Syncretism: The Religious Context of Christian Beginnings in Korea

From the publisher’s website:

Argues that a syncretic worldview encouraged the remarkable growth of Christianity in Korea.

This book explains the explosive growth of Christianity since its introduction into Korea in the eighteenth century. In no other Asian country has Christianity taken root so strongly.

Author David Chung argues that it was the syncretic tendency of Korean religious culture that provided the context for the successful acceptance of Christianity. Working from the perspective of comparative religions, he explores how Korean society accommodated and assimilated religions of foreign origin, such as Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity through crude equation and subtle identification of these religions with Korean indigenous beliefs. Fundamentally shamanistic, Korean society received and grafted these religions onto its own and made a remarkable tapestry of beliefs, rites, and values into a comprehensive pattern. Syncretism finds this “religious tapestry” or internal chemistry working between Korean and Christian worldviews.

David Chung is former President of Konkuk University and Hanshin University, Korea, and former Professor of Religious Studies, Carleton University, Canada.

Kang-nam Oh – Editor

Contents

Acknowledgements

Table of Contents

Editor’s Introduction

Preface

Part I. The problem: the unique event

Chapter One: Catholicism: Mirabiliter Ingressi

Chapter Two: Protestantism: A Success

Part II. Context: the eventful age

Chapter Three: The Historical Stage

Chapter Four: Social Environment

Chapter Five: Method Employed

Part III. Syncretism: tapestry in the eastern scene

Chapter Six: Concept and Meaning

Chapter Seven: The Eastern Tapestry: The “Three Religions Are One” Principle

Part IV. The clue: diffusion and convergence

Chapter Eight: Confucianism and Christianity: Morphological Analogy

Chapter Nine: Buddhism and Christianity: Paradise in the Great Beyond

Chapter Ten: Taoism and Christianity: Unio Mystic

Chapter Eleven: Christianity and Popular Belief in Korean Society: New Discovery of an Old Faith

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Glossary

Index