Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2013 Issue | Page 25

desire to find ways to integrate with
Korean culture. We had the privilege to
see two of these magnificent churches
built in traditional Korean hanok style
at the turn of the century on Ganghwa
Island, one-time ancient royal capital
located off the west coast of Korea, and
the cradle of Korean Anglicanism.

Anglicanism in Korea spans four
major eras in modern history: 1) the
close of the ancient Chosun Dynasty,
2) the horrors of Japanese colonial
rule, 3) the invasion of Communism
and subsequent division of the
country, 4) post-war reconstruction.
During the post-war period of
reconstruction, the Anglican Church
began to see its greatest growth, and
its increasing influence as a provider
of social care to a society that was
badly scarred by war. These outreach
endeavors have been so successful
that the government has recognized
the importance of the role of the
Anglican Church in social outreach by

providing the church with 60 percent
of its social outreach budget.

This social-mindedness comes out
of a tiny denomination that the World
Council of Churches reports as having a
membership size of 80,000 in a country
with over 48 million inhabitants (the
most recent WCC report is from
2006). With over 130 social outreach
programs in Seoul alone, the creative
and entrepreneurial spirit of the
Korean Church is inspiring as the church
develops income generating social
enterprises, public-private partnerships
and transformative social care.

Bishop Johnston stated that the
Korean Church is an overlooked gem in
the Anglican Communion that has a lot
to teach us about taking up the Gospel
mandate to serve the marginalized. We
visited a number of programs each with
passionate clergy and staff including
a homeless program spread across
five locations in the heart of Seoul,
several job skill training sites for those

with disabilities, and also community
building and family services.

Prior to the division of the country,
Pyongyang – which is now the capital
city of the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea (North Korea) – was
the capital of Christianity, and even
today, Archbishop Kim’s jurisdiction
includes Pyongyang. Our itinerary
included a sobering day at the border
crossing, witnessing the tension
between North and South Korean
soldiers facing each other.

The socially minded church prays
for peaceful unification of the two
sides, and actively works to support
immigrants from the north and has
a program for sending aid to the
north. An outdoor coffee counter on
the grounds of the cathedral, Café
Grace, serves coffee, but its main
aim is to provide training for women
refugees from the north, and to help
them acclimate to life in the south.
An organization called Towards Peace
in Korea (TOPIK) has three major
objectives: executing a humanitarian
plan to help prevent widespread famine
in the north, promoting peace between
the two Koreas and developing a peace
network in East Asia.

Comprised of three dioceses,
the Anglican Church of Korea has the
same membership as the Diocese
of Virginia and fewer clergy, but
produces amazingly creative and
passionate responses to the Gospel
mandate to serve the neediest. Two
possibilities exist for each of our
parishes: to support our local Korean
congregations and to establish links
with parishes in Korea. t

Bishop Johnston speaks English with children outside the Gyeongbokgong Palace of the
Chosun Dynasty near Seoul Cathedral.

Winter 2013 / Virginia Episcopalian

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