Vow

Definition and Meaning

The Korean term seowon (誓願) is a Sino-Korean word meaning "to swear and to desire." It refers to a voluntary promise by which a person pledges to God to do something or to offer something. A vow is often made with a condition attached, such as "If my prayer is answered, I will…," though it may also be made in gratitude for grace already received. Its distinguishing feature is that it is not a duty commanded by God but a promise the person makes of his or her own free will.

Biblical and Historical Background

The Old Testament records a number of vows. Notable examples include Jacob's vow at Bethel (Genesis 28:20-22), Jephthah's vow (Judges 11:30-31), and the vow of Hannah, who asked for a son and promised to give him to God (1 Samuel 1:11). Numbers 6 describes the Nazirite vow, by which a person was set apart to God for a fixed period, while Numbers 30 and Leviticus 27 address the binding force of vows and the regulations for vowed offerings. Deuteronomy 23:21-23 and Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 teach that it is not a sin to refrain from vowing, but that a vow once made should be paid without delay.

In the New Testament, Paul is recorded as having cut his hair because of a vow (Acts 18:18). Jesus, however, taught that one should not swear oaths rashly (Matthew 5:33-37).

In the medieval church, monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience developed. Martin Luther and other Reformers criticized monastic vows for being regarded as meritorious works that earn salvation. The Westminster Confession of Faith affirms that vows made voluntarily and to God alone are lawful, but it describes monastic vows of perpetual celibacy or poverty as superstitious and sinful snares. The tradition of monastic vows continues in the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church of Korea, and other churches.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korean Protestantism, vows commonly take the following forms:

• Vow prayer: A prayer in which a believer seeks an answer concerning a pressing matter such as illness, school entrance examinations, employment, or business, and attaches a promise to the request. It is sometimes practiced together with pledged prayer.
• Vow offering: An offering in which a believer promises to give a certain sum of money or property and later presents it.
• Child dedication vow: A vow by which parents, following Hannah's example, promise to give their child to God as a "servant of the Lord." Pastors frequently mention such vows when testifying to their own calling.

Views on vows vary within the church. Some emphasize, on the basis of the biblical texts, that a vow once made must be kept without fail. Others are concerned that conditional vows can degenerate into a kind of bargaining with God. The practice of urging people to pledge vow offerings at revival meetings and similar gatherings has also drawn criticism, as has the burden placed on children by vows made without regard to their own wishes. Regarding vows that have not been kept, some hold that pastoral counseling should address them from the perspective of repentance and grace. Still others, citing the redemption provisions of Leviticus 27, recommend that such vows be fulfilled in some other manner suited to the person's circumstances.