Shamanistic Influences In Korean Pentecostal Christianity:
An Analysis
Spring 2000
By Jeremy Reynalds
Korean Christians tend to see Christianity as a path to material prosperity.
That trait is a
residue of shamanism, the native folk religion for centuries in Korea
and other Northeast Asian
countries. In shamanism the shaman (a quasi medicine man or woman) is
asked to intercede with the
spirits to ensure one's health or business success. Many professing Christians
contend that the gods
of shamanism and the God of Christianity are kindred spirits.
In this research I will contend that there is a relationship between
the gods of shamanism and Korean megachurch
pastor PaulYonggi-Cho. I will propose that the relationship existing
between shamanism and Cho is that they both seek to resolve a common
human propensity (the desire to be well off) and that in so doing Cho
makes his faith utilitarian, and that with the long history of shamanistic
influence on the Korean culture there is thus a favorable environment
created for the receiving of his message.
Introduction
Although Protestant Christianity in Korea is only about 100 years old,
it has grown dramatically. At the end of World War II
only approximately 8 percent of the population was Christian. But by
1994 that figure had increased to over 33 percent of the South Korean
population.
Korean Christianity could not be called "other-worldly."
After the 1951 ending of the Korean War, South Korean Christians
mounted a fierce opposition to the authoritarian regimes of Syngman Rhee
and Chung Hee Park, during which time many believers were
beaten and jailed. Korean Christians invented their own version of "liberation
theology," which they called "minjung theology" (Cox 1995).
In addition, today's average Korean churchgoer believes that by embracing
Christianity, he or she will get plenty of material
success in this world and their spiritual rewards in the next (Tongshik:
9-21 quoted in Yoo 1988:104).
A key element of understanding "minjung" is being able to
comprehend the concept of "han," which has been deemed
as "untranslatable" by some Koreans but called by others an
indispensable key in being able to understand the Korean soul (Cox 1995).
But more exactly, what is "han?" One scholar calls it a "feeling
of unresolved resentment against injustices suffered, a sense
of helplessness because of the overwhelming odds against one, a feeling
of acute pain in one's guts and bowels, making the whole body
writhe and squirm, and an obstinate urge to take revenge and to right
the wrong -- all these combined (Nam-dong:55-72 quoted in
Yoo:221).
Han is very deep rooted in Korean culture and the country's entire
way of life has been profoundly shaped by the
doctrine/concept (Yoo 1988).
Suh Nam-dong writes:
Koreans have suffered numerous invasions by powerful surrounding nations
so that the very existence of the Korean nation has come to be understood
as Han. Koreans have continually suffered the tyranny of the rulers so
that they think of their existence as Baeksong (individually or
collectively, those under the control of a sovereign. This term is nowadays
used to mean common people). Also, under Confucianism's strict imposition
of laws and customs discriminating against women, the existence of women
was Han itself. At a certain point in Korean history, about half of the
population were registered as hereditary slaves and were treated as property
rather than as people of the nation. They thought of their lives as Han.
These four points may be called the fourfold Han of the Korean people.
Indeed, as the poet Ko Bun exclaims, 'We Koreans were born from the womb
of Han and brought up in the womb of Han.' (Suh Nam-dong:55-72 quoted
in Yoo 1988:222)
Another scholar says that Han is an underlying feeling of the Korean
nation. While one aspect of Han manifests as a feeling
of basic worthlessness, on the other hand it can also be displayed as
a zest for life which comes to weaker beings. The first aspect can
sometimes be sublimated to result in a demonstration of great artistic
expression and the other aspect can result in a revolution or a
rebellion (Yoo 1988).
Minjung theology has had a huge influence on Korean Christianity, including
on that of Korean pentecostalism. For example,
during a "Here's Life Korea" campaign, in addition to being
encouraged to pray for new converts, believers were also exhorted to pray
for the justice of the Kingdom of God as well as national reconciliation
(Cox 1995).
Interestingly, the missionaries who brought Christianity to Korea passed
over Korea's ruling elite and took the
gospel message to the poor and rural areas. They also translated the
Bible into Hangul, the language of the common people
(Cox 1995).
"As a result, Korean Christianity quickly became associated with
the national resistance to Japanese imperialism and, in part,
because it has blended with shamanism, it has retained a strong hold
on the masses" (Cox 1995:239-240).
But what about the massive eruption not just of Korean Christianity
in South Korea but more specifically of Korean
Pentecostalism? How can the phenomenal growth be explained? Some explanations
attribute the growth to the painful aftermath of the
Korean War and the resulting economic and social changes. Others cite
the mushrooming of large cities and pentecostalism's emphasis
on healing. However, healing and the growth of large cities are not
unique to Korea. They also occur in various other locations
throughout the world far removed from Korea (Cox 1995).
There is an additional uniquely Korean reason which worries many observers.
It has been described as "Korean
pentecostalism's unerring ability to absorb huge chunks of indigenous
Korean shamanism and demon possession into its worship ...
What troubles people everywhere about the Korean case is that the degree
of importation is so extensive that some wonder out loud
what has absorbed what" (Cox 1995:222).
However, not all observers are as concerned. One wrote, "Many
people think that Korean Christianity is strongly influenced
by shamanism. However, like all other countries in Asia, shamanism was
a popular religion in the ancient society. Therefore shamanism
is just one of (the) religious soils of Christianity" (Lee, e-mail
to the author, 2000).
Harvey Cox summarizes the situation well when he asks whether this
is a case of "the so-called indigenization of Christianity
in an Asian culture? Or is it merely the continuation of the most salient
forms of previous Korean folk religion wearing a Christian
mask?" (Cox 1995:222).
Cox cites Paul Yonggi Cho as being a vivid example of Christian shamanism.
This research will investigate whether that is,
in fact, the case. But before we look at whether Cho meets the qualification
for being a Christian shaman, it is important to define what
exactly shamanism is.
Shamanism Defined
Among tribal peoples, (a shaman is) a magician, medium, or healer
who owes his powers to mystical communion with the spirit world. Shamanism
is based on animism; the shaman shields humans from destructive spirits
by rendering the spirits harmless. He receives his power from a spirit
who selects him and whom he cannot refuse. Characteristically, he goes
into auto-hypnotic trances, during which he is said to be in contact with
spirits. He occupies a position of great power and prestige in his tribe.
Noted especially among Siberians, shamans are also found among the Eskimos,
some Native American tribes, in SE Asia, and in Oceania. [Online] Available:http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/11772.html
To successfully understand the Korean religious mentality, it is essential
to understand Shamanism.
Shamanism sets forth a universe in which human beings, animals and
inanimate objects all have a spiritual side. Hananim
is the chief spirit and some scholars have said that he dominates the
lives of the Koreans as they are always talking about him.
In spite of their reverence for Hananim, Koreans do not appear to worship
him, as he "remains remote from the events of the world
and rules the world through power delegated to lesser gods" (Yoo
1987:10-11).
Christian missionaries were able to use this monotheistic tendency
to their advantage as they shared the Christian gospel
with the people of South Korea [Online] Available: http://www.webwitness.org.au/smr/bk3chap10-e.html
In Shamanism's three-storey universe, Hananim along with the other
benevolent spirits live in the upper storey. Man's
habitation, along with that of animals and inanimate objects, is the
middle storey. The lower storey is reserved for what evangelical
Christians would define as hell, and is reserved for all the evil spirits
(Yoo 1987).
However, in the typical practice of Shamanism most people are concerned
with "freeing themselves from the ever present,
harassing spirits and the discomfort which they bring and have little
interest in the weightier matters implied in Shamanistic belief"
(Yoo
1987:11).
As a result, one scholar (controversial in some circles) contends that
Shamanism has exercised an overall negative influence
on Korean culture. "The characteristics which Koreans have developed
in the practice of Shamanism are fatalism, moral indifference,
self-centered interest, escapism, and also external fanaticism in its
external rites" (Yoo1987:11).
In spite of this negative assessment, the same scholar says there are
nonetheless some redeeming characteristics of
shamanism. Yoo says that shamanistic beliefs have allowed Koreans to
better understand some of the basic Christian tenets such as the
idea of God, the evil present in the world, the concept of heaven and
hell and good and evil spirits (Yoo 1987).
In addition, Yoo points out, the traits developed through shamanistic
practice "greatly affected the Korean appropriation
and expression of Christianity, through revival enthusiasm and other-worldly
orientation" (Yoo1987:12).
Yoo says while it would be easy to dismiss Shamanism as just a primitive
superstition that has absolutely no place in
modern society to do so would be a mistake. Shamanism is more than a
"superstition of the people who are still captive to primitive
psychology and an unscientific world view." It is an integral part
of Korean culture, satisfying the spiritual needs of many
(Yoo1987:224).
When that is realized, Yoo points out, it changes one's perception
of Shamanism. Shamanism brings out the Han,
hidden deep in the lives of the nation in general and the minjung in
particular (Yoo1987).
Minjung theology has been loosely defined as being a theology of the
underdog. Korean theologians have been unable
to formulate a precise definition of minjung. In its commitment to the
poor, it does bear many similarities to other Third World liberation
theologies, but it is not identical (Yoo 1987).
It has been said that:
The minjung reality is known only through its biography, its story,
its hope and suffering. It is the Korean story of suffering and hope that
defines the essential story of minjung theology. It cannot be explained
rationally, as is the case of European theology, Chinese philosophy and
some manifestations of liberation theology influenced by it ... Minjung
is not a concept or object which can be easily explained or defined. Minjung
signifies a living reality which is dynamic. This living reality defines
its own existence, and generates new acts and dramas in history; and it
refuses in principle to be defined conceptually (Yoo1987:201).
Thus those who engage in Shamanistic rituals feel they are having their
accumulated Han released, an obviously liberating
experience for them as they live out their seemingly frustrated lives
on a daily basis (Yoo 1987).
Shamanism And Christianity
-- Compatible Or Not?
One Korean scholar believes that Shamanism poses a very real danger
to Biblical Christianity. He writes, "Korean
Christianity faces imminent and dramatic confrontation with the power
of Shamanism. If we overcome, we remain true to Jesus Christ.
If we compromise, we are reduced to yet another form of Shamanism with
Christian veneer" (Lee1994:3-4).
This same scholar says that "bok," or material blessing,
lies at the heart of Shamanism. He says that among other
(negative concepts) shamanism emphasizes material blessing and success
in society without any accompanying concern for others. "It is
individualistic, self-centered and possessed with selfism; a combination
which results in divisiveness. Bok is not amenable to either
individual or social ethics" (Lee 1994:4).
With this in mind, it is perhaps not surprising that the concept of
Biblical blessing eventually became distorted (sic) in the
Korean church. This theology began in the 1960's when then President
Park successfully took over the government by a military coup.
His five-year economic plan was extremely successful and the result
was a time of great success for Korea. Part of that success
encompassed unprecedented church growth. (Lee 1994).
Along with that church growth the philosophy of positive thinking swept
over Korea. "The messages from Korean church
pulpits were changed, reoriented toward material blessing and away from
emphasis on repentance. Bok became the central theme of
the Korean church" (Lee1994:172).
While it is a sweeping statement to say that "Bok became the central
theme of the Korean church," (Lee 1994:172), that
point of view seems to be reinforced by stories found in Cho's book
The Fourth Dimension.
For example. Cho relates a story about an individual who came to ask
his advice about possibly going into the retail
business to make a living selling salt. Cho told the individual that
if he believed he was supposed to do that to go right ahead. "So
he
went out, selling salt on a small scale. He paid tithes, paid his pledge
and all the time was rejoicing in the Lord. God began to bless him,
and his salt business grew and grew ... Now he is a multimillionaire
through his salt business" (Cho 1979:178-179).
In another part of the same book Cho says:
Your first step must be to change your thinking attitude from that
of a negative attitude to that of a positive one ... So this doctor
came to the church and I prayed for him. He received the prayer of faith
and he stood up and walked from his wheelchair, his steps strong ...
Next Sunday he came to the church, walking by himself with no assistance.
He again requested my personal prayer, but as I was busy I could not.
When he saw that I could not personally pray for him, he changed his
thinking; his thoughts regressed and he returned into his old self ...
and as he walked out of my office to his car he collapsed ... He collapsed
because he changed his thoughts. (Cho 1979:122)
Lee says that it is such a preoccupation with bok that has produced
unhealthy symptoms (sic) manifested in the Korean
church. Some of the instances he cites include the tendency of a number
of pastors to greet others in ministry with comments such as
"How many people do you have in your church?" or "How
much do you get paid?" (Lee1994).
A number of pastors orient their messages on giving to the Lord in
order to receive bok -- blessings -- from God.
Repentance is not thought of as being that important, Lee feels (Lee1994).
While the Korean church is known for prayer; Cho's Yoido Church being
a prime illustration of this point, Lee points
out that while there is a lot of prayer for bok, there is little prayer
for Biblical repentance (sic). While once speaking at the world's
largest prayer center located in Korea (presumably Cho's) Lee "found
out that more than 98 percent of its visitors came to seek bok
from God. Bok is a natural gift of God if we have a right relationship
with Him. Repentance is the key to a right relationship with God"
(Lee 1994:175).
Korean shamanism's "marriage" (sic) to positive thinking
has also infiltrated the Korean Christian church (sic).
One researcher feels that steeped in this way of thinking it was a natural
tendency for Korean Christians to attempt to control God
instead of allowing themselves to be controlled by Him. It is important
to note that the "gospel" of positivism does not emphasize the
Biblical concept of denial. It encourages, rather, human self-development,
says researcher Lee. (Lee 1994).
Reading Cho's material seems to validate this claim of Lee's. For example,
Cho writes:
Claim and speak the word of assurance, for your word actually goes
out and creates ... Your word is the material which the Holy Spirit uses
to create ... There are times for you to pray but there are also times
for you to give the command .. You have the resources within you and now
you know the elements needed in incubation to make your faith usable.
Get a clear-cut goal and objective ... Then begin to speak the word about
which you have been given assurance. (Cho1979: 31-35)
Two Korean words adequately address this situation. They are "shinyum,"
which means using human faith to
accomplish one's ambitions and "shinanhg," defined as divine
faith given by the Lord; faith to obey the will of God. It appears to
be
sadly evident (sic) which concept is having the greatest effect on Korean
Christianity (Lee1994).
Lee says that a major concern for Christians is Shamanism's emphasis
on the present and on material blessings. Shamanism's
primary goal is the happiness of individuals and its practitioners even
perform a ceremony to avoid or overcome personal difficulties
and problems (Lee1996).
Korean Christians selfishly pray for the solution of their own problem
and their prosperity. Since they are more interested in their personal
benefits than in divine providence, their faith is in danger of becoming
something of a sorcery ... Shamanism implicitly drove Korean Christians
to focus on blessings. Throughout the history of Korea, most Koreans have
cherished and pursued blessings. This tendency may have resulted from
a geopolitic cause, as the social atmosphere was unstable due to constant
invasions from other countries (leading) people to seek individual stability.
Another reason may have been the desire of Koreans to overcome uncontrollable
natural phenomena by seeking blessings. The concept of blessing in Shamanism
is the search for secular and material blessings in the present life.
In this concept, it resembles the earliest concept of blessedness in the
Bible but is quite different from the blessing of God that Jesus promised
or St. Paul held out to his churches (Lee1996:20-21).
This research will now look at the precursor to and the beginnings
of Korean pentecostalism, followed by a study of
the history of Cho's ministry and then consider whether Cho fits the
category of being a Christian shaman and whether his services
should be described as shamanistic.
The Precursor To And
Beginnings Of Korean Pentecostalism
Prior to the latter portion of the 20th century, Korea was extremely
resistant to the message of the gospel. With
deep Buddhist and Shamanistic roots, Korea was commonly referred to as
the "hermit kingdom." Catholic missionaries arrived in
1784, bringing the first Christian ministry, bu they encountered the
whole gamut of persecution, ranging from plain indifference to
martyrdom. Anti-Catholic sentiment came to a head in the infamous 1866
massacre, when as many as 10,000 bishops, priests and new
converts were martyred for their faith. Was Available [Online]: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Protestant missionaries did not arrive until about a century later.
They landed at Inchon, a city quite near to Seoul. Prior
to their arrival, John Ross had successfully translated the New testament
into the Korean language during the 1870's. [Online]
Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Presbyterian Henry Underwood and Methodist Henry Appenzeller arrived
in Korea from the United States in 1884.
With the Presbyterians sending more missionaries to Korea than the Methodists,
it did not take long for Presbyterianism to become the
country's biggest Christian body, although substantial progress was
very difficult for all of the Christian church bodies during that time.
It is worth noting that by 1900, Korea Christians still only comprised
0.4% of the country's population. [Online] Available:
http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
The first spiritual revival among that small group of Korean Protestant
believers began in 1903 in the City of Wonsan, "where
a mighty wave of confession and repentance occurred under the leadership
of R.A. Hardie, a Methodist missionary from Canada." This
revival had both profound and lasting results. There occurred a "renewal
of personal holiness which has characterized the Korean
church ever since." Subsequent revivals between the years of 1904
and 1907 intensified this passion for holiness in addition to resulting
in church growth. [Online] Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
In 1906, a Korean student initiated early morning prayer meetings with
resulting positive effects on the Korean church.
"This custom, as well as the all night prayer, also became vital
to the spiritual life of the Korean churches. In these meetings, the
missionary H.A. Johnson linked the Korean experience to the Welsh revival
which was sweeping the world at the time." [Online]
Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
There was another revival at Pyongyang in 1907. The prevailing characteristics
of this revival were a hunger for the Word
manifesting in intense Bible study and intense prayer with everyone
praying at the same time. During these times of prayer, there
occurred what could be best described as a great wave of weeping and
prayer that swept over those present, which included both
Methodist and Presbyterian missionaries as well as the Korean laymen.
Observers called the meetings indescribable. Synan notes that
the thunderous style of prayer which was a characteristic of those meetings
still so remains in today's Korean church. He also points
out that while the meetings did not feature the vocal charismata such
as tongues and healing, there were a number of prophecies of a
new Pentecost for Korea and the world. [Online] Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
The advent of World War II interrupted this precursor to the development
of Korean pentecostalism. In 1940 all of Korea's
foreign missionaries were forced out of the country by the Japanese.
This time resulted in a period of persecution for all of the churches
which
were forced to go underground. Churches were not free again until the
Japanese were defeated again in 1945. However, this period of
freedom did not last long. The Korean War, beginning in 1950, caused
considerable hardship for every aspect of Korean society, including
the church community. When the Korean War finally ended, Korean churches
were finally free again to develop and receive needed help
from abroad. during this time frame, the first American Pentecostal denominations
established Korean mission fields. [Online] Available:
http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
In 1952, the American Assemblies of God sent Abner Chesnut as their
first Korean missionary. He first made contact with the
Chosun Pentecostal Church. The Korean Assemblies of God was organized
in 1953. The next year, the Korean Assemblies of God opened
its first Bible School. Paul Yonggi Cho was one of its first students.
[Online] Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Historical Background Of Paul Yonggi
Cho And
Yoido Full Gospel Church
Cho: An Overview
Dr. Paul Yonggi Cho, a South Korean preacher and head of the world's
largest church started his ministry in 1958 with a small
number of converts in an army tent. That is a far cry from the number
of people now influenced by his ministry. His church in Seoul, Korea
holds more than 60,000. And that number does not include those people
who sit in the overflow area equipped with video screens (London
Daily Telegraph, March 12, 1995).
Cho has 500 pastors who work for him, and an annual budget of $100
million. However, it is not Cho's income that has thrust
him into theological controversy. It is his teachings about money and
prosperity. Cho believes that Christians have a RIGHT to wealth. He
preaches that poverty is a curse from Satan and that Korea's spiritual
revival is the driving force behind the country's economic prosperity
(London Daily Telegraph, March 12, 1995)
Cho: His Origins
Cho had rejected the Buddhism of his youth during the time he was dying
from tuberculosis. Apparently, he said that if he was
to ever get well he would like to become a medical doctor. Cho claims
to have been converted after Jesus Christ appeared to him in the
middle of the night, healed him, call him to preach and filled him with
the Holy Spirit. Upon his graduation from Bible School, Cho planted the
church for which he is so well known today. [Online] Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Synan points out that "What became the Yoido Full Gospel Church
began in 1958 in a tent located in a poverty-stricken slum area
in the city of Seoul. In 1961 Cho gained valuable experience when he
served as interpreter for Sam Todd, an American Pentecostal healing
evangelist. As a result of his involvement in Todd's meetings, Cho's
church increased in numbers. An additional by product of Cho's
involvement with Todd was an introduction to the so-called "prosperity
gospel," espoused by such evangelists as Oral Roberts. [Online]
Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Synan says that Cho overcame many severe difficulties before he was
able to build a 1500-seat "revival center." The name of
this facility was subsequently changed to "Yoido Full Gospel Central
Church." Synan says that a number of high profile divine healings
resulted in Cho's church growing to 2,000 members by 1964. Cho was apparently
under such great stress from building such a large ministry
that he began to organize so-called "cell groups," where church
responsibilities were delegated to a lot of members. [Online] Available:
http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
With women comprising a major number of these cell group leaders,
a major paradigm shift had occurred for Korean culture.
The cell group movement exploded so rapidly that there were at least
50,000 cell groups in his church by 1985. Then in addition to his duties
overseeing and planning for this enormous church, Cho became General
Superintendent of the Korean Assemblies of God. [Online]
Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Cho's church continued to experience phenomenal growth. In 1974 the
church reached 23,000 members and in 1979
passed 1000,000 members. A congregation that size was heretofore unknown.
This phenomenal growth continued during the next 15 years
with the addition of thousands more new members. There was one point,
Synan remarks, when as many as 10,000 new members were
being added to the church monthly. With its numbers at 700,000 by 1994,
the church was making plans to be the first congregation ever to
reach the 1,000,000 mark. [Online] Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Cho has been a prolific
writer, penning such titles as (the controversial)
Fourth Dimension, Successful Home Church Cell Groups and Prosperity:
Our Three-Fold Blessings in Christ. Cho used these books
as teaching vehicles, not the least of which was to expound on his theory
of the theology of Biblical prosperity. [Online] Available:
http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
In 1976, Cho founded Church Growth International, "an ecumenical
group of pastors dedicated to spreading his theology
and church growth methods around the world." Then to further expand
his already burgeoning influence, Cho launched in 1989 a daily
newspaper titled Kook Min Daily News. The paper boasted a circulation
of well over 700,000 by 1994 and according to Synan had
become "a powerful voice for Christianity in Korea." [Online]
Available: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Synan says that the doctrines taught by Cho and his Yoido Full Gospel
Church "are generally those taught by Pentecostals
throughout the world. Synan says that the doctrine and creed published
in the church's literature state a "Fivefold Message of the Gospel,"
which includes the following: Salvation, Holy Spirit, Divine Healing,
Blessings and the Second Coming of Jesus.[Online] Available:
http://www.home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
Cho: The Controversy
Synan plays down the controversy over Cho when he says that the only
difference between these statements and the
American Assemblies of God is the article on "Blessings," which
is further amplified in a subsidiary statement titled, "The Threefold
Blessings
of Salvation." These blessings include salvation for the soul, material
prosperity and physical health. It is primarily Cho's theological stance
o
n divine healing, blessing and prosperity that has generated so much
controversy.
For example, in his book The Fourth Dimension, Cho writes "Jesus
is bound to what you speak forth. As well as you can
release Jesus' power through your spoken word, you can also create the
presence of Christ. If you do not speak the word of faith clearly,
Christ can never be released" (Cho, 1979, p's 81-82).
In another section of the same book, Cho explains his controversial
theory of the fourth dimension. Because this is such an integral
part of Cho's thinking and theology, the portion is reproduced below
in its entirety.
In the universe there are three types of spirits - the Holy Spirit
of God, the spirit of the devil and the human spirit. When you study
geometry you put up two points, one here, and one there, and if you
draw a line between the two you call it one dimension. It is just one
line between the points, one dimension. But if you add line upon line
by the hundreds of thousands, then one dimension naturally creates a
second dimension, a plane. And if you stack up planes one upon another
then it becomes cubic; this is called the third dimension. The material
world and the whole earth belong to the third dimension.
This first dimension, a line, is contained in and therefore controlled
by, the second dimension, a plane; and the second dimension is included
in and therefore controlled by, the third dimension, the cube. Who then
creates, contains and controls the third dimension, the cubical world?
You have the answer when you open the Bible and read in Genesis 1:2:
"And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters."
But if you look into the original language of that Scripture, it carries
the meaning that the Spirit of the Lord was incubating over the waters,
brooding over the waters. This chaotic world belonged to the third dimension,
but the Holy Spirit, who is pictured here incubating on the third dimension,
belongs to the fourth dimension. So the spiritual kingdom of faith belongs
to the fourth dimension.
Since the spiritual world hugged the third dimension, incubating on
the third dimension, it was by this incubation of the fourth dimension
on the third dimension that the earth was recreated. A new order was
given out of the old, and life was given from death; beauty from ugliness;
cleanliness from those things dirty; and abundance from poverty. Everything
was created beautiful and wonderful by the incubation of the fourth
dimension.
Then God spoke to my heart, "Son, as the second dimension includes
and controls the first dimension, and the third dimension includes and
controls the second dimension, so the fourth dimension includes and
controls the third dimension, producing a creation of order and beauty.
The spirit is the fourth dimension. Every human being is a spiritual
being as well as a physical being. They have the fourth dimension as
well as the third dimension in their hearts." So men, by exploring
their spiritual sphere of the fourth dimension through the development
of concentrated visions and dreams in their imaginations, can brood
over and incubate the third dimension, influencing and changing it.
This is what the Holy Spirit taught me (Cho 1979:38-40).
Cho concludes The Fourth Dimension by writing that God's children
have all the power of God dwelling within them.
"You can tap that power for your tuition, your clothes, your books,
your health, your business, everything! When you go out to preach the
gospel you are not preaching a vague objective, a theory, philosophy,
or human religion. You are actually teaching people how to tap endless
resources!" (Cho1979:186).
That notwithstanding, after hosting the "largest prayer meeting
in history," in 1994, when the International Assemblies of God
met
in Cho's church for a 1,000,000 strong session of prayer and planing
as to how the world might be won for Christ, Cho was named
chairman of the International Assemblies of God
Synan says that by the 1980's, with the permeation of the charismatic
movement into traditional Korean Protestant and Catholic
churches, pentecostalism had now entered the mainstream. By 1990 it
was being noted by researchers that five of the largest churches in the
world were in Korea, and they were all classified as being "charismatic"
to some extent. (Synan 1997, Internet:
http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
).
By the end of the century, it was clear that South Korea was well on
its way to becoming a Christian nation. By 1992 the percentage of Christians
in the population of the nation stood at 40.7%. From small beginnings
in the early years of the century, the Korean Pentecostals added their
spiritual fervor and organizational skills to the massive growth of
the church in the nation. By 1995 the Pentecostals had grown to be the
third largest church in South Korea with almost 2,00,00 members. The
record of Korean church growth was unparalleled in any other part of
the globe. The growth from a tiny persecuted minority is a quantum leap
that an only be explained in spiritual and supernatural terms. The pentecostals
and charismatics, with their gifts and zeal have led the way in Korea
as they have in many other parts of the world" (Cho, Vinson Synan,
p.4) (Synan 1997, Internet: http://home.att.net/~cyberj/synan.html (now a dead link)
)
Is Cho a Pentecostal Shaman?
However, not everyone shares quite such an optimistic view of Korean
pentecostalism in general and Cho in particular.
In his classic 1995 book Fire from Heaven, Harvard professor Harvey
Cox expressed a number of concerns about some of the activities at
Cho's church. Cox said that even someone used to Pentecostal worship
might be quite surprised with their first encounter with Cho's church.
Take what is called 'Hallelujah-robics. It is a form of dancing to
hymns played to an ear-piercing rock beat by an ensemble of electric organ,
drums, accordion and other instruments. The dancing is led by enthusiastic
teams from the church's youth division. When the music stops temporarily
the congregation takes up what sounds like the religious equivalent of
the cheers used at an Ohio State football game. At full volume they shout
'Aboji Hananim' (Our Father, who art in Heaven) and then with hands raised
many begin praying in word and phrases of no known language. Then more
singing begins ... and the people move faster and faster until, no longer
able to keep it up, they stop in happy exhaustion (Cox1995:223).
Cox went on to say that when the singing, dancing and shouting has
finally finished, the minister prays in a way that is reminiscent
of an incantation (Cox 1995).
He repeats over and over again, sometimes a hundred times or more,
such phrases as 'Hallelujah!' or 'O Lord!' or 'the Spirit fills!' while
the congregation joins him ... The ministers keep assuring everyone that
whatever their illnesses or infirmities might be, they will certainly
be healed ... As the service ends, the people who believe they have been
healed shout out short prayers of gratitude and stream out of the church,
leaving behind those who are still caught up in the fervor and continue
to sway and pray until evening comes, the lights are extinguished and
the building is closed. To a visitor schooled in shamanism, the worship
at the Yoido Full Gospel Church bears a striking resemblance to what is
ordinarily known as 'shamanism' ... (Cox1995: 223-224).
Cox says that when similarity is pointed out to Korean pentecostal
ministers, they deny any similarity. It is not only the Korean
pentecostals who disclaim similarities between Korean pentecostalism
and shamanism.
Lee Wanak, a United States missionary working in the Philippines as
Dean of the Asia Graduate School of Theology and
Director of the Ed.D. program said although he is not of Korean descent
he has nonetheless worked with a number of Korean missionaries
and occasionally preached in Korean churches. He has found no evidence
of a link between Korean pentecostalism and shamanism (Wanak,
e-mail to the author, 2000).
After receiving the hypothesis for this paper, Wanak suggested a more
"open-ended approach which would include the nterviewing
of Korean pastors and lay people in an attempt to discover their "motives,
values, dreams and desires" and thus allow the Korean people "to
speak for themselves" (Wanak, e-mail to the author, 2000).
He suggested that the hypothesis of this research be changed to read:
"Korean church growth is a complex of factors including
emphasis on sacrifice, prayer, hard work, evangelism, courage in the
face of persecution, economic growth and biblical preaching and
teaching, not to mention the sovereign work of the Spirit of God (Wanak,
e-mail to the author, 2000).
Wonsuk Ma, the Academic Dean at the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary
in Baguio, Philippines was initially hostile about
the suggestion of a link between Cho and shamanism, writing that the
abstract for this research appeared to be "very biased and misinformed"
(Ma, e-mail to the author, 2000).
Ma said in an attempt to properly understand Cho, it is important to
consider the beginnings of the Christian faith in Korea.
Ma said that Korean Christianity began "under the harsh rule of
the Japanese" and as a result was initially "extremely other-worldly"
with a
"strong martyrdom mentality." Ma said that thousands of people
gave their lives in a deliberate refutation of "the traditional ancestor
worship
which combines Confucianistic veneration of ancestors and Shamanistic
idea of 'blessing' through the ancestor spirits. There was a deliberate
distancing from these religious ideas and this brought much sacrifice
of lives"(Ma, e-mail to the author, 2000).
With that in mind, Ma said Cho's message "is not to bring the
Christian message to the animistic motif of blessing, but with social
changes (after the liberation and much poverty) the other-worldly outlook
had to change and the Lord used Cho to bring this long-neglected
part of God's message to the Korean churches" (Ma, e-mail to the
author, 2000).
Ma concluded his first communication to this researcher with a warning
to be very careful in criticizing another Christian or church.
If one does criticize, Ma said it is important to understand the church
being criticized in the context of its struggles and difficulties (Ma,
e-mail
to the author, 2000).
In addition, Ma said: "You need to be a good friend of the Korean
church to be able to offer a constructive criticism for the good
of the church. Otherwise, it will be like throwing a stone to the pond
unmindful of the frogs in there. Indeed, I would dare say that we are
not
frogs. Perhaps Asian churches may have good dose of advice to the western
churches" (Ma, e-mail to the author, 2000).
After receiving Ma's first e-mail, the author consequently assured
Ma that the proposed paper was going to be legitimate academic
research (that would attempt to answer the question as to whether or
not there is a relationship between the gods of shamanism and Yonggi
Cho) and not a polemical ad hominem attach against Cho..
In subsequent correspondence to the author, Ma appeared to have changed
his opinion of Cho, writing that not only was he
not trying to justify Cho; he had even been somewhat critical of him
on several occasions. Ma said that in his opinion, Cho is not a consistent
theologian; he is rather a pastor and evangelist whose book The Fourth
Dimension (1987) "is almost like either positive confession or
kind
of will-power religion"(Ma, e-mail to the author, 2000).
Ma said that while he feels bad about some of the terminology used
in Cho's book, and he has no defense for it, one thing is
clear. "His 'faith' message, as very similar in outlook, has a
little different root than let's say Robert Schuller at one point. It
is (only after) his
healing experience (only those who were so close to death and dramatically
saved/healed can understand its full implication and impact), that
his preaching became (that of a ) 'good and able God'" (Ma, e-mail
to the author, 2000).
Ma added that he also regrets The Fourth Dimension being the
best known of Cho's books when Cho has written more than
one hundred other titles in Korean (Ma, e-mail to the author, 2000).
Interestingly, one correspondent with this researcher still has bad
feelings about The Fourth Dimension even though it has been
more than 10 years since she first read the book.
She wrote that in the book Cho asserted:
there is a fourth (spiritual) dimension that can be tapped into by
either legitimate means (through Christ and his church) or illegitimately
(through Satan and false religions). He proposed that this spiritual dimension
of power was available two both the good and the evil, but that God proposed
the parameters with which the dimension may be accessed. I left the Wesleyan
Church over ten years ago over the propagation of his works. Cho is Baaaaaaad
News (Julie, e-mail to the author, 2000).
Dr Mel Robeck, professor of church history at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena,
California believes that there are some shamanistic
elements in what Cho does (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
I think they are conscious decisions that he makes to play that role.
(For example) The role of ancestor worship and his response to the people
who want to go out on ancestor worship celebration days with their families
to participate lead me to believe that he's trying to function in the
way that shamans function within traditional Korean religions. He plays
the role but at the same time tries to Christianize what he's doing giving
different explanations for what's going on (Robeck, interview with the
author, 2000).
According to Robeck, if asked by one of his congregants whether it
is appropriate to participate in certain traditional shamanistic
religious practices such as ancestor worship, Cho might well say:"'You
can participate if you understand this about it.' There's a sense in
what he's trying to do is to take what I would consider a phenomenology
and give it a different meaning within the Christian context that
allows that to serve a legitimate function rather than not" (Robeck,
interview with the author, 2000).
Robeck said that there is nothing wrong with veneration in any branch
of the Christian church and "if you can look at it as
celebration of the veneration rather than worship then that's a very
different kind of thing. But the problem is that if you get people who
are
around Roman Catholicism they can't understand that because it's easy
to cross that line between veneration and worship" (Robeck,
interview with the author, 2000).
Using his wife as an example, Robeck pointed out that it is quite appropriate
for her to adore him, but not to worship him, which
is reserved for God alone (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
"Veneration and adoration are two different things and I think
that's what Cho is trying to say in ways that because there may
be the giving of fruit or whatever lying there on the grave that it has
the trappings of looking like a Buddhist fest or some kind of an animistic
celebration" (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
This researcher asked Robeck for his perspective on the Korean pentecostal
practice of attributing illnesses to "dead relatives
and ancestors who never accepted Christ and are therefore angry and
troubled. They return to afflict the living, so they have to be sent
packing (Cox 1995:224).
Cox points out to his readers that this practice by Korean pentecostals
"does not always assure their western brethren that they
are operating within the usual parameters of pentecostal practice (Cox1995:224).
However, Robeck says he is unable to find anything basically wrong
with the practice. He asked why that should be considered
any different from the sins of the fathers being visited upon the third
and fourth generations (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
I know that it gets pushed to extremes in some charismatic circles.
I know that there's been some concern in the administration here about
Korean students and that particular theory. What they've gone into is
whether you can break a generational curse and I suppose that it's possible
in some instances. I think prayer does help. I'm not sure that casting
out of demons and all that stuff necessarily helps. It might (Robeck,
interview with the author, 2000).
Robeck said that prayer, commitment and spiritual maturity are in his
opinion the most important elements in breaking any
generational problems. He cited his own father as an example, saying
that he was a child abuser. "He beat us senseless. It was terrible"
(Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
Robeck said that he made up his mind never to do that. "And also
never to hold rancor against my dad. I understand what
he did. I don't think that it's right, but I understand it. I think with
the Lord's help we 'broke the curse' in a sense. My kids haven't had to
live with that, so I think that's possible (Robeck, interview with the
author, 2000).
However, Robeck said he does have some reservations about the way the
ritual is practiced in Cho's church."My sense is that
it has developed into some kind of a system that has been pushed further
even than what Cho had wanted and clearly further than what the
Old Testament is suggesting" (Robeck, interview with the author,
2000).
Robeck says he personally considers Cho to be a very "shrewd"
(sic) person who knows exactly what he is doing.
What it has enabled him to do is to speak to a broader constituency
and in a sense reel them in ... What he is doing is connecting with these
people and helping them to move from that conjuring culture in which divination
takes place apart from God and brings them into a charismatic experience
which is very directly in relation to God (Robeck, interview with the
author, 2000).
Robeck said that during 1999 he was a speaker at Cho's church and he
addressed the issue of shamanism to congregants.
"I tried to explain it even to them and they were all going 'Yes,
that's right, you've got the take on it,' whereas most external readers,
especially if they're unsympathetic to begin with, would come in and
simply say, 'He's nothing but a Korean shamanist.' I don't think that's
true" (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
Neither did Young Hoon Lee, president of Bethesda Christian University
and Theological Seminary in Anaheim, California.
"Dr. Cho preaches on salvation, prosperity and healing as a result
of the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He
knows the danger of shamanistic concept in Christian faith. He often
preaches about this. He emphasizes sound doctrine based on the Bible"
(Lee, e-mail to the author, 2000).
It is, perhaps, important to point out that Cho is the chancellor of
Bethesda Christian University where Lee is the president as
well as being one of Cho's associate pastors at Yoido Full Gospel Church.
Commenting on the allegations of Christian shamanism raised in Cox's
book, Lee said that four years ago after visiting one of
the services at Cho's church and being a conference lecturer, Cox realized
he had been mistaken about the concerns he had raised in his
book and admitted the same in a press conference with "all leading
daily newspaper reporters" (Lee, e-mail to the author, 2000).
"At that time he admitted that he made mistake in the book about
Korean church (Yoido F.G. Church). He had to rely on the
written material about Korean church. He never came to Korea before.
Also he mentioned that he will rewrite chapter 11 (Korean church
part). I have a good relationship with him since then (Lee, e-mail to
the author, 2000).
However, Cox said he did not make any mistakes. While acknowledging
his reliance on secondary sources, Cox wrote that he
"found them sustained by my visit. The paradox is that the Korean
churches do preach against shamanism, but at the same time they
incorporate and Christianize elements of the shamanistic world view and
practice"(Cox, e-mail to the author, 2000).
But Cox said that he did not find the incorporation to be a problem,
writing that absorption of elements of other religions is
routine for Christians. "There is a difference between rhetoric
and practice. As I say (concerning) other expressions of Pentecostalism
in Fire
from Heaven, one of the great strengths of Pentecostalism is its
capacity to integrate pre-Christian cultural expressions into a Christian
practice" (Cox, e-mail to the author, 2000).
I wondered what Young Hoon Lee would have to say in response to the
statement from Cox. Lee wrote that Cox has a
"strong socio-religious aspect on Korean pentecostalism. He has
a positive concept on the religious function of shamanism. He thinks that
shamanized Christianity is acceptable. I do not have any objections on
his personal view. However you must understand his point of view"
(Lee, e-mail to the author, 2000).
The author realizes that there are two opposite points of view presented
in this section of the paper; both of which are colored
to some extent by the individual researchers' personal prejudices. To
help better illustrate the complexity of academically analyzing whether
there may be shamanistic influence on Cho's ministry the author made
a conscious decision to present one researcher's point of view and
then present a rebuttal from a scholar with an opposing viewpoint.
However, in the face of denial how does one verify possible shamanistic
influence on a Christian ministry? It becomes something
very difficult to address. After all, it is not an investigation of
whether or not Cho has denied the basic doctrines of the historic Christian
faith.
That is a much more objective issue, and something that would be much
easier to quantify.
It is rather an investigation of whether Cho's utilitarian approach
to his faith (referred to above ) combined with a shamanistic
propensity for prosperity has contributed to Cho's success. This then
becomes a much more subjective investigation; one which not only
revolves around the use (or not) of shamanism but in addition centers
around whether in an attempt to make the proclamation of the Christian
gospel more effective it is a legitimate pursuit to intertwine the gospel
message with Korean shamanism.
The researcher's conclusions will be dealt with in the final section
of this paper.
Conclusion
Based upon his research, the author has concluded that there is a definite
relationship between shamanism and the success
enjoyed by Paul Yonggi-Cho in his Yoido Full Gospel Church.
While those who are unfavorably predisposed toward Cho think of him
as being nothing more than a Korean shamanist, even
those who are sympathetic toward his work acknowledge shamanistic elements.
What it (indigenization of shamanistic elements) has enabled him to
do is to speak to a broader constituency and in a sense reel them in ...
What he is doing is connecting with these people and helping them to move
from that conjuring culture in which divination takes place apart from
God and brings them into a charismatic experience which is very directly
in relation to God (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000).
Young Hoon Lee, (whose scholarly work this researcher has referred
to earlier in this paper) says that Cho attempts to be on
guard against Shamanistic infiltration into his ministry; especially
in relationship to healing. However, Lee adds that if there is any Shamanistic
element in Cho's influence on the availability of healing, it is not
his fault. He says the blame should be laid where it belongs - at the
feet of the
people. "Many people are not interested in whether healing is Biblical
or not - they are only concerned about healing itself" (Lee 1996).
Lee does point out that with such an alleged propensity to seek healing
than there is an additional responsibility placed upon
Pentecostal churches to properly guide and educate their people with
correct doctrine (Lee 1996)
Based upon the material contained in his book The Fourth Dimension,
Cho does not appear to be doing that. In a section
specifically discussing the "fourth dimension" Cho discusses
why devotees of many other belief systems outside Christianity are healed
of
physical diseases.
God gave power to human beings to control the material world and to
have dominion over material things, a responsibility they can carry out
through the fourth dimension [their inner spiritual being]. Now unbelievers,
by developing their inner spiritual being in such a way can carry out
dominion upon their third dimension, which includes their physical sicknesses
and diseases ... Jesus is bound to what you speak forth ... As well as
you can release Jesus' power through your spoken word, you can also create
the presence of Christ. If you do not speak the word of faith clearly,
Christ can never be released ... You create the presence of Jesus with
your mouth. If you speak about salvation, the saving Jesus appears. If
you speak about divine healing, then you will have the healing Christ
in your congregation. If you speak the miracle performing Jesus, then
the presence of the miracle performing Jesus is released. He is bound
by your lips and your words. He is depending on you ... (Cho 1979: 40,
81-82).
Understandably in light of material like that quoted above, one scholar
questions whether Cho is guiding his people with correct
doctrine. In his doctoral dissertation for Bob Jones University, Christian
Wei, says there are serious problems with Cho's doctrine of Christ,
his doctrine of sin, his doctrine of the Holy Spirit, his doctrine of
man, and his doctrine of angels. In fairness to Cho, it is important to
point
out that as a graduate of Bob Jones University, Wei is a dogmatic cessasionist
and many times writes in more of a polemic fashion against
Cho than as a scholar trying to investigate a hypothesis.
However, Wei does have some concerns which appear to be validated by
the material contained in Cho's book
The Fourth Dimension. Wei writes:
When he (Cho) insists that God's will for His children is prosperity
and health, he disregards the clear Scriptural teaching regarding Christian
suffering and contentment. By emphasizing health, he overlooks three factors:
first, reality shows that many good Christians do suffer sicknesses; second,
church history supports the view that God's will for His people is not
always health; and finally, Scripture teaches the fact that God does not
always heal. Cho organizes his teaching around a man-centered theology
when he asserts that man cannot do anything unless God cooperates with
Him. Thus, he seriously undermines God's sovereign will, power and position
(Internet: http://www.lifebc.com/BurnBush/artv2na5.htm
)
It appears beyond dispute that in an attempt to introduce a heavily
shamanistic culture to the claims of Christ that Cho has
attempted to "redeem" some of the elements of Shamanism. Because
Yonggi Cho's prosperity gospel of prosperity, health and a problem-
free life is so similar to Shamanism, it has made Christianity easy to
accept - some might say, too easy.
Many Korean professing Christians still consider the gods of shamanism
and the God of Christianity kindred spirits. The religious disposition
of the Koreans is both harnessed and exploited by the "Christianity"
of Paul Yonggi-Cho in his blatant mix of sorcery, mind-over-matter and
self-interest ... But to mix pagan ideas and practices with the pure religion
of Christ is condemned in Scripture as the heinous sin of idolatry. It
is a marriage of Christianity and the occult, and is forbidden (in Scripture)
(Internet: http://www.pacinter.net/users/chawman/Cho.html (now a dead link)
)
So is the situation with Cho as bad as some allege? In an interview
the author conducted some years ago with Dr. Paul Martin,
the founder and director of Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in
Albany Ohio, Martin said that he was concerned about the similarities
he was observing between the prosperity gospel (of which Cho is a practitioner)
and the New Age movement. Both, Martin said, contain
elements of magic and both believe we have the power to create our own
reality (Reynalds1996).
These thoughts overlap with New Age thinking, and sooner or later
if we don't watch it there's going to be a blending with the New Age
movement. There's a whole paradigm shift. We have lived in the Judeo-Christian
paradigm for two thousand years. With the event of Star Wars, the
power and the force, and all the concepts you see with Shirley McLaine
... (we have) quasi-spiritual warriors (who) are into New Age philosophy
that are now the heroes of some of our shows. You're beginning to
see emerging a kind of global paganism, where Jesus Christ is just
a source of power (Reynalds1996: 95).
Attempting to bring a Christological focus to pagan practices is a
time honored practice and is not wrong. It is of course dangerous
if Christ is left out. With statements such as those contained in the
passages excerpted above, some concerned believers feel that Christ and
His Sovereignty have been left out of Cho's theology and that Jesus has
been reduced to just some sort of heavenly power source akin to
that experienced by practitioners of the New Age, Buddhism, yoga and
Japanese Sokagakkai.
Followers of these belief systems are wrong because their devotees
have dropped Jesus Christ out of their religious practices
and beliefs (and in so doing embraced Satan's tactics) and replaced
Him with a belief in spirits or their own inherent ability.
The evidence appears to show that while Cho has indeed attempted to
bring a Christological focus to his country's shamanistic
practices, that in his almost exclusionary focus on financial and physical
prosperity he has narrowed the differences between Christianity and
shamanism and inadvertently opened himself to charges of being a Christian
shaman.
While the "indigenization of shamanistic elements has enabled
him ... to speak to a broader constituency and in a sense reel
them in" (Robeck, interview with the author, 2000) it is now time
for Cho to step back and take stock of where he is headed spiritually
before those very shamanistic elements that Cho is attempting to Christianize
take over and paganize the Christian gospel that Cho says he
proclaims.
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Copyright © 2000 Jeremy Reynalds
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