러니까 아주 옛날 두 분이 결혼하기 전부터, 이름으로 표성흠 님을 만나고, 지난 달에 <샌들 신은 사도 도마>라는 책으로 만나고, 오늘 비로소 북토크 현장에서 얼굴로 만나뵙게 되어서 반가왔습니다. 소설, 시, 산문, 아동문학 등 무려 120권 이상의 방대한 작품을 남긴 한국 현대문학의 중견작가입니다. 그가 쓴 <샌들 신은 사도 도마>라는 책 제목부터 운율이 맞아 친근감이 들었고, 문장은 단문이 주조를 이루니 읽기가 부담이 없어서 좋았습니다. 물론 그 방대한 책을 손에 넣고 처음 읽기 시작했을 때는 따라잡기가 쉽지 않았습니다. 물론 시간적으로는 2천년을 거슬러 올라가고, 공간적으로는 해 지는 서역에서 동쪽 무지개의 나라 솔롱고까지 무대를 삼는 작가의 탁월한 상상력을 독자가 한 걸음에 따라잡을 수는 없습니다. 또한 이 책을 읽을 때 소설이라는 것을 꼭 마음에 두어야 했습니다. 그래서 성경의 기록이나 역사적인 근거를 찾지 않도록 주의했습니다. “상상은 소설의 본질이기 때문에 역사적 사실과는 무관하다.”라고 작가는 밝히고 있습니다.
철저한 장사꾼 암마네스를 통해서 스토리를 엮어가는 작가의 솜씨가 돋보였습니다. 게다가 양념처럼 빼곡히 들어있는 표현들을 통해 작가의 세계관을 넘보는 재미도 쏠쏠했습니다. “자기 얼굴을 들여다볼 수 없는 게 인간이다. 거울이 있어야 얼굴을 볼 수 있다” “세상살이에 가장 중요한 것 중의 하나는 남의 말을 귀담아 듣는 일이다.” “신분과 계층은 삶의 질을 결정한다” “인간은 죽을 수 밖에 없는 존재다. 어디서 어떻게 왔건, 이제 좀 살만하면 죽는다. 이제 좀 알만하면 죽는다. 이 죽음이 인간을 하찮게 만든다. 불사신이 되기 위해 온갖 노력을 다 해보지만 인간이 영원히 산다는 이야기는 들어본 적이 없다 ” “모든 인간은 죽음에서 자유로울 수 없고 죽음의 공포를 벗어날 수도 없다” “인간의 근원적인 문제는 생사고락에 있다” “세상에는 우연이란 게 없습니다. 일어나는 모든 일에는 이미 정해진 순서가 있고 거기 따른 하늘의 뜻이 있는 것입니다.” “우연을 가장한 필연이라는 게 있다… . 시간과 공간을 만든 이만 알고 있는 비밀이다.” “우연을 가장한 필연이다. 이런 게 여호와의 구원의 역사다. 이 일련의 계획은 먼후일 명명백백하게 드러날 역사적 사실이 될 것이다.” “이건 내 뜻대로 되는게 아니라 보다 더 큰 틀을 가진 그 분의 뜻을 준행하는 일에 다름 아니다” “인간은 아무리 높은 데 올라도 물질세계 그 밖의 것은 볼 수 없다. 깨달아 안다는 것은 허상일 뿐이다” “동행이란 무엇을 뜻하는가. 순종이다. 믿고 따르는 것이다. 하나님은 온전하고 전지전능한 자다.”
그뿐 아니라 예수의 복음을 우리의 정서로 설명한 부분이 돋보였습니다. “하나님이 천지만물을 창조하고, 인간을 만든 조물주라는 사실을 믿으면 된다” “이 세상은 창조주 여호와의 것이고 인간들은 그의 세상에 세 들어 사는 것이다” “인간을 창조하신 여호와께서는 당신의 피조물을 무조건적으로 사랑하신다” 하늘나라는 “그곳으로 가기를 원하기만 하면 누구나 갈 수 있다“ “아무리 타락한 인간이라 할지라도 개과천선하여 돌아오면 받아준다는 것이 여호와의 깊고 넓은 사랑이다.” “이승에서 저승으로 바로 가는 지름길이 생겨났으니 … 그 십자가 공로를 인정하고 바라보기만 하면 능히 그 나라에 갈 수가 있다.” “엿새 동안 열심히 일하고 일곱 째 되는 날 쉬라는 것은 이날 천지를 만든 창조주를 기억하고 감사하라는 의미가 아닐 것인가” “선은 창조주의 속성이다. 창조주의 바람은 악에 물든 인간들이 선의 속성을 찾기를 바라는데 지나지 않는다” “선한 마음은 세상을 이롭게 한다” “사람은 무얼 바라느냐에 따라 그 인생이 달라진다. “기도는 여호와 하나님과의 직접 대화다” “기도야말로 하나님과 내가 바로 통할 수 있는 대화의 지름길이다.” “마음과 마음으로 이어지는 사랑의 띠는 전쟁보다도 그 어떤 상품보다도 더 빨리 안전하고도 쉽게 전달될 수 있고 그 길을 넓힐 수가 있다.” “누구나 자기를 희생하지 않고서는 이웃을 구할 수 없다.” “서로의 이웃이 되기 위해서 희생은 불가피하다. 서로간의 희생이 서로간의 행복을 가져오는 것이다.”
<샌들 신은 사도 도마>라는 소설을 통해서 알아듣기 쉽게 복음을 말할 수 있다는 것을 새롭게 배웁니다. 그리고 우린 너무 상상력을 사용하지 않는다는 점을 반성합니다. 암기 위주의 역사공부를 하다보니 상상력 배양의 기회가 없어서일까요? 아니면 정통교리를 중요시하는 신학공부의 폐단일까요? 아니면 우리 시대 전반의 문제는 자연과학의 전성시대라서 문학적 상상력의 결핍에 있는 것일까요? 비록 일점일획도 틀림이 없는 진리를 전할 때도, 우리의 상상력을 사용하면 청중의 귀가 솔깃해 질 수 있다는 사실을 새롭게 배우며 반성합니다. 마지막으로 작가의 말을 한 번 더 인용하고 싶습니다. “도마는 예수의 샌들을 신고 땅끝까지 와 사명을 전파했다… .바퀴나 맨발로는 갈 수 없던 험한 길이 복음 전도의 길이다.” “형이 땅끝까지 가 복음을 전하라 한 것은 지도상의 땅끝이 아니라 … 세상 어느 곳이든 사람이 모인 곳이면 그곳이 땅끝인 셈이다” 지금껏 생각한 범위와 방식을 넘어서 성경을 살펴볼 수 있는 여유를 갖게 된 것은 <샌들 신은 사도 도마>를 통해 얻은 또 다른 유익입니다.
Living in Ulsan, I drove 200 kilometers one way—a round trip of 400 kilometers—all the way to Haseong Village in Ungyang-myeon, Geochang, nestled deep within layered mountain ranges, to attend a book talk. I first heard the name of author Seong-Heum Pyo, who published the book The Sandal-Wearing Apostle Thomas through Hongsungsa this October, when I was a college freshman entering in the class of '67. During my military service, I diligently sent letters to my classmate Min-Sook Kang, an alumna of Geochang High School. So, long ago before the two of them were married, I first met Seong-Heum Pyo by name; last month, I met him through his book The Sandal-Wearing Apostle Thomas; and today, at last, I had the joy of meeting him face to face at this book talk. He is an established veteran writer in contemporary Korean literature who has produced a vast body of over 120 works spanning novels, poetry, essays, and children's literature. The very title of his book, The Sandal-Wearing Apostle Thomas, possessed a pleasant cadence that felt immediately welcoming, and because his prose was predominantly composed of short, clear sentences, it was wonderfully effortless to read. Of course, when I first held that voluminous book in my hands and began reading, it was not easy to keep pace. Readers cannot instantly keep stride with an author's extraordinary imagination that traverses two thousand years back in time and spans vast geographical distances—from the Western regions where the sun sets to Solongo, the eastern land of the rainbow. Furthermore, while reading this book, one must keep firmly in mind that it is a novel. Thus, I made a conscious effort not to search for biblical records or historical evidence within its pages. As the author himself states, "Imagination is the very essence of a novel and therefore bears no obligation to historical fact."
The author's craftsmanship in weaving the narrative through the thorough trader Ammanes was truly remarkable. In addition, it was deeply engaging to catch glimpses of the author's worldview through the expressions sprinkled richly like seasonings throughout the text: "Human beings are creatures who cannot look at their own faces. One needs a mirror to see one's face." "One of the most important things in living in this world is to listen attentively to the words of others." "Social status and class determine the quality of life." "Humans are beings destined to die. No matter where or how one came to be, just when life becomes somewhat livable, one dies. Just when one begins to understand a little, one dies. This death renders man utterly insignificant. People make every effort to become immortal, yet I have never heard of anyone living forever." "No human can be free from death, nor can anyone escape the dread of death." "The fundamental dilemma of humanity lies in the joys and sorrows of life and death." "There is no such thing as coincidence in this world. Everything that happens has an ordained order, and with it, a heavenly purpose." "There is such a thing as necessity disguised as chance... A secret known only to the One who created time and space." "It is necessity disguised as coincidence. Such is the redemptive history of Jehovah. This series of plans will become historical facts made plain and clear in the distant future." "This does not happen according to my will; it is nothing other than carrying out the will of the One who holds a far greater grand design." "No matter how high a human ascends, he cannot see beyond the material realm. What we call enlightened understanding is merely an illusion." "What does companionship mean? It means obedience. It means believing and following. God is the complete and almighty One."
Furthermore, the passages explaining the Gospel of Jesus through our own cultural sensibilities stood out brilliantly: "You need only believe that God created all things in heaven and earth and is the Maker who formed humanity." "This world belongs to Jehovah the Creator, and human beings are merely tenants living in His world." "Jehovah, who created mankind, loves His creation unconditionally." As for the Kingdom of Heaven, "Anyone can go there as long as they truly desire to go." "No matter how depraved a person may be, if they turn from their evil ways and return, He will embrace them—such is the deep and wide love of Jehovah." "A shortcut leading straight from this earthly life to the afterlife has been opened... Simply by acknowledging and looking upon the merit of the cross, one can surely enter that kingdom." "Does not the command to work diligently for six days and rest on the seventh day mean that we are to remember and thank the Creator who made the heavens and the earth on this day?" "Goodness is an attribute of the Creator. The Creator's sole wish is that human beings, stained by evil, might seek the attribute of goodness." "A good heart brings benefit to the world." "A person's life changes depending on what they fix their eyes upon." "Prayer is direct conversation with Jehovah God." "Prayer is indeed the direct shortcut through which God and I can communicate immediately." "The bond of love that connects heart to heart can be transmitted faster, more safely, and more easily than war or any commercial merchandise, widening the path before it." "No one can save their neighbor without sacrificing themselves." "To become neighbors to one another, sacrifice is inevitable. Mutual sacrifice is what brings about mutual happiness."
Through the novel The Sandal-Wearing Apostle Thomas, I learned anew that the Gospel can be communicated in a way that is easily understood. At the same time, I found myself reflecting on how seldom we utilize our imagination. Is it because our education in history has centered so heavily on rote memorization that we had little chance to cultivate our imagination? Or is it a drawback of theological study that places excessive weight only on orthodox dogma? Or perhaps the broader issue of our time lies in a deficiency of literary imagination, living as we do in a golden age of natural sciences? I was reminded, with gentle self-reflection, that even when proclaiming the truth wherein not a single jot or tittle can be altered, employing our imagination can truly capture the hearts and ears of our listeners. Lastly, I would like to quote the author's words once more: "Thomas put on the sandals of Jesus and came to the ends of the earth to proclaim his mission... A rugged road that could not be traveled by wheels or bare feet—that is the road of evangelism." "When the Elder Brother commanded us to go to the ends of the earth to preach the Gospel, He did not mean the ends of the earth on a map... Wherever people gather anywhere in this world, that place is the ends of the earth." To gain the freedom and breadth to look at Scripture beyond my previous boundaries and perspectives has been another precious gift granted to me through The Sandal-Wearing Apostle Thomas.
As iemand wat in Ulsan woon, het ek 200 kilometer enkelrit—'n heen-en-weer-reis van 400 kilometer—aangepak tot diep in die opeenvolgende bergreekse na Haseong-dorpie in Ungyang-myeon, Geochang, om 'n boekpraatjie by te woon. Ek het die heel eerste keer van die skrywer Seong-Heum Pyo, wat pas hierdie Oktober die boek Die Sandaaldraende Apostel Thomas deur Hongsungsa gepubliseer het, gehoor toe ek in 1967 'n eerstejaarstudent aan die universiteit was. Dit was omdat ek tydens my militêre diensplig getrou briewe geskryf het aan my medestudent Min-Sook Kang, 'n oudleerder van die Hoërskool Geochang. Dus het ek Seong-Heum Pyo lank gelede, nog voor die twee getroud is, by die naam leer ken; verlede maand het ek hom leer ken deur sy boek Die Sandaaldraende Apostel Thomas; en vandag kon ek hom uiteindelik van aangesig tot aangesig by die boekpraatjie ontmoet, wat vir my 'n groot vreugde was. Hy is 'n gevestigde skrywer in die hedendaagse Koreaanse letterkunde wat 'n reuse-nalatenskap van meer as 120 werke nagelaat het, insluitend romans, poësie, essays en kinderliteratuur. Reeds die titel van sy boek, Die Sandaaldraende Apostel Thomas, het 'n natuurlike ritme gehad wat dadelik 'n gevoel van warmte en bekendheid gewek het, en aangesien sy prosa hoofsaaklik uit kort sinne bestaan het, was dit heerlik en sonder enige las om te lees. Toe ek daardie lywige boek die eerste keer in my hande geneem en begin lees het, was dit natuurlik nie maklik om dadelik by te hou nie. 'n Leser kan immers nie met 'n enkele tree die uitsonderlike verbeeldingskrag van die skrywer inhaal nie—'n verbeelding wat tweeduisend jaar terug in die tyd delf en ruimtelik strek vanaf die Westerse geweste waar die son sak tot by Solongo, die oostelike land van die reënboog. Bowendien moes ek tydens die lees voortdurend in gedagte hou dat dit 'n roman is. Daarom het ek sorg gedra om nie na Bybelse rekords of historiese bewyse te soek nie. Soos die skrywer self verklaar: "Verbeelding is die wese van 'n roman en staan dus los van historiese feite."
Die skrywer se vaardigheid om die verhaal deur die deurtrapte handelaar Ammanes te weef, was waarlik merkwaardig. Boonop was dit besonder boeiend om deur die uitdrukkings wat soos geurige speserye deur die teks gestrooi is, 'n kykie in sy lewensbeskouing te kry: "Die mens is 'n wese wat nie na sy eie gesig kan kyk nie. 'n Mens het 'n spieël nodig om jou eie gesig te sien." "Een van die belangrikste dinge in die lewe is om aandagtig na ander se woorde te luister." "Stand en klas bepaal die lewensgehalte." "Die mens is 'n wese wat bestem is om te sterf. Waar of hoe 'n mens ook al vandaan kom, net wanneer die lewe draaglik begin word, sterf jy. Net wanneer jy 'n bietjie begin verstaan, sterf jy. Hierdie dood maak die mens nietig. Mense wend alle pogings aan om onsterflik te word, tog het ek nog nooit gehoor van 'n mens wat vir ewig lewe nie." "Geen mens kan vry wees van die dood nie, en niemand kan die vrees vir die dood ontvlug nie." "Die mens se fundamentele vraagstuk lê opgesluit in die vreugde en smart van lewe en dood." "Daar is geen toeval in hierdie wêreld nie. Alles wat gebeur, het 'n voorafbepaalde orde en dra 'n hemelse doel daarin." "Daar bestaan iets soos noodlot vermom as toeval... 'n Geheim wat net Hy ken wat tyd en ruimte geskape het." "Dit is noodwendigheid vermom as toeval. Dít is hoe Jehovah se verlossingsgeskiedenis lyk. Hierdie reeks planne sal in die verre toekoms as 'n glasheldere historiese feit geopenbaar word." "Dit gebeur nie volgens my wil nie, maar is niks anders as die uitvoering van die wil van Hom wat 'n veel groter raamwerk het nie." "Hoe hoog 'n mens ook al klim, hy kan nie verby die materiële wêreld kyk nie. Wat ons 'verligte insig' noem, is bloot 'n illusie." "Wat beteken medereisigheid? Dit beteken gehoorsaamheid. Dit beteken om te glo en te volg. God is volmaak en almagtig."
Nie net dit nie, maar die gedeeltes waar die Evangelie van Jesus vanuit ons eie kultuur en gemoed verklaar is, was uitmuntend: "Jy hoef slegs te glo dat God hemel en aarde geskape het en die Skepper van die mens is." "Hierdie wêreld behoort aan Jehovah die Skepper, en mense woon bloot as huurders in Sy wêreld." "Jehovah, wat die mens geskape het, het Sy skepping onvoorwaardelik lief." Wat die hemelryk betref: "Enigiemand kan daarheen gaan solank hulle net werklik begeer om daarheen te gaan." "Hoe verdorwe 'n mens ook al mag wees, as hy tot inkeer kom en terugkeer, sal Hy hom ontvang—só diep en wyd is die liefde van Jehovah." "'n Kortpad wat regstreeks van hierdie lewe na die hiernamaals lei, is geopen... As 'n mens slegs die verdienste van die kruis erken en daarop kyk, kan jy gewis daardie koninkryk binnegaan." "Beteken die bevel om ses dae lank hard te werk en op die sewende dag te rus, nie juis dat ons op hierdie dag die Skepper wat hemel en aarde gemaak het, moet onthou en Hom moet dank nie?" "Goedheid is 'n eienskap van die Skepper. Die Skepper se enigste wens is dat mense wat deur die kwaad besmet is, die eienskap van goedheid sal soek." "'n Goeie hart bring voordeel vir die wêreld." "'n Mens se lewe verander volgens dít waarop jou oë gerig is." "Gebed is 'n regstreekse gesprek met die Here God." "Gebed is waarlik die kortpad van kommunikasie waardeur God en ek onmiddellik met mekaar verbind kan word." "Die band van liefde wat van hart tot hart strek, kan vinniger, veiliger en makliker oorgedra word as oorlog of enige handelsware, en kan die pad verbreed." "Niemand kan sy naaste red sonder om homself op te offer nie." "Om naastes vir mekaar te wees, is opoffering onvermydelik. Wedersydse opoffering is wat wedersydse geluk meebring."
Deur die roman Die Sandaaldraende Apostel Thomas leer ek opnuut dat die Evangelie op 'n maklik verstaanbare wyse verkondig kan word. En ek dink met selfondersoek daaraan dat ons so selde ons verbeelding inspan. Is dit dalk omdat ons geskiedenisonderrig so vasgevang was in meganiese memorisering dat ons nooit die kans gekry het om ons verbeelding te kweek nie? Of is dit die nadeel van 'n teologiese studie wat uitsluitlik op ortodokse leerstellings fokus? Of lê die breër probleem van ons tyd dalk daarin dat ons in 'n bloeitydperk van die natuurwetenskappe leef en daarom aan 'n tekort aan literêre verbeeldingskrag ly? Selfs wanneer ons die waarheid verkondig waarvan nie 'n enkele tittel of jota kan verander nie, leer ek opnuut—en met ootmoed—dat die gebruik van ons verbeelding die ore en harte van ons hoorders kan boei. Ten slotte wil ek die woorde van die skrywer nog een keer aanhaal: "Thomas het die sandale van Jesus aangetrek en tot aan die uithoeke van die aarde gekom om sy roeping te verkondig... 'n Ruwe pad wat nie met wiele of kaalvoet aangedurf kon word nie—dít is die pad van evangelieverkondiging." "Toe die Ouer Broer gesê het dat ons na die uithoeke van die aarde moet gaan om die evangelie te verkondig, het Hy nie die uithoeke op 'n landkaart bedoel nie... Enige plek op aarde waar mense byeenkom, dít is die uithoek van die aarde." Om die vryheid en ruimte te vind om die Skrif anderkant my vorige denkraamwerke te oordink, is nóg 'n kosbare seën wat ek deur Die Sandaaldraende Apostel Thomas ontvang het.