Communion of Churches in Korea

Overview

The Communion of Churches in Korea is an interdenominational body of Korean Protestants. It is commonly known by its Korean abbreviation, "Hangyoyeon." It was founded in 2012, chiefly by denominations that had broken away from the Christian Council of Korea (CCK). At the time of its launch, the press reported that Korea's Protestant interdenominational bodies had split into three: the CCK, the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), and the CCIK. It is reportedly registered as an incorporated association in Seoul.

Founding and History

Around 2011, the CCK was thrown into serious turmoil over the election of its president. In the course of this dispute, several denominations formed an "Emergency Committee for the Normalization of the CCK" in January 2012. The committee clashed with the CCK leadership of the time, which was dominated by the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapdong), over proposed amendments to the bylaws. The central point of contention was a rotation system under which member denominations would take turns holding the presidency.

When the committee was barred from using the CCK name, it decided to establish a separate organization. It held its founding general assembly on March 29, 2012, at the Korean Church Centennial Memorial Building in Yeonji-dong, Seoul. At this assembly, the Rev. Kim Yo-seb of Sunrin Church (Presbyterian Church in Korea [Daeshin]) was elected the first president, receiving 74 of the 142 votes cast. In its founding declaration, the CCIK pledged to work for the unity of the Korean church and for the normalization of the CCK.

In 2017, the CCIK agreed to merge with the Korean Churches Federation, which had been formed chiefly through a council of denominational heads. On August 16 of that year, the founding general assembly of the merged body, the "Korean Christian Federation," was held at the Korean Church Centennial Memorial Building. However, a broader union that would also have included the CCK did not materialize. Many denominations subsequently moved to the United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), while the CCIK reportedly remained a separate organization. The Rev. Kwon Tae-jin, the Rev. Cheon Hwan, and others are reported to have later served as its president.

Major Activities

• Joint worship services: Since 2006, the Joint Easter Service had been hosted alternately by the CCK and the NCCK. After the CCIK was founded, it was reported that separate services would be held for Easter 2012: one hosted jointly by the NCCK and the CCIK, and another hosted by the CCK.
• Public statements: As an interdenominational church body, it issues statements on social issues and on matters affecting the churches.
• Position on the World Council of Churches (WCC): When the CCIK was listed on the roster of the Korean Preparatory Committee for the 2013 Busan Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the CCIK issued a statement in protest. The CCIK reportedly declared that it neither opposes nor supports the WCC.

Member Denominations

At its founding, 21 denominations and 6 organizations participated. The most prominent among them included the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Tonghap), the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Gaehyeok), the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Daeshin), and the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Baekseok). Since 2017, the composition of its membership has reportedly changed as some denominations moved to the UCCK. The current membership list should be verified against official sources and supplemented.

Assessment

Views on the founding of the CCIK are divided. One view regards it as the outgrowth of calls to reform the way the CCK was run. Another regards it as a schism within the conservative Protestant unity movement. Immediately after the CCIK's launch, the two bodies sharply criticized each other; in particular, they reportedly traded accusations over how to deal with heresy. Later, with the formation of the UCCK, some observers noted that the fragmentation of the interdenominational bodies had become entrenched. Discussions about uniting these bodies into a single organization have continued in recent years.