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영어

Rev. Kil Son-ju (1869-1935), often called the father of Korean Protestantism, was the most important leader of the famous Great Revival of 1907 and further revivals of subsequent years (up to 1935). Commemorating the fust centenary of the Great Revival, thts article examines how he helped Korean Protestant Christianity to take on a deftnitely revivahst and fundamentahst form. Having taken advantage of his rebous (especdy Sdndo) background, Kil emphasized fervent spiritual endeavor, as may be seen in both hs early writings: Haet'aron (Treatise on laziness) and Mansa songch'wi (Fulfhent of all dungs). Ths was necessary for him since he and early Korean Christians wanted to differentiate themselves from others through their spiritual endeavors. So Kil played a key role in establishing the tradition of sanyongboe (Bible study class) and saebyok kdoboe (day-break prayer meeting) and, what is more, in incorporating these two practices into pubringhoe (revival meeting), which spread like ddfue all over the Korean Peninsula. He was, however, preoccupied with inducing confession of sins in revival meetings, perhaps because it gave Korean Christians a deep and internal assurance that they had become true Christians. Kil along with other early Korean Christians, who wanted to have a strong assurance of their being true Christians, further sought an absolutized and dogmatic ground for their Christian truth, for which the fundamentahst doctrine of Biblical inerrancy was set up. In sum, Kil's revivahst, Biblicist theology, which was heightened by hs early theology of fervent spiritual endeavor and hs later sturdy denniahsm, naturally evolved into a fundamentahst theology, whch remains dominant in Korea even today.