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36 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

Similarly, in 1886, Mary Scranton not recognized as a national holiday Christians. Are these vestiges of
established the women’s school until 1975. This discrepancy in the past?
known as Ehwa School, while in holiday recognition underscores the
1887, Baeje School, founded by differential treatment of Christianity Regarding the violence perpetrated
missionary Henry Appenzeller, and Buddhism by the Korean by fundamentalist Korean
gained official recognition as an government. Christians, such incidents have not
educational institution. Many recurred in Korea since the 2016
of Korea’s leading intellectuals Furthermore, during the event at the Gaeun Buddhist temple.
received their education from these industrialization period, individuals Following that episode, where
institutions. migrating from rural areas found a pastor made an apology and
community and support within proposed a fundraising campaign
Moreover, during the Japanese Christian church communities. for the temple’s recovery, he was
occupation period, Protestant For decades, converting to subsequently terminated from the
churches aligned themselves with Protestantism in Korea offered seminary school where he worked
the Korean people and supported increased access to education, social due to immense social backlash.
the independence movement. The networks, and communal support. Consequently, extremist Christian
famous March 1st Independence groups have shifted their tactics to
Movement was spearheaded by While some scholars argue that what they term “occupying other
Korean Protestants. Among the 33 Koreans were predisposed to religion’s land” (Ddang balgi). An
leaders, 16 were Christians, 2 were embrace Christianity and its example of this occurred in 2019
Buddhists, and 15 were believers monotheistic beliefs, I contend when some Korean Protestants sang
of Cheondogyo, a new religion that the social contributions hymns and propagated Christianity
based on Neo-Confucianism. The of Christianity during modern at the Mahabodhi temple in India.
Korean Protestant community times were instrumental in its However, their actions were met
played a significant role in rise to prominence in Korea, with criticism, and there have been
leading the Manse Movement particularly in South Korea. In no reported incidents of this nature
across the country, advocating for contrast, Christianity faced severe since then.
“Korean independence forever” persecution and suppression
while waving the Taegeukgi, the in Japan for over 200 years Regarding financial mismanagement
Korean national flag. Additionally, following its initial reception in and violent conflicts within
Protestant churches facilitated the 16th century. During Japan’s Buddhism, these issues remain
the higher education of Korean modernization, the government unresolved. Lay Buddhist groups,
intellectuals abroad. separated Buddhism and Shinto and such as the Buddhist Solidarity
established Shinto as the indigenous for Justice and Peace, continue to
After independence, Protestants ideology, with Christianity playing advocate for the reformation of
continued to wield considerable no significant role in Japan’s the Chogye Order’s management
influence in Korean society. During modernization or thereafter. system. However, progress in this
the trusteeship period, South Korea regard has been limited, and it
was governed by the American During the last two decades can be said that the process of
army for five years, a predominantly the Buddhist Orders were reformation is ongoing.
Christian nation. The first president, deeply mired in financial It’s essential to note that there is
Syngman Lee, and many high- mismanagement, violent conflicts no direct correlation between the
ranking government officials were among the monastics, and a few violence perpetrated by extreme
Christian. Consequently, Christmas incidents of communal violence Christians and any tarnishing of
was declared a national holiday in and anti-Buddhist slogans Buddhism resulting from its internal
1949, while Buddha’s birthday was by fundamentalist Korean conflicts. These are distinct issues;