The Presbyterian Church of Korea
The Presbyterian Church of Korea is a mainline Protestant denomination based in South Korea and currently has the largest membership of any Presbyterian denomination in the world. It is affiliated with its daughter denomination, the Korean Presbyterian Church in America. The church, while primarily made up of Korean-speakers, welcomes people of all nationalities.
Like other Christian groups, the Korean Presbyterians were closely involved in the peaceful March first movement for Korean independence, in 1919. In the 1950s, the Presbyterian Church of Korea was cut off from any remaining believers in North Korea creating three schisms.
The history of the Protestant church in Korea began in 1884, when the first Korean Christian founded a church in North-Eastern Korea. The New Testament was translated into Korean at that time. From 1884 onwards many missionaries from churches in the West came to Korea. They founded many schools, orphanages, hospitals, etc.
Overcoming these difficult times the Korean churches have grown up and are now among the biggest churches in the world. The Presbyterian Church celebrated the 120th anniversary of Protestant Christian mission in Korea in 2004. Facing the second century of its history, the church decided to change the emphasis of mission from growth in quantity to growth in quality, from the church being missioned to the church missioning. The Presbyterian Church of Korea proclaimed the “Life Saving Movement for a Decade” and decided that the programme should go forward in all the congregations through the year 2012, aiming at unity, peace, social service, human rights, rural and fisheries ministry and medical mission. In memory of the great revival movement of Korean churches in 1907, the Presbyterian Church of Korea has initiated its centennial memorial celebration in 2007. In response to its mission to neighbours in the world, 799 missionaries of the Presbyterian Church of Korea are working in 77 countries.

















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