How about stepping into a space where faith intertwines with community? Here, at \uc9c4\ud765\uad50\ud68c, we discover a house of worship. It likely plays an integral role in the lives of its members.
\uc9c4\ud765\uad50\ud68c is a Presbyterian church. Presbyterianism’s arrival in Korea dates back to 1865. Pastor Robert Jermain Thomas was martyred during the General Sherman incident. The first Korean Presbyterian church was founded in 1884 by Seo Sang-ryun. He was converted by Scottish pastor John McIntyre in Manchuria.
Full-scale missions started 20 years later. Horace Newton Allen was admitted into the royal court of Joseon. He served as a physician. In 1885, Horace Underwood and John W. Heron arrived. They established the Korean mission church for the Northern Presbyterian Church. John Ross first translated the Korean Bible in the 1870s. The British and Foreign Bible Society published it in 1886.
Many Western missionaries then came to Korea. James Scarth Gale and Joseph Henry Davies arrived in 1889. Samuel Austin Moffett arrived in 1890. Female teachers such as Isabella Menzies and Mary Fawcett arrived in 1891. Dr. James MacKenzie arrived in 1893. Dr. Robert Grierson and Duncan MacRae arrived in 1898.
Elections for the first Korean presbyters began in 1900. In 1901, Samuel Moffett established the Pyongyang Theological Seminary. The Great Pyongyang Revival of 1907 further intensified Presbyterianism’s spread.
On September 17, 1907, the Presbyterian Church of Korea was organized. It became an independent church. The PCK was also known as the “Independent Council”. In 1912, the first General Assembly of the PCK took place in Pyongyang.
Korean Presbyterians were initially advised to avoid political involvement. This was even after the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. However, many were suspected of being political agents. They were often arrested. Tensions between Christians and the colonial government grew. Many Presbyterians became involved in the March First Movement of 1919.
Persecutions of Christians worsened. Presbyterians often saw their properties destroyed. By 1937, Presbyterian churches were largely independent of US financial support.
In the 1950s, the Presbyterian Church of Korea experienced schisms. These divisions were over theology, ecumenism, and worship. One division related to bowing to the Shinto shrine under Japanese rule. Another occurred in 1953. Progressives formed the Presbyterian Church of the Republic of Korea. In 1959, a third schism divided the Presbyterian Church of Korea again. This was into TongHap and HapDong factions.
Today, \uc9c4\ud765\uad50\ud68c stands as a testament to faith. It shows resilience and community spirit. It connects to a larger story of Presbyterianism in Korea. It is a story of early missions, colonial challenges, and divisions. It also embodies growth. May your visit today offer reflection on this church’s role in Seoul.