The Making of Korean Christianity: Protestant Encounters with Korean Religions, 1876-1915 (Studies in World Christianity) Hardcover – September 15, 2013
by Sung-Deuk Oak (Author)
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The Making of Korean Christianity: Protestant Encounters with Korean Religions, 1876-1915 (Studies in World Christianity): Oak, Sung-Deuk: 9781602585751: Amazon.com: Books
Editorial Reviews
Review
The history of Protestantism in Korea is rich and complex, and Oak’s work makes a valuable contribution toward understanding its origins and initial development.(Sean C. Kim, University of Central Missouri Sungkyun Journal of East Asian Studies)
A wealth of historical data from the turn of the last century on the formation of Korean Christianity is meticulously presented and carefully analyzed.(S. Michael Ahn, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary Themelios)
[ The Making of Korean Christianity] is highly recommended not only for those interested in the development of Korean Christianity, but also for those who want to explore the 'creative combination of the principle of Christian universality (vertical transcendence) and that of inculturation (horizontal adaptation)'.(Gun Cheol Kim Africanus Journal)
In short, Sung-Deuk Oak has produced an insightful study of the history of Christianity in Korea. This outstanding book is a must-read for anyone interested in modern Korean history, cross-cultural interactions, and global Christian studies.(Joseph Tse-Hei Lee, Pace University in New York The Asian Christian Review)
[ The Making of Korean Christianity] is a must read for anyone who wants to study world Christianity.(Gun Ho Lee, The Presbytery of New Hope Interpretation)
Review
The Making of Korean Christianity is a remarkable book. Oak moves beyond the conventional stereotypical view of the early Christian missionaries in Korea and expounds a deeper understanding of dealing with the missionaries' encounter with indigenous Korean religions. I highly recommended this book not only for those who are interested in the history of Christianity in Korea but also for the scholars and students of Korean spirituality and religious traditions and inter-religious dialogue in Korea.(Young-chan Ro, Professor and Chair, Department of Religious Studies and Director, Korean Studies Center, George Mason University)
The Making of Korean Christianity is the most comprehensive and significant contribution to the study of Protestant Christianity in Korea that has appeared in a generation. Oak challenges the received academic discourse on the first generation of Christians and shows how early Korean Protestants dealt with sophisticated issues in theology and religious practice to arrive at their own solutions in the process of cultural encounter. This book will be the principal source in English on this period of Korean Church history for many years.(James H. Grayson, Emeritus Professor of Modern Korean Studies, The University of Sheffield)
This groundbreaking study is the best book written on the development of Korean Christianity. Oak traces the early encounter between Protestant missionaries and Korean religions and moves the scholarship in new, deeper directions. The Making of Korean Christianity is required reading.(Dana L. Robert, Truman Collins Professor of World Christianity and History of Mission, Boston University)
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Product details
Series: Studies in World Christianity
Hardcover: 437 pages
Publisher: Baylor University Press (September 15, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160258575X
ISBN-13: 978-1602585751
Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.5 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
Customer Reviews: 5.0 out of 5 stars2 customer ratings
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,148,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#21723 in History of Christianity (Books)
#22658 in Christian Church History (Books)
#19195 in Protestantism
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Gurur Sev
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2018
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S. Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb historical survey of the development of Christianity in Korea.
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2017
Sung-Deuk Oak’s The Making of Korean Christianity is a tremendous contribution to the World Christianity Series and religions scholarship in general. Sketched thematically, Oak surveys a host of letters by Protestant missionaries and emerging indigenous voices. Issues concerning Korean Christianity’s adoption of a shamanistic deity’s name (hananim), changing perspectives of the cross, awareness of spirits and the need for exorcism, funeral memorials, influences from Chinese tracts and messages, and Daoist spirituality and rituals are all considered under Oak’s astute scholarship. Additionally considered are the tumultuous and volatile times Korea had from 1876-1915: Tonghak Rebellion, Russo-Japanese War, Sino-Japanese War, and more. These pressuring forces undoubtedly, at times, prevented and, at other times, encouraged Christianity’s acceptance. Oak is, also, sharp enough to notice the difference between simplistic (and insulting) syncretism and indigenizing Christianity. On the other hand, if ‘syncretism’ is held purely as a neutral descriptor (as this blogger is starting to hold), then the what and how of Korean Christians’ reactions to the Protestant religion can be accurately depicted and affirmed as good indigenization of the Gospel.
Personally, I have found this extremely helpful academically and for my own self-discovery (as a Korean American). But I can understand why some people might feel uneasy about Oak’s ease to associate folk religions’ influence on Korean Christianity. To not feel uneasy, one then must think hard about Christianity’s relations with cultures and come to conclusions about their relationships. For Oak (and I), Christianity is inherently a translatable and (re)contextualizable religion. In other words, Christianity must be indigenized.
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