The Korean Restoration and Innovation Forum held an academic conference at the Yukwangsa Hall of Korea University School of Medicine on February 18th to investigate the impact of Western civilization on Korean society. Chaired by Kilwon-pyeong, the event featured a keynote speech by Professor Ham Jae-bong, president of the Korean Academy of Sciences.
Professor Ham gave a lecture entitled “Production of Christianity and the Korean People.” So he said: After committing suicide, no one lamented the decline. The March 1st movement of 1919 was not a movement to restore Joseon’s sovereignty. ”
“During the late Joseon era, extreme hunger, corruption, and exploitation by greedy officials exacerbated the suffering of the people. This is vividly shown in Aejeolyang, a poem written by Dasan Jeong Yong in 1802. It’s been done.
“The poem laments the tragic incident of a man castrated in protest from despair over an unjust tax policy known as Gampo (military tax tax),” he said.
Ham also referred to Isabella Bird Bishop, a British author who visited Korea in the late 19th century and documented her book Korea and her neighbors in Joseon society. “During the visit, she recorded how people lost all hope and led to rampaging drinking, singing, dancing and theft,” he said. Furthermore, at the time, as with women occurring in several Islamic countries today, women were also frequently honoured. ”
However, he said, “With the introduction of the Protestant Mission, schools and hospitals began to be established. The spread of Christianity played a pivotal role in transforming Joseon’s entrenched feudal society into a liberal democratic society. Ta.”
He outlined four important Christian contributions to this transformation.
“Initially they overcome the caste system. One example is Park Seong-Chun, the leader of Baekjeong (Butcher Class). In 1894, his son suffering from typhoid fever was on the brink of death. Through a missionary named Moore, he received medical assistance from the emperor’s doctor Dr. Avison, and his son survived. This led to the park being converted to Christianity.”
“Despite his conversion, Park faced discrimination from aristocratic Christians and was forced to hold individual worship services for him. However, after the dramatic events, he finally found himself in Seung-dong. I was able to worship with them at the church.”
The Sundong Church was originally founded in 1893 by Moore, the missionary of the Gondangol Chapel. It was called “Baekjeong Church” because it was actively evangelized to the exile. In 1895, members of the nobles left the church, but by 1899 they were rejoining. Later, Park submitted a petition to the government claiming to abolish caste discrimination, and gave a speech at the Gwanmin Joint Parliament, contributing to the adoption of a “six-point resolution” that called for the formal abolition of the caste system.
Ham continued. “Secondly, we overcame gender discrimination. At Dongdamung Church, men and women worshiped together, marking the beginning of gender equality in Korean Christianity.
“Third, Korea’s first electoral system was introduced. In October 1887, the Semnan Church introduced the first electoral system in Korea based on Calvinist principles, and elected the church’s elders through the bottom-up voting process. did.
“Fourth, Korean promotion. Baejae Hakdang (Pai Chai School) hired five students, including Ju Si-Gyeong, under the publishing department of Sammun Publishing. In 1889, the Bible was translated. We announced the version and progress on Hangul, which contributed greatly to the spread of literacy.”
“Korean Protestants learned Hangul to read the Bible, which played an important role in its spread,” Ham said.
“Christianity served as a critical catalyst in the transition of Joseon’s feudal society into a liberal democratic institution,” he concluded. “It was a revolutionary movement that reformed Joseon society from the bottom up.”
Originally published by Christian Daily Korea and translated and edited by Christian Daily International Staff.
