THE KUKMIN DAILY

The Korean church dealt with many important issues and events in 2013, including the hosting of the WCC 10th Assembly, proposed taxation of pastors, and activities by the heretical group Shincheonji. Following are this year’s 10 Korean church news highlights.

[10th WCC General Assembly Gathers 9,000 from 140 Countries]

From October 28 to November 8, the 10th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches took place at Bexco, Busan, with 9,000 participants from 140 countries. At this historical Assembly, WCC discussed life, justice, and peace issues and searched for alternatives. A new mission statement was adopted for the first time in 30 years: “Together Towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes,” along with other 12 documents including a “Statement on Peace and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula.”

[Churches Come Together Nationwide to Expose and Remove “Shincheonji’]

The Korean churches worked actively in 2013 to disclose the real face of Shinchoenji ('New Heaven and Earth') and prevent this heretical group from seeping into existing churches. The National Alliance against Shincheonji and the Korean Christian Association for Heresy Counseling were in the center of various activities to remove Shincheonji, which included disclosure of the locations of fake churches. Kukmin Daily as well ran a special series from April, published 20,000 copies of “How to Handle Shincheonji,” and distributed this to 5,100 churches nationwide.

[“Religious Workers Should Pay Tax, Too”… Amendment to Tax Law Proposed for First Time]

An amendment bill to impose an income tax on religious workers such as pastors and monks was proposed for the first time. So far their income has been categorized as non-taxable “compensation.” This proposal brought debate within the inner circles of the Korean church. The bill did not pass the National Assembly this year due to disagreement on its detailed provisions. It is projected to be discussed again at the provisional National Assembly next February. Church circles are struggling to prepare for this situation.

[Overall Expansion of Movement to Ban “Pastorship Inheritance”]

Last year the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) first adopted the policy to ban “inheritance of pastorship,” and this policy has been widely accepted this year throughout the Korean churches. The Presbyterian Church in Korea (PCK Tonghap), one of the two largest denominations, adopted it and immediately put it into force, while the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) passed related regulations. PCK Hapdong, the biggest denomination, PCK Koshin, and other major denominations, too, began discussing whether or not to enact such a regulation. This is expected to be one of the major issues next year.

[Conflicts Over Church Building and Plagiarism… Major Churches Went Through Inner Conflicts]

This year was a tough time for some major churches, with controversies over plagiarism and a new church building at Sarang Community Church; problems related to Jaeja Church’s pastor and denomination, and Shincheonji’s infiltration into First Presbyterian Church of Kangbuk. To resolve such conflicts, people are increasingly recognizing the necessity to strengthen legitimate church management and transparent processes.

[Splitting, Leaving… Christian Council of Korea in Biggest Crisis Since Foundation]

The Christian Council of Korea (CCK), a representative ecumenical organization of the Korean church, faces the greatest crisis since its foundation. Following last year’s secession led by the Presbyterian Church of Korea-Tonghap denomination, this year the PCK-Hapdong and PCK-Koshin denominations also decided to leave, due to a heresy controversy and other reasons. Moves to revise the Articles of Association in order to permit reappointment of CCK Executive Director Hong Jae-cheol also elicited strong opposition, with the result that CCK’s representative character and leadership have collapsed.

[Relief Work by Churches and Christian Service Organizations Helps the Philippines]

When super typhoon Haiyen hit the Philippines in November, the Korean churches?going beyond the boundaries of denomination and organization?became “good Samaritans” accomplishing their mission.

50 some key denominations, ecumenical groups and service organizations joined to form the Korean Church United Relief Mission for the Philippines (KCU Relief), and commenced relief work; and NGOs including World Vision and Good People also raised emergency relief funds and sent them to the Philippines. These fundraising and relief activities are still continuing.

[Clamor Over Law to Protect Gay Rights, Challenges to Textbook Contents]

When the “Inclusive Anti-discrimination Law” was proposed in the National Assembly, religious circles, worried that it would promote gay lifestyles, immediately announced their opposition.

Democratic Party Assembly members withdrew the law proposal, but the government is sticking to its plan to promote the law, and controversy over the issue has not settled. A newly authorized history textbook that has reduced the original depictions of Christianity, and a new ethics textbook with contents describing the gay lifestyle as normal, both have brought calls for revision.

["Declarations on the National Situation” Spread Upon Disclosure of Election Interference by Government Agencies]

Following investigation by the prosecution, and confirmation of government agencies’ interference in the last presidential election, religious circles have joined in the stream of public declarations on the national situation. Clergy for Justice and Peace, the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK), the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and other ecumenical organizations have held separate prayer meetings, demanding thorough investigation of the facts, punishment of responsible parties, resignation of President Park Keun-Hae, etc. On the other hand, 13,000 some pastors, elders and citizens have formed a group called “Christians Who Love the Nation” and have issued a declaration opposing the calls for the President’s resignation.

[Bishops’ Conference Chair Ousted Again… 5 Years-plus Internal Discord]

Last July, following five years of internal discord, the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) elected Chun Yong-jae the new Chair of its Bishops Conference. After just two months, however, he was ousted due to the issue of illegal election campaigning, and once again the KMC has fallen into chaos.

Subsequently Im Jun-taek was elected Acting Chair of the Bishops’ Conference, but controversy arose over his qualification for the post due to procedural issues. As a result, the KMC’s temporary legislative assembly last November was unable to properly discuss the proposal on church rules revision and other matters, and again is debilitated.


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