Presbyterian Church of Korea
![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Korean. (August 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
The Presbyterian Church of Korea | |
---|---|
Classification | Protestant |
Orientation | Calvinist |
Polity | Presbyterian |
Region | Korea |
Founder | Seo Sang-ryun |
Origin | early 1880s Hwanghae Province (Sorae Church) or Seoul (Saemoonan Church) |
Separations | Gosin (1952), Gijang (1953), Tonghap and Hapdong (1959) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 대한예수교장로회 |
Hanja | 大韓예수敎長老會 |
Revised Romanization | Daehan yesugyo jangnohoe |
McCune–Reischauer | Taehan yesugyo changnohoe |
The Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK), also abbreviated as Yejang (Korean: 예장), is a Protestant denomination based in South Korea that follows Calvinist theology and the Westminster Confession of Faith. Since the 1950s, the denomination has separated into various branches of the same name due to theological and political disputes. As of 2019, 286 branches in South Korea, many of which have separated from the PCK, use the title 'Presbyterian Church of Korea'.[1]
Some branches consider the Sorae Church, which was established in the early 1880s by Seo Sang-ryun, as the origin of Korean Presbyterianism. Others consider the Saemoonan Church, established by American missionary Horace Underwood in 1887, as the true birthplace of the PCK. However, the PCK was first organized as an independent Korean church only in 1907.[2]
History
[edit]Early Missionaries
[edit]Calvinism is believed to have first arrived in Korea in 1865 when pastor Robert Jermain Thomas was captured and martyred during the General Sherman incident.[3] The first Korean Presbyterian church was founded by Seo Sang-ryun, who was converted into Christianity by Scottish pastor John McIntyre in Manchuria,[4] in Hwanghae province in 1884.[5]
Full-blown missions were only able to take place twenty years later when Horace Newton Allen of the Northern Presbyterian Church was admitted into the royal court of Joseon as a physician.[6] In 1885, Horace Grant Underwood and John W. Heron arrived and established the Korean mission church for the Northern Presbyterian Church. The Korean edition of the Bible was first translated by John Ross during the 1870s. It was first printed and published by the British and Foreign Bible Society and the Scottish Bible Society in 1886.[7]
Subsequently, more Western missionaries set foot in Korea, with Canadian missionary James Scarth Gale and Australian Joseph Henry Davies arriving in 1889, and American missionary Samuel Austin Moffett in 1890. In 1891, female teachers such as Isabella Menzies, Jean Perry and Mary Fawcett arrived from Australia. Dr. James MacKenzie arrived in 1893, and in 1898, Dr. Robert Grierson, pastor W. R. Foote, and Duncan MacRae of the Presbyterian Church in Canada arrived to serve as missionaries.[8]
McKenzie died after a year and a half while working in evangelism and medical care in Sorae Church, Hwanghae Province. His efforts led to the organization of the Korean mission church for the Presbyterian Church in Canada (캐나다장로회조선선교회) in Wonsan. In the Southern Presbyterian Church, pastors William D. Reynolds and Lewis B. Tate arrived in 1892 and organized the Korean mission church for the Southern Presbyterian Church (남장로회조선선교회) in Jeolla Province.[8]
In 1889, the Northern Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church of Victoria created The United Council of Presbyterian Missions (장로교선교연합공의회; 長老敎宣敎聯合公議會), with John W. Heron as chairman, to settle issues over the unification of churches. In 1893, the United Council of Presbyterian Missions became the Council of Missions Holding the Presbyterian Form of Government[2] (Korean: 장로교선교공의회, also succinctly known as the Council of Missions). The two councils consisted only of foreign missionaries.[8]
Early Korean Churches
[edit]Elections for the first Korean presbyters for the council began in 1900. Sŏ Kyŏng-cho (Hwanghae), Kim Jong-seop, and Lee Young-eun (both South Pyongan) were elected as elders in 1900 (Lee died before he was given an ordination). The following year, Kil Sŏn-chu and Pang Kich'ang were elected as elders. On September 20 of the same year, three Korean presbyters and six ministers organized the Council of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Chosun)[spelling?] (조선예수교장로회공의회; 朝鮮예수敎長老會公議會) with 25 missionaries in a missionary council held at the Saemoonan Church in Seoul, with missionary William L. Swallen inaugurated as the first chairman. However, as the Council of Missions had jurisdiction over church affairs, the Presbyterian Church of Korea was then only a fraternal organization. In 1902, Yang Jeon-baek was appointed as an elder, and more people were elected as elders in 1903.[needs copy edit][9]
In 1901, Samuel Moffett established the Pyongyang Theological Seminary and became its first principal. The spread of Presbyterianism was further intensified by the Great Pyongyang Revival of 1907. On June 20, 1907, Kil Sŏn-chu, Yang Chŏn-paek , Han Sŏk-chin , I Kip'ung , Sŏ Kyŏng-cho, Song In-sŏ , and Pang Kich'ang became the first graduates of the Pyongyang Theological Seminary. The same year, the United Council decided to select[needs copy edit] a party committee member to handle church affairs for the five local councils of Pyeongan, Gyeongseong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Hamgyeong.[10]
On September 17, 1907, under the approval of four presbyters from the Mission Council, 33 missionaries and 38 presbyters organized the Presbyterian Church of Korea into an independent church.[10][11] The PCK was also known thereafter as the "Independent Council" (Korean: 독노회; Hanja: 獨老會).
Involvement in the March First Movement
[edit]Korean Presbyterians were advised to stay uninvolved with any political cause, even after the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. Thus, initial relationships between the colonial government and the Presbyterians were peaceful. Missionaries accepted Japanese rule as "the powers that be," and asserted a position of "loyal recognition" of the Japanese occupation.[12] Nevertheless, many Korean Presbyterians, were suspected of being political agents by the colonial government, and were arrested, often without proper explanation or trial. In one incident, a group of Presbyterians was accused of plotting an assassination of then-Governor-General of Korea Terauchi Masatake in Sonchon. Missionaries were also accused of distributing firearms for the alleged assassination plot.[13]
Like other Christian groups, Korean Presbyterians such as Kil Sŏn-chu were closely involved in the March First Movement of 1919.[14] Of the thirty-three representatives of the movement, sixteen were Christians,[15] and seven were Presbyterians.[citation needed] As a result of the movement, the persecutions of Christians were exacerbated. Likewise, many Presbyterian missionaries were put under scrutiny, and their properties were often destroyed by police. 1,461 Presbyterians were arrested by Japanese police by the end of June 1919; in less than four months, the total number of Presbyterian arrests increased to 3,804. 41 Presbyterian leaders were killed, and 12 churches were destroyed.[16] Horace Underwood made detailed accounts of the Jeam-ni Massacre[17] during a trip to Suwon with his colleagues.[16]
By 1937, the Presbyterian churches were largely independent of financial support from the United States.[18] Presbyterianism in Korea was reconstructed after World War II in 1947. The church adopted the name the Reformed Church in Korea.[citation needed]
In the 1950s, the church suffered tensions because of issues of theology, ecumenism, and worship. The first of these occurred in 1952, over issues related to shinto shrine worship, resulted in the formation of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin). In the second in 1953, the "Presbyterian Church of the Republic of Korea" separated from the PCK. In the third schism in 1959, the Presbyterian Church of Korea broke into two equal sections: the Presbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap) and The Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong).
General assembly
[edit]General assembly |
Date | Host | General Secretary | Note | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1907 | Samuel Austin Moffet | Dongnohoe | |||||
2 | 1908 | James Scarth Gale | ||||||
3 | 1909 | Horace Grant Underwood | ||||||
4 | 1910 | James Scarth Gale | ||||||
5 | 1911 | W. D. Reynolds | ||||||
1 | September 1–4, 1912 | Pyongyang Theological Seminary | Horace Grant Underwood | General assembly era | ||||
2 | September 7–11, 1913 | Soandong Church, Seoul | G. Engel | |||||
3 | September 6–9, 1914 | Namsanhyeon Church, Chaeryong | Eugene Bell | |||||
4 | September 4–18, 1915 | Seomunbak Church, Jeonju | Kim Pil-su | |||||
5 | September 2–6, 1916 | Pyongyang Theological Seminary | Yang Jeon-baek | |||||
6 | September 1–6, 1917 | Seungdong Church, Seoul | Han Seok-jin | |||||
7 | August 31–September 5, 1918 | Sincheonbuk Church, Sinchon | Kim Seon-du | |||||
8 | October 4–9, 1919 | Pyongyang Theological Seminary | Samuel Austin Moffet | |||||
9 | October 2–7, 1920 | Andong Church, Seoul | Kim Ik-du | |||||
10 | September 10–15, 1921 | Jangdaehyeon Church, Pyongyang | Lee Ki-pung | |||||
11 | September 10–15, 1922 | Seungdong Church, Seoul | Kim Seong-taek | |||||
12 | September 8–13, 1923 | Sinuiju Church | Ham Tae-yeong | |||||
13 | September 13–18, 1924 | Sinchangni Church, Hamhung | Lee Ja-ik | |||||
14 | September 12–18, 1925 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Im Taek-gwon | |||||
15 | September 11–17, 1926 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Kim Seok-chan | |||||
16 | September 9–15, 1927 | Gwangseok Church, Wonsan | Kim Yeong-hun | |||||
17 | September 7–13, 1928 | Sinjeong Church, Daegu | Yeom Bong-nam | |||||
18 | September 6–12, 1929 | Saemunan Church, Seoul | Cha Jae-myeong | |||||
19 | September 12–18, 1930 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Hong Jong-pil | |||||
20 | September 11–17, 1931 | Geumgangsan Church | Jang Gyu-myeong | |||||
21 | September 9–16, 1932 | Changdong Church, Pyongyang | Namgung Hyeok | |||||
22 | September 8–15, 1933 | Seoncheonnam Church, Sonchon | Jang Heung-beom | |||||
23 | September 7–14, 1934 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Lee In-sik | |||||
24 | September 6–13, 1935 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Jeong In-gwa | |||||
25 | September 11–19, 1936 | Yangnim Church, Gwangju | Lee Seung-gil | |||||
26 | September 10–16, 1937 | Daegu Jeil Church, Daegu | Lee Mun-ju | |||||
27 | September 9–15, 1938 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Hong Taek-gi | |||||
28 | September 8–15, 1939 | Sineuiju Jei Church, Sinuiju | Yun Ha-yeong | |||||
29 | September 6–13, 1940 | Changdong Church, Pyongyang | Kwak Jin-geun | |||||
30 | November 21–26, 1941 | Changdong Church, Pyongyang | Choi Ji-hwa | |||||
31 | October 16–20, 1942 | Seomunbak Church, Pyongyang | Kim Eung-sun | 1943–45: Discontinued due to World War II | ||||
32 | June 11–14, 1946 | Seungdong Church, Seoul | Bae Eun-hui | South Korea era | ||||
33 | April 18–22, 1947 | Daegu Jeil Church, Daegu | Lee Ja-ik | |||||
34 | April 20–23, 1948 | Saemunan Church, Seoul | Lee Ja-ik | |||||
35 | April 19–23, 1949 | Saemunan Church, Seoul | Choi Jae-hwa | |||||
36 | April 21–25, 1950 | Daegu Jeil Church, Daegu | ||||||
36 | May 25–29, 1951 | Jungang Church, Busan | Kwon Yeon-ho | |||||
37 | April 29–May 2, 1952 | Seomun Church, Daegu | Kim Jae-seok | |||||
38 | April 24–28, 1953 | Seomun Church, Daegu | Myeong Sin-hong | |||||
39 | April 23–27, 1954 | Jungang Church, Andong | Lee Won-yeong | |||||
40 | April 22–26, 1955 | Yeongnak Church, Seoul | Han Gyeong-jik | |||||
41 | September 20–25, 1956 | Saemunan Church, Seoul | Lee Dae-yeong | |||||
42 | September 19–24, 1957 | Jungang Church, Busan | Jeon Pil-sun | |||||
43 | September 25–October 1, 1958 | Yeongnak Church, Seoul | No Jin-hyeon | |||||
44 | September 24–29, 1959 | Jungang Church, Daejeon | Schism |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 최승현 (January 2, 2019). "전국 교단 총 374개, '대한예수교장로회'만 286개". Newsnjoy.
- ^ a b 장대선 (May 1, 2019). "공의회시대, 혹은 그 선교시대로 돌아간 한국의 장로교회". bohnd.net.
- ^ 김만형 (1934-09-07). "宣敎五十週年맛는 長老會懷舊錄". The Chosun Ilbo.
- ^ 민경배. "서상륜 (徐相崙)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ "The Presbyterian Church of Korea : History". Pck.or.kr. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ K, David (March 1, 2017). "Presbyterianism in the Hermit Kingdom: Presbyterian Church of Korea at 110". Presbyterian Historical Society.
- ^ 정인과 (1934-06-28). "朝鮮長老敎會의今昔 可驚할五十年發達史 (中)". The Dong-A Ilbo.
- ^ a b c 김만형 (1934-09-08). "宣敎五十週年맛는 長老會懷舊錄 (二)". The Chosun Ilbo.
- ^ 김만형 (September 9, 1934). "宣敎五十週年맛는 長老會懷舊錄 ㈢". The Chosun Ilbo.
- ^ a b 김만형 (September 10, 1934). "宣敎五十週年맛는 長老會懷舊錄 ㈣". The Chosun Ilbo.
- ^ Jae Buhm Hwang (2007). "1907년 대한예수교장로회(독노회) 설립과정 및 그 의의에 대한 연구" [The Independent Korean Presbyterian Church of 1907: its Origin and Meaning]. 한국교회사학회 (in Korean). 20: 281–313. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
- ^ Kang 1984, pp. 35–36.
- ^ Kang 1984, p. 37.
- ^ Lee, Timothy S. (2000). "A Political Factor in the Rise of Protestantism in Korea: Protestantism and the 1919 March First Movement". Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture. 69 (1): 116–142. doi:10.2307/3170582. JSTOR 3170582.
- ^ Kang 1984, p. 41.
- ^ a b "3) 일제통치와 한국 기독교". National Institute of Korean History. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
- ^ Kang 1984, p. 42.
- ^ Kenneth Scott Latourette, Christianity in a Revolutionary Age: Vol. 5: The Twentieth century outside Europe (1962) pp 414-5
Bibliography
[edit]- Kang, Wi Jo (1984). "The Presbyterians and the Japanese in Korea". Journal of Presbyterian History (1962-1985). 62 (1): 35–50. JSTOR 23328501. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
Further reading
[edit]- Clark, Donald N. Christianity in Modern Korea (University Press of America, 1986)
- Grayson, James H. Korea—A Religious History (Routledge Curzon, 2002)
- Kang, Wi Jo. Christ and Caesar in Modern Korea: A History of Christianity and Politics ( State University of New York Press, 1997)
- Latourette, Kenneth Scott. Christianity in a Revolutionary Age: Vol. 5: The Twentieth century outside Europe (1962) pp 412–23
- Lee, Timothy S. "A Political Factor in the Rise of Protestantism in Korea: Protestantism and the 1919 March First Movement," Church History 2000. 69#1 pp 116–42. in JSTOR
- Mullins, Mark, and Richard Fox Young, eds. Perspectives on Christianity in Korea and Japan: The Gospel and Culture in East Asia (Edwin Mellen, 1995)
- Park, Chung-shin. Protestantism and Politics in Korea (U. of Washington Press, 2003)
- Harry Andrew Rhodes (1934). History of the Korea mission: Presbyterian church U. S. A., 1884-1934. Chosen mission Presbyterian church U. S. A.
- Koon Sik Shim (2008). Rev. Sang-Dong Han, The Founder of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin): A Biography. The Hermit Kingdom Press. ISBN 978-1-59689-073-2.