General Assembly Moderator

Definition and Meaning

The general assembly moderator (Korean chonghoejang, 總會長) is the chair of the general assembly, the highest national body of a denomination. While the assembly is in session, the moderator presides over its proceedings, and throughout the term of office the moderator represents the denomination publicly. The moderator is usually elected by commissioners, the representatives of each region, according to procedures set out in the church constitution. English-speaking Presbyterians call this officer the "moderator," that is, "one who presides over a meeting." As the name suggests, the office is understood not as a higher clerical rank that rules over other ministers but as a chairmanship that represents the assembly.

Biblical and Historical Background

Presbyterians commonly cite the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15, at which the apostles and elders met to decide matters of the church together, as the biblical basis for conciliar church government. The general assembly and the office of its moderator became established after the Reformation in Presbyterian churches such as the Church of Scotland. In Korea, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Chosen (Joseon Yesugyo Jangnohoe) was first organized in 1912, and Horace Underwood is reported to have served as its first moderator.

Practice in Korean Churches

• Presbyterian churches: The moderator is elected at the regular general assembly, attended by commissioners sent by the presbyteries. The regular assembly is usually held in the fall. The term is typically one year, and many denominations follow the custom that the vice moderator becomes the next moderator. Some denominations have separate vice moderators for ministers and for elders.
• Holiness churches: The Korea Evangelical Holiness Church and others also have the office of moderator, generally with a one-year term.
• Baptist churches: The Korea Baptist Convention also has a moderator. Because Baptists emphasize the autonomy of the local church, however, the general assembly functions largely as a cooperative body of churches.
• Methodist churches: Instead of a moderator, the Korean Methodist Church has the office of bishop-president, a full-time position with a multiyear term. Each annual conference is led by a bishop.
• Anglican Church of Korea: Because the church follows episcopal polity, it is headed by the primate of the province.

In Korean churches, the moderator represents the denomination in the work of interdenominational bodies, in communication with the government and society, and in issuing public statements. In some denominations, moderator elections have become overheated, giving rise to controversies over vote buying. To curb this, some denominations have revised their systems several times, for example by introducing election methods that incorporate the drawing of lots.