Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin)

Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin)
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Calvinist
Theology	Reformed Evangelical
Polity	Presbyterian
Associations	International Conference of Reformed Churches
Region	South Korea, United States, worldwide
Origin	1952 South Korea
Branched from	Presbyterian Church of Korea
Separations	Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong)
Congregations	1577
Members	362,000 total, 230,000 communicant baptised members
Ministers	2,300 ^[1]

Presbyterian Church in Korea
Hangul	대한예수교장로회(고신)
Hanja	大韓예수敎長老會(高神)
Revised Romanization	Daehan yesugyo jangnohoe Gosin
McCune–Reischauer	Taehan yesugyo changnohoe Kosin

The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin) also called Korea-pa - is a Evangelical Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in the Republic of South Korea, but congregations are spread in North America and in many other countries.

The key phrase used to identify the belief of Kosin is: "Life before God (CORAM DEO), Life within the authentic (Apostle's) faith". The denomination was built upon the faith of martyrs who rejected shrine worship during the Japanese oppression. The ministers who established the synod of Kosin believed that the purpose of the establishment is not in martyrdom, but it is in the continuing existence of the Apostle's faith and teaching, purity of life, as well as foundation of churches in Korea and the world under the reformed faith. In order to preserve the catholic Christian faith, The Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea embraces the Bible as the principle scripture, but also employs Westminster Standards as the primary documents.

The Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea proclaims the following phrases as the principles for life:

God Centered
Bible Centered
Church Centered

History

Mission in Korea and Growth of Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian mission began in Korea by a medical missionary, Dr. H. N. Allen of Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. On April 5, 1885, Presbyterian missionary named H.G. Underwood arrived in Korea and the Presbyterian mission in Korea began to bloom. In January 1893, Congregation of Presbyterian Missionaries was established and on May 15, 1901, Pyongyang Presbyterian Theological Seminary was established. After few years, on September 17, 1907, the synod of Joseon Presbyterian Church was organized.

Colonial Oppression of Japan and Demand for Shrine Worship

In 1910, Japan enforced annexation of Joseon and proclaimed the slogan "Japan and Korea are One" as an effort to colonize Korea and other Asian countries using the idea of militaristic imperialism. The slogan was used to force people to become "japanized", by enforcing Japanese language, shrine worship and deification of the Japanese emperor, as well as enforcing Japanese culture. Christian schools were the first victim of Japanese colonization. While Japan exclaimed that, "shrine worship is not a religious ceremony but a nationalistic ceremony", many Christian schools resisted shrine worship and voluntarily closed. The churches in Korea was the next target and starting in 1935, many Christian denominations including Seventh-Day Adventist, Methodists, Salvationists, the Holiness Church, the Anglican church and Roman Catholic Church accepted the shrine worship.

As for the Presbyterian Church in Korea, the regional synod of Northern Pyongan was the first branch to accept the shrine worship and many other synods began to follow the path of apostasy.

Resistance to Shrine Worship and Liberation of Korea

In efforts to preserve the Christian faith, movement of resistance to shrine worship was formed by the group of ministers who wanted to protect the Gospel. Many ministers at Pyongyang Presbyterian Theological Seminary was displaced and the seminary eventually closed. Reverends Joo Ki-Chul, Han Sang-Dong, Joo Nam-Sun and other ministers were arrested at Pyongyang imprisonment camp and tortured. Churches in Korea lost its functionality under Japanese oppression and on August 1, 1945, all churches were combined under Japan-Joseon Christian churches. During the oppression, Rev. Joo passed away while resisting the Japanese enforcement and the shrine worship.

When Korea was liberated on August 15, 1945, the remaining ministers who suffered from Japanese imprisonment were released. Recognizing the state of Christianity in Korea, they decided to establish pure and conservative theological seminary built upon the foundation of reformed faith. In 1946, Rev. Han and Joo took the lead in establishing the seminary and as a result, Koryeo Theological Seminary opened.

Three pastors founded the Ko-Ryeo Seminary but the Presbyterian Church refused to recognize this seminary. Founders of KoRyu Seminary and BupDong presbytery established later, in September 11, 1952 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin).^[2]

On December 1960 it was united with the mainline Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong), but it lasted until 1963 when the church withdrew from the union and returned to its original form and continues to this day. Only 150 churches remained with the Presbyterian Church (Hapdong). In 1976 a split occurred in the church, the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Ko-Ryeo Pa) was founded, but one part of this reunited with the Kosin church. The Kosin group developed steadily. The denominational headquarters is located in Seoul, South Korea. This consist a variety of offices, like General Secretary, publishing house, Department of Church Education, the Mission Training Institute.^[3]

In 2002 it celebrated its 50th anniversary.^[4]

Separations

In 1965 the Presbyterian Church in Korea (KoRyuPa) was formed.
In 1976 the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Ko-Ryu-Anti-Accusation)
In 1980 the Korea Jesus Presbyterian Church separated from the Koshin church.

Theology

The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin) is a Reformed church, and affirms the historic Presbyterian Confessions:

Statistics

The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin) group has 34 Presbyteries that form the General Assembly, 1577 churches, 230,000 baptized, 350,000 communicant and non-communicant members, and 2,300 ordained pastors. There is no women's ordination.^[6]

Institutions and Seminary

The Kosin University was established in the 1950s. It was authorised by the Korean Ministry of Education in 1970 and now has more than 4,300 enrolled students, 221 professors, and 22 departments.
Korea Theological Seminary has 400 full-time students and was founded in 1946. It offers M.Div degrees authorised by the Ministry Education and a Th.M.^[7]
Kosin University Hospital is called the Gospel Clinic, presently has over 1,100 beds.
In Kosin University Graduate School they offer PHD's in Theology and Medicine and Public Health.^[8]

Missions

foreign missions - the church has 220 missionaries in 46 countries
home missions - the Committee of Evangelism is cmmitted to plant churches across South Korea and there 30 chaplains to the Korean military, the Committee of Evangelism in Rural Areas is in charge of planting churches in rural areas

International organisations

The Kosin group is a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches. In mission field they work closely with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in the USA. The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin) has sister church relations with the following churches:

References

External links

Official website

Christianity in Korea

Protestantism	Korea Baptist Convention Anglican Church of Korea Conservative Presbyterian Church in Korea Conservative Reformed Presbyterian Church in Korea Korean Christian Fundamentalist Assembly Korean Methodist Church Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea National Council of Churches in Korea Pure Presbyterian Church in Korea United Presbyterian Church in Korea Union Presbyterian Church in Korea World Mission Society Church of God Women Pastors Presbyterian Church in Korea Korea Campus Crusade for Christ Independent Reformed Church in Korea Independent Reformed Presbyterian Church in Korea Orthodox Presbyterian Church of Korea Presbyterian Church of Korea branches: TongHap HoHun Fundamentalist GaeHyuk I. Jesus KoShin KoRyuPa HapDong JungAng Daeshin HapDongChongShin HapDongChunTong HapDongBokUm ChanYang BoSuHapDong BokUm YeJong JeongRip Logos HwanWon DokNoHoe JapDongJungAng YeJangHapBo DaeShin II BupTong NamBuk HapDongBoSu SungHapChuk BoSuTongHap JeongTongChongHap HapDongChungYun HapDongJeongShin HanGukBoSu HapDongEunChong DongShin HapDongJinRi HapDongYunHap YunShin JangShin SunGyo HapDongYeChong ChanYang Ko-Ryu-Anti-Accusation HapDongChongShin I. HapDongChongShin II. HapDongSeungHoe JungRip PyungAhn HapDongChongHoe JeongTongGyeSeung HapDongTongHap HapDongBoSu I. HapDongBoSu II. DaeShin II. HapDongHwanWon HapDongBoSu IV. HapDongBoSu III. HapDongBoSu II. ChongHoe II. BoSuHapDong III. TongHapBoSu DaeHanShinChuk HapDongYeChong I HapDongSeongHoe GaeHyukHapDong I GaeHyukHapDong II HapDongGaeHyuk HapDongJangShin HoHun III ChongHoe II ChongHoe I HyukShin GaeHyukHapDong III DokNoHoe II BoSuJeongTong HapDongYeSun JaeGun Presbyterian Church in Korea (GaeHyuk) In North Korea Korean Christian Federation (state-controlled body) Bongsu Church (state-controlled body) Chilgol Church (state-controlled body)

Roman Catholic Church	Roman Catholicism in South Korea • Roman Catholicism in North Korea

Eastern Orthodox Church	Korean Orthodox Church • Church of the Life-Giving Trinity

Missionaries	Gregorious de Cespedes Horace Newton Allen Henry Appenzeller James Scarth Gale Jonathan Goforth Rosetta Sherwood Hall George Heber Jones Bill Majors Nagasaka John Livingstone Nevius William Noble Donald Owens William D. Reynolds Robert Jermain Thomas Horace Grant Underwood Tom Vasel

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