A Comparative Study on the Reception of Catholicism vs. Protestantism in the 18 th and 19 th Century Chosŏn

Abstract

This paper argues that Catholicism was persecuted by the conservatives of Chosŏn more than Protestants for three reasons: (1) Changes in power relationships among elite groups of Chosŏn; (2) the different dogmas of the two religions, such as perspectives about separation between politics and religion, different emphasis on visible and invisible church; and (3) the different mission strategies based on their different religious world views, such as emphasis on direct and indirect mission strategies. In the late 18 th and early 19 th century the radical conservatives were much stronger than the moderates in Chosŏn. In contrast, in the late nineteenth century, the moderates were stronger than the radical conservatives. French missionaries concentrated on establishment of visible church while Protestants concentrated their activities on establishing hospitals and schools in Chosŏn. The different mission strategies of two religions were caused by their different religious dogmas: emphasis on visible or invisible church and perspective on separation between church and state.