Page 37 - A Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy

material and physical problems as much as solving spiritual needs. The Christian pulpit

concentrated on satisfying egocentric concerns of individuals and individual churches.

Meanwhile, there was a prophetic voice of appeal for church renewal concerning the

social responsibility of preaching. Rapid industrialization and urbanization of the society and

prolonged military ruling precipitated serious spiritual and moral problems as well as human

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rights questions. Rev. Hyung-Kyu Park, one of the leaders of church renewal movement stated

in a sermon:

In a situation like that of Korea, where modernization and industrialization are
pressed without a firmly established democratic system, a gigantic social evil is
easily managed and concealed by political manipulation. Those who do not have
power and are the victims of that evil are refused even the possibility of knowing
the source of social evil and of the struggle against it. . . . For this reason, the most
urgent task of the Korean church is to disclose the political and social evil and,
allied with its victims, help them to combat the social evil systematically and
effectively. If the church neglects this pressing task, it denies the Lordship of
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Christ over history and the life of man.
In 1984, Korean Christians celebrated the centennial year as “the Year of Christianity” in

Korea. In spite of the thanksgiving and amazement over the numerical growth of Christianity in

Korea, however, the Korean church and her preaching still required reevaluation. Many

questions remained concerning the socio-politico-religious dynamics of the Korean church in

general: problems of clerical authoritarianism, prosperity gospel, egocentric prayers of blessings,

and the secular-sacred dichotomy.

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Boo Yoo, Korean Pentecostalism, 135-190. He describes in detail the Historical and
social context of this time and renewal of church movement. Kang, Christ and Caesar, 99-140.
He explains how conservatives and moderates of Korean Christianity dealt with military
governments for last three decades.

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Hyung-Kyu Park, “Some Problems of the Church’s Renewal,” Ecumenical Review 9
(1966), 26-27.