Christian Literature Society of Korea

Overview

The Christian Literature Society of Korea is a Protestant publisher of Christian books and magazines and an interchurch body operated jointly by several denominations. It is commonly referred to simply as "the Society" (Seohoe) and is also known by its English abbreviation, CLS. It was founded to carry out literature mission, that is, making the gospel known through books and other printed materials. Because it was established jointly by Methodist and Presbyterian missionaries, it is cited as an early example of the ecumenical movement in the Korean church. Today it publishes theological and devotional books, issues periodicals, and takes part in publishing hymnals together with the Korean Hymnal Society.

Founding and History

On June 25, 1890, a group of missionaries including Horace Underwood, Henry Appenzeller, James Gale, and Homer Hulbert founded the Korean Religious Tract Society (Joseon Seonggyo Seohoe). The name means "society for spreading the holy teaching in Korea." Its first meeting is said to have been held at Underwood's home. That same year it published its first book, Seonggyo Chwalli, a summary of Christian doctrine.

The organization was later known as Joseon Yesugyo Seohoe from 1919 to 1938 and as Joseon Gidokgyo Seohoe from 1939 to 1947. After Korea's liberation it adopted its present name. It acquired its own building for the first time in 1906. In 1985 it purchased land in Samseong-dong, Seoul, and built a new headquarters, which served as its main office for many years; the building was later reported to have been sold to a foundation affiliated with Yoido Full Gospel Church.

Major Activities

• Early publishing: In addition to catechisms and hymnals, the Society published general-interest works such as dictionaries; textbooks on arithmetic, hygiene, and geography; and fiction. Works cited as the first of their kind include the Korean-English and English-Korean dictionaries compiled by Underwood, the adapted novel Inga Gwido (1894), and the comprehensive Bible dictionary Seonggyeong Sajeon (1928). From the outset it made publishing in Hangul a guiding principle, and it is credited with helping to spread Hangul publications widely.
• Periodicals: Beginning in 1915 it published the weekly Gidok Sinbo (The Christian Messenger), and during the Korean War it launched the children's magazine Saebeot. It currently publishes the monthly Gidokgyo Sasang (Christian Thought) and the devotional magazine Darakbang (The Upper Room).
• Theological publishing: It publishes theological works such as the Centennial Bible Commentary, the first volume of which appeared in 1990.
• Book distribution: Beginning in 1912 it conducted a "Ministers' Library" campaign that sent books to ministers of limited means, and in 1960 it extended the effort to general readers.
• Cradle of ecumenical bodies: It is said to have laid the groundwork for ecumenical bodies such as the Federal Council of Protestant Evangelical Missions in Korea, the Christian Broadcasting System (Christian Broadcasting System (South Korea)), and the Korean Sunday School Association.

Member Denominations and Organization

According to a 2023 report, the board has 20 directors in total. Seven are "denominational representative directors," one appointed by each participating denomination. The denominations that appoint directors are the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap), the Korean Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, the Korea Evangelical Holiness Church, the Anglican Church of Korea, the Korea Evangelical Church, and The Salvation Army Korea Territory. Some sources also list the Korea Assemblies of God as a member denomination. The remaining 12 are "member representative directors": the executive committee nominates several candidates from among dues-paying members, and the board elects them. The executive committee, the Society's core decision-making body, consists of five people: the board chair, the vice chair, the board secretary, the board treasurer, and the president. The Society is also a member organization of the National Council of Churches in Korea.

Controversy

Around 2023, a dispute arose over the Society's governance. An amendment to its articles of incorporation was pursued to introduce a standing-director system, and in the process a managing director who had disclosed board documents to outsiders was disciplined and dismissed. The Ecumenical Task Force for Restoring the Public Character of the Christian Literature Society of Korea, organized by figures from the ecumenical community, objected to this process. The task force argued that the president's long tenure and a board composed mainly of senior pastors amounted to the privatization of an ecumenical institution. It called for an increase in the number of denominationally appointed directors and filed complaints against the president and others. The Society, for its part, stressed that it is a business that must sustain itself through its operations, and it countered that increasing the number of denominationally appointed directors would turn the Society into an arena for denominational politics. No legal ruling on these allegations has been confirmed.