Page 28 - A Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy

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Bible during this time. In 1907, however, with the ordination of the first seven graduates of the
Pyongyang Theological School (Presbyterian), these Korean national leaders began to share in

the preaching ministry.

The Preaching of the First Missionaries

The first missionaries, Puritan Pietists, held to a strong, conservative theology.

Concerning the theology of these preaching missionaries, Harvie Conn comments that they have

“a fervent evangelical spirit, a thorough belief in the Scripture as the Word of God, and in the

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Gospel message of salvation from sin through Jesus Christ.” The content of their sermons
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were not only evangelical, i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ, but also contained socio-political and

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socio-reformative contents as well. The Christians of that time fostered a spirit of political

autonomy and readily participated in political activity. Yet, such social activism threatened to

disturb the relationship with the government. The missionaries, therefore, met in 1901 and

15 Sung Kwang Kim, “A Handbook for Assemblies of God Preachers in Korea” (D. Min.
proj., San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1988), 41-42.

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Harvie M. Conn, “Studies in the Theology of the Korean Presbyterian Church,”
Westminster Theological Journal 29 no.1 (November 1966): 27.

17 Sung Kuh Chung, A History of Preaching in Korean Church (Seoul: The Presbyterian
General Assembly Theological Seminary Press, 1986), 39. He introduces the sermon outline of
Rev. Underwood which was preached at the first Presbyterian general assembly in 1912:

Text: Phil. 3:8-10
Title: Considering Everything A Loss
I. Jesus who is redeeming
II. Jesus who was resurrected
III. If suffers with Jesus he will find joy with Him.

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Sung Kim, “A Hand Book,” 43. He said, “a social activism of the Puritan faith affected
their sermons.” According to their puritan standpoints, they preached and taught social
reformation with new sets of ethics such as prohibition of tobacco, wine, gambling, polygamy,
and even funeral customs.