THE KUKMIN DAILY

Lawyer Baek Hyeon-gi (65, photo) of the law firm Logos, who once served as acting president of the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) Council of Bishops, recently published “Church Disputes Laws” (Bobmunsa). Though there have been many books related to church law, this is the first book treating church disputes with legal expertise, on the basis of judgments made in 320 some cases.

Meeting Kukmin Daily on November 8 at the Law Logos office on Teheran-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Lawyer Baek said, “Reviewing church dispute cases, we find that some judgments were not relevant to the actual church scene.” He explained, “The reason for this is that the courts have not correctly understood the special dual character of the church, ‘as a non-incorporated association applying democratic principles, and as a faith organization placing highest authority on God’s will and the Bible.’”

“Church Disputes Laws” presents detailed comparisons and analyses of the constitutions of Korea’s representative denominations including Presbyterian Church of Korea Tonghap, PCK Hapdong, PCK Kosin and KMC, and offers unified standards for application to church disputes.

Lawyer Baek explained that the majority of church disputes are matters related to clergy status or property rights. “In the Catholic Church, all property rights are held by the maintenance foundation, and in Buddhism, by the headquarters of the particular order, so it is no exaggeration to say that their believers have no authority.” He added, “Protestant churches have many disputes, ironically, because unlike other religions they have property rights and are democratic.”

“The reason church disputes do not get solved well is that pastors and church members are a community of persons who have dedicated their lives, time and material goods, and given diligent service,” Baek said. “The problems need to be worked out within the system of church, presbytery and general assembly, but when there are misgivings about impartiality, the problems become bigger. It is time to elevate transparency and impartiality.”

Article and photo by reporter Paek Sang-hyun (100sh@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)


Original Article in Korean:
백현기 로고스 변호사 “교회 분쟁, 알아야 예방하죠”: 백현기 로고스 변호사 ‘교회분쟁관계법’ 출간