Elements of Protestant Accommodation to Korean Religious Culture: A Personal Ethnographic Perspective

Abstract

The structure and form of contemporary Korean Protestantism gives the initial impression to the outsider that there is a radical disjuncture between Christian faith and Korean culture. Korean Protestantism would appear to have made no accommodation to the religious or philosophical aspects of Korean culture. The author argues that although he had originally held to this view, further reflection on the dynamics of the relationship between Christianity and Korean culture convinced him that there has been a very profound degree of accommodation can be shown to exist on three different levels of culture—the behavioral level, the ritual level, and the level of faith. Likewise, this process of accommodation can be shown to have both positive and negative aspects. For example, the Christian memorial service for the deceased members of one's family can be shown to be a positive accommodation to a perceived need in Korean culture. However, the idea that faith in God is primarily for the material blessings which will be bestowed on the believer can be said to be a negative aspect of Protestant accommodation.