THE KUKMIN DAILY

The Korean Christian History Society held its 331st symposium on January 10 at the Institute of the History of Christianity in Korea. The discussion topics were Korean Christianity’s elevated resistance against Japan during the military police era (1910-1919); and the historical significance of Protestant newspapers during early Korean Christianity.

Dr. Hong I-pyo made a presentation titled “Korean Christianity’s process of reception of the Naeji concept and perceptions of Japan in the era of Japanese military rule.” The term Naeji (內地), Dr. Hong explained, refers to the home country (本國) that is visited from outside or is under foreign occupation. Japan’s “visitation group to Naeji” attempted to brainwash Koreans into believing Japan was the shortcut to reach modern civilization. This effort to persuade Korean Christians, however, was unsuccessful because of their close ties to missionaries from a modern Western background… The governor-general of Korea also tried to assimilate hard-to-control Korean Christianity to the Japanese congregational church (a government-patronized church during Japanese rule), but that effort failed as well.”

Dr. Hong said, “Korean Christians who had realized Japan’s intention since the Eulsa Treaty of 1905, began leading an independence movement centering around the Sangdong-group (Sangdong Church), which later evolved into the Shinminhoe (New People’s Society)... Independence activists including Lee Dong-hui, Son Jeong-do, and Yeo Un-hyeong used the term Naeji after the March First Movement only when they were referring to Joseon.” He added, “When the Korean resistance against Japan became stronger, the governor-general of Korea oppressed the movement harshly. But the oppression was unable to crush the will of Korean Christianity to restore Naeji, and as a result the Korean church has been recognized as anti-Japan by Korean history.”

In her presentation titled “Research on the early Korean Protestant community and its relation to denominational newspapers,” Ms. Noh Minjung, a student in the doctoral program of the Religious Studies Department at Temple University, said that early Christians’ reading of, and submission of articles to Jyosheon Krisdoin Hoebo (Joseon Christian Bulletin - left in the photo) and Geurisdo Shinmum (Christ Newspaper - right in the photo), two major newspapers published by the early Korean Protestant church in 1897-1900, enabled these Christians to express their religious beliefs and actions for the first time. The Jyosheon Krisdoin Hoebo was founded by U.S. Methodist missionary H. Appenzeller in February 1897, and the Geurisdo Shinmum by U.S. Presbyterian missionary H. Underwood in April 1897; both were published weekly in Korean only (without Chinese characters).

Noh said, “Newspapers written only in Korean were easy to read and attracted more readers. Regular reading moved readers to submit their writings.” She explained, “The types of contributions varied from updates about their churches (number of baptized members, members’ charitable work, etc.) to explanations of Protestant doctrines, religious experiences such as conversion, and sharing of good examples of communicating the Gospel. She quoted from an article submitted by a reader of Geurisdo Shinmun to its June 9, 1898 issue: “A church member who lives near Deogwon Dolgogae in Busan has quit his concubine relationship since converting to Protestantism, is working and keeping the Sabbath, and lives a good life actively communicating about the Gospel.”

Ms. Noh said, “The readers learned the doctrines of Protestantism through the newspapers, and such regular exposures to real examples taught them how to apply the doctrines in their lives. That is how they were able to nurture their Christian faith.”

Reporter Lee Saya (Isaiah@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)


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