Korean Influence On Christianity

Fourthly, Protestant Christianity was built on the foundation laid by the moral concerns of Neo-Confucianism of Korea. The early message of Christianity for Koreans did not considerably deviate from the moral and social values of Confucianism which was an integral part of Korean society and culture at that time. Koreans believed that the ethical values of Protestant is conformed to Confucian-centered moral values of Koreans, and it would make their nation more advanced and stronger. The early Protestant missionaries to Korea were those of Puritanical zeal and Wesleyian fervor whose theology could be described today as fundamentalist. They were strictly orthodox, resistant to new theological ideas, like the Neo-Confucianist of Korea. The orthodoxy was reinforced through the educational
As the shaman was one of the mediators to connect the present human and spirit, Shamanistic faith had become a religious and cultural basis which have influence on the Koreans in seeking for secular prosperity such as fortune, health, and wealth. Many Koreans accepted Christianity as a religion of individual success and national prosperity, and adopted shamanic emphasis on the fulfillment of material wishes through prayers. Such “Shamanization” of Christianity was necessitated by the fact that it has traditionally exerted the most powerful religious influence upon the Korean people. The Korean War, one of the most disastrous events in Korea, brought a ‘disaster syndrome’ as a result of the war and widespread destruction and loss of life to Koreans. Many Koreans came to rely on the Christian faith, and churches gave them messages of comfort and material blessing. Many hundreds of thousands took refuge in the churches. The groups continued the utilitarian tradition of Korean