한국의 개신교 수용 배경에 대한 재 고찰: 이북 지역과 이남 지역의 초기 배경을 중심으로 -

Abstract

In Korea’s acceptance of Protestantism, there were differences in the regions south and northwest of Seoul regarding the acceptance of mission work. The northwestern region pointed to its background formed over a long period as the key reason for accepting Protestantism. The background to this involves the central government of the southern region discriminating against the northwestern region. Because the people of the northwest wanted to revolt, they were ready to accept a new kind of civilization. The people who passed the Kwago, the highest-level state examination during Joseon Dynasty, were not given positions in the government during the middle and later periods of Joseon, creating a culture without the yangban, or the aristocratic class. This made the classes more equal, and with a high level of education, the people accepted Protestantism more willingly as it was a new kind of civilization. This study aimed to re-examine the background of the northern region of the country. By examining how the northern region came to accept Protestantism, we found that there was a class-by-class acceptance, and that the people accepted it for religious reasons; colporteurs and native Koreans played a significant role in spreading Protestantism among the people. The influence of the central government did not reach this part of the country and it was relatively easy to spread and accept Protestantism here. Missionaries, including John Ross and John Macintyre, delivered their sermons tailored to the natives and even produced a Korean version of the Bible, so that the people could more easily approach Protestantism. In the region south of Seoul, on the other hand, missionaries came in after the establishment of diplomatic ties with the surrounding areas and the Western powers, and hence, things here were deeply related to political diplomacy, and missionary work was done largely for the purposes of modern education rather than for religious reasons. The group that led the effort of introducing Protestantism in the southern part was primarily made up of bureaucrats. For the purpose of the bureaucrats’ acceptance of Protestantism, modern educational institutions, including the Yukyeong-gongwon, were established and early American Protestant missionaries came to Korea as educators. However, when native Koreans signed up at these educational institutions, they were more interested in advancing their careers than in modern education, although many of them dropped out or gave up on their education. Subsequently, the gospel was spread and education was targeted to common people or lower classes. Colporteurs from the northern region came down to the South and functioned as assistants to early Protestant missionaries, helping them with the missionary work. Therefore, although on the surface the Protestant missionaries came to Korea under the pretext of education, Protestantism was established with the full-scale acceptance of mission work centered on the common people and Protestantism acceptors in the northern region.