I would like to introduce the state of Christianity in Korea, a country that has also given rise to a number of strange and dangerous pseudo-Christian cults.
Despite having been introduced only towards the end of the 19th century, the gospel in Korea has had to contend with various heresies, the number of which is seemingly disproportionate to the size of the country. This post deals with the state of Christianity and the cults in South Korea, since Christians in North Korea, so far as we can tell, likely make up a small and heavily persecuted minority. From what I have read and heard of the state of Christianity there, it appears that Bibles are so rare that the believers must scribble out pages of Scripture by hand, or they must memorize them. Some have nothing but the Ten Commandments.
In South Korea, the Catholic Church is the largest ‘Christian’ body. Among Protestants, Presbyterians form the largest group. There are several Presbyterian denominations, one of which is very conservative. The others, including the largest Presbyterian denomination (of which I am a member) are sadly slipping into liberalism. Another large denomination is the Methodists, who came to evangelize around the same time as the Presbyterians. There are a few Baptist churches. So-called ‘full gospel churches’ seem fairly numerous; until recently they were regarded as heretics.
2005 Census Statistics
Protestantism 18.3%
Roman Catholicism 10.9%
Korean Buddhims 22.8%
Other 1%
No religion 46.9%
The liberal slide is quite slow compared to churches in the West – Korea is generally a conservative society; however, the younger generation is exhibiting a marked change in values, and, unfortunately, imitation of Western social mores.
It seems to me that the Korean church has been failing to keep false teaching in check. Conservative Korean Christians still view the Seventh Day Adventists as heretics, yet Korean churches have in many cases opened wide the doors to floods of false teaching. Korean Christianity appears heavily influenced by Pentecostalism and Charismatic teachings. This is evident in worship and church organization. (This country is home to a number of megachurches.) In my experience, you will have a hard time finding a confessional Presbyterian Church, or a churchgoer who has heard of the Reformed confessions. So-called Presbyterian congregations are inflected with prosperity teachings. Some of my wife’s relatives attend a ‘Presbyterian’ church under the pastorship of a ‘prophetess’ whose ‘prophecies’ seem invariably to have to do with wealth and success.
Meanwhile, cults seem overabundant for a national population of around 50 million. There is the odd Mormon missionary from Utah. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a notable presence, although I have never seen anyone talking to them. They seem more numerous than in my home country of Canada. They make quite a fuss over military service, which is mandatory for Korean men.
There are the ‘Moonies’, officially the Unification Church, a large cult famous for their mass weddings. They follow the teachings of Moon Sun-Myung, who wrote their principal religious text, The Divine Principle, but they do maintain some loose attachment to the Bible. Their beliefs are far off the deep end. From what I can find, membership estimates are uncertain, ranging from 250,000 to 1 million, and across more than 100 countries.
I have personally encountered evangelists for another bizarre cult, Hananimeui Kyohoe, (‘God’s Church’). They are notable for their teaching about a mother god, a cosmic spouse to God the Father. Using the same Bible as mainline Korean Protestants, they base their entire understanding on Galatians 4 (which supposedly demonstrates that believers ‘need a mother’) and Revelation 22:17 – ‘The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come...’ The bride in this text is taken to mean the mother god.
The reason they hold this absurd interpretation is that the male founder of the cult died. He had proclaimed himself to be God, living in Seoul. So his wife was left at the reigns of the entire organization and had to justify her leadership. So, she is a goddess, living somewhere in Seoul. Hananimeui Kyohoe do not seem to have as significant a presence as some of the other cults.
These are a few of the cults and false teachings you might encounter here in Korea. There is one more, however, which I find more dangerous than the rest. They are called Shinchunji (‘New Heaven New Earth’). Their beliefs revolve around their leader, in whom alone, they say, dwells the ‘Spirit of Jesus’. Shinchunji are a particular threat because they literally send sleeper agents into churches (of all sizes) and bible studies, and even seminaries. They will conceal themselves for years, even ten years if they have to. In that time they will seek to slowly alter individual believers’ ideas about God and the Bible. (These liars also use the same Bible.) Once they convert someone, that person is brainwashed and sent out to infect some other church.
In a megachurch these sleeper agents can be harder to detect. Last year in my own church at least on of these was outed. I have heard stories that some of these agents, concealing for years their intentions, have even become ministers. If those stories are true, they reveal a frightening determination.
The trouble is that all these cults employ the same ‘Christian’ terminology: sin, grace, love, etc. But when a member of Shinchunji says, ‘Jesus loves you,’ what he or she means is that the cult leader living is Seoul, who alone is endowed with the ‘spirit of Jesus’, loves you. It is frightening to see unschooled churchgoers misled by such falsehoods. The young in the faith are especially at risk.
But, if you ask me, it is not too surprising to see when the confessions and catechisms have been discarded. Yet I take comfort in the knowledge that none of God's elect will be deprived of their salvation.
Despite having been introduced only towards the end of the 19th century, the gospel in Korea has had to contend with various heresies, the number of which is seemingly disproportionate to the size of the country. This post deals with the state of Christianity and the cults in South Korea, since Christians in North Korea, so far as we can tell, likely make up a small and heavily persecuted minority. From what I have read and heard of the state of Christianity there, it appears that Bibles are so rare that the believers must scribble out pages of Scripture by hand, or they must memorize them. Some have nothing but the Ten Commandments.
In South Korea, the Catholic Church is the largest ‘Christian’ body. Among Protestants, Presbyterians form the largest group. There are several Presbyterian denominations, one of which is very conservative. The others, including the largest Presbyterian denomination (of which I am a member) are sadly slipping into liberalism. Another large denomination is the Methodists, who came to evangelize around the same time as the Presbyterians. There are a few Baptist churches. So-called ‘full gospel churches’ seem fairly numerous; until recently they were regarded as heretics.
2005 Census Statistics
Protestantism 18.3%
Roman Catholicism 10.9%
Korean Buddhims 22.8%
Other 1%
No religion 46.9%
The liberal slide is quite slow compared to churches in the West – Korea is generally a conservative society; however, the younger generation is exhibiting a marked change in values, and, unfortunately, imitation of Western social mores.
It seems to me that the Korean church has been failing to keep false teaching in check. Conservative Korean Christians still view the Seventh Day Adventists as heretics, yet Korean churches have in many cases opened wide the doors to floods of false teaching. Korean Christianity appears heavily influenced by Pentecostalism and Charismatic teachings. This is evident in worship and church organization. (This country is home to a number of megachurches.) In my experience, you will have a hard time finding a confessional Presbyterian Church, or a churchgoer who has heard of the Reformed confessions. So-called Presbyterian congregations are inflected with prosperity teachings. Some of my wife’s relatives attend a ‘Presbyterian’ church under the pastorship of a ‘prophetess’ whose ‘prophecies’ seem invariably to have to do with wealth and success.
Meanwhile, cults seem overabundant for a national population of around 50 million. There is the odd Mormon missionary from Utah. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a notable presence, although I have never seen anyone talking to them. They seem more numerous than in my home country of Canada. They make quite a fuss over military service, which is mandatory for Korean men.
There are the ‘Moonies’, officially the Unification Church, a large cult famous for their mass weddings. They follow the teachings of Moon Sun-Myung, who wrote their principal religious text, The Divine Principle, but they do maintain some loose attachment to the Bible. Their beliefs are far off the deep end. From what I can find, membership estimates are uncertain, ranging from 250,000 to 1 million, and across more than 100 countries.
I have personally encountered evangelists for another bizarre cult, Hananimeui Kyohoe, (‘God’s Church’). They are notable for their teaching about a mother god, a cosmic spouse to God the Father. Using the same Bible as mainline Korean Protestants, they base their entire understanding on Galatians 4 (which supposedly demonstrates that believers ‘need a mother’) and Revelation 22:17 – ‘The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come...’ The bride in this text is taken to mean the mother god.
The reason they hold this absurd interpretation is that the male founder of the cult died. He had proclaimed himself to be God, living in Seoul. So his wife was left at the reigns of the entire organization and had to justify her leadership. So, she is a goddess, living somewhere in Seoul. Hananimeui Kyohoe do not seem to have as significant a presence as some of the other cults.
These are a few of the cults and false teachings you might encounter here in Korea. There is one more, however, which I find more dangerous than the rest. They are called Shinchunji (‘New Heaven New Earth’). Their beliefs revolve around their leader, in whom alone, they say, dwells the ‘Spirit of Jesus’. Shinchunji are a particular threat because they literally send sleeper agents into churches (of all sizes) and bible studies, and even seminaries. They will conceal themselves for years, even ten years if they have to. In that time they will seek to slowly alter individual believers’ ideas about God and the Bible. (These liars also use the same Bible.) Once they convert someone, that person is brainwashed and sent out to infect some other church.
In a megachurch these sleeper agents can be harder to detect. Last year in my own church at least on of these was outed. I have heard stories that some of these agents, concealing for years their intentions, have even become ministers. If those stories are true, they reveal a frightening determination.
The trouble is that all these cults employ the same ‘Christian’ terminology: sin, grace, love, etc. But when a member of Shinchunji says, ‘Jesus loves you,’ what he or she means is that the cult leader living is Seoul, who alone is endowed with the ‘spirit of Jesus’, loves you. It is frightening to see unschooled churchgoers misled by such falsehoods. The young in the faith are especially at risk.
But, if you ask me, it is not too surprising to see when the confessions and catechisms have been discarded. Yet I take comfort in the knowledge that none of God's elect will be deprived of their salvation.