Comments on Intentional Disciples: Hello from Seoul

Hi, BroPrinted this out for Ma & Pa. Sounds like ...

2008-08-22T19:50:00.000-06:00

Hi, Bro
Printed this out for Ma & Pa. Sounds like you are having a great visit. Did you make it to the DMZ? The cultural differences are very interesting. Hope to see some photos asap. I'm heading back to the UP on Tuesday. School starts on 9/2; I need to get my room ready. Lots to do, of course.

Hi, MikeGlad you made it to Korea. Hope you have ...

2008-08-21T16:13:00.000-06:00

Hi, Mike
Glad you made it to Korea. Hope you have a great visit with Cha and his fam. I'll make sure that Ma & Pa see your blog. Miss you. Your sis

I suppose, Fr Mike, I should have made it clearer ...

2008-08-20T12:15:00.000-06:00

I suppose, Fr Mike, I should have made it clearer I didn't seriously imagine you were unaware of other Asian countries with large proportions of Christians.

Anyway, it sounds like a very dynamic environment for evangelism, and I'm eager to read more of your impressions.

Your observations are right on point. As a North A...

2008-08-20T09:19:00.000-06:00

Your observations are right on point. As a North American travelling in Seoul, I had the very same reaction about the absence of graffiti. There was not a trace of it on the subway.

With reference to Christianity, one of the first things a traveller will notice about the city are the hundreds, nay, thousands of red neon signs that signify the location of a Protestant church. I also recall Protestant missionaries, including Jehovah's Witnesses, walking through the subway and soliciting members that way. They would politely ask for your telephone number and address. Needless to say, this was all quite shocking for a North American.

In regards to population, you are right, the district of Seoul has a population of 10 million. However the National Capital Area which includes Seoul in addition to 65 municipalities/suburbs, has a population of 23 million people.

Thanks for the stats, Sherry. I should have said ...

2008-08-19T18:26:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the stats, Sherry. I should have said Korea was the most Christian of non-western colonized countries. Of course, Vietnam was heavily Catholic, too.

Hi Sheepcat:East Timor was a Catholic enclave that...

2008-08-19T18:15:00.000-06:00

Hi Sheepcat:

East Timor was a Catholic enclave that broke away from largely Muslim Indonesia and the Phillipines, of course, was a Spanish colony for centuries.

What is unique about Korea is that little more than 120 years ago, the percentage of Christians in the country was very small (Korean Christianity was brought to the country by Catholic lay men in the late 18th century and they originally ordained their own priests before realizing that wasn't right. The 19th century Catholic Church in Korea endured a number of terrible persecutions and many years without resident priests.

In the 1880's Protestant missionaries arrived and the rest is history. There were about 50,000 Catholics and 300,000 Protestants in united Korea by 1945.

Growth after the Korean war in South Korea was dramatic and there were about 800,000 Catholics and 3.5 million Protestants by 1977.

In North Korea, the Christians who have survived decades of brutal persecution are all underground.

Christian growth in the 70's and 80's and 90's was dramatic. All religions in Korea grew and while 57% claimed "no religion" in 1985, a decade later, that had fallen to 49% and Christianity had grown from 20% to 26% percent of the population.

By 2005, Christians made up nearly 30% of the population: 29.3% are Christian (of which 18.3% (on total) profess to be Protestants and 10.9% to be Catholics) and non-believers had dropped to 46%.

Believing Christians in South Korea - especially evangelicals - are incredibly mission-minded. And high on their list is re-establishing the faith in North Korea.

Looking forward to your commentary, Fr Mike.As a p...

2008-08-19T17:51:00.000-06:00

Looking forward to your commentary, Fr Mike.

As a point of information, the proportion of Christians in Korea is reportedly around 29%, lower than East Timor (98%) and the Philippines (~93%) and--I had no idea--Kazakhstan (46%).

Hi Fr. Mike:Glad to see that you made it in one pi...

2008-08-18T20:21:00.000-06:00

Hi Fr. Mike:

Glad to see that you made it in one piece.

It will be great to hear about your adventures in Korea as you have time!