World Mission Society Church of God: Edit history

Overview

The World Mission Society Church of God is a religious group that split from the "Church of God Jesus Witnesses," founded in Busan in 1964 by Ahn Sahng-hong (1918–1985), a former member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. After Ahn's death in 1985, the group divided in two: the "New Covenant Passover Church of God," based in Busan, and the "Church of God Ahn Sahng-hong Witnesses," centered on Zahng Gil-jah and Kim Joo-cheol. The latter later adopted its current name. It is commonly called the "Church of God" or the "Ahn Sahng-hong Witnesses," and abroad it is known by the acronym of its English name, WMSCOG. Its headquarters are in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and its general assembly president is Kim Joo-cheol. The group claims a membership of about three million.

Principal Claims and Doctrines

• Members believe Ahn Sahng-hong to be Christ at His Second Coming (the return of Jesus Christ) and "God the Father."
• Members believe Zahng Gil-jah to be "God the Mother."
• Under Adventist influence, the group observes Saturday as the Sabbath. It keeps biblical feasts such as the Passover as feasts of the "new covenant."
• It does not observe Christmas, holding that the day originated as a celebration of a sun god. It does not display the cross, regarding it as an idol.
• Female members cover their heads with a veil during worship.

Assessments by Major Korean Denominations and Ecumenical Bodies

• Christian Council of Korea: In 2000 it designated the group as an Adventist-derived heresy and resolved to respond to it on an interdenominational basis.
• Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap): At its 87th General Assembly in 2002, it designated the group an "anti-Christian heresy," citing doctrinal deviation, errors in biblical interpretation, and a distorted view of salvation. At its 96th General Assembly in 2011, it again designated the group as heretical. The study report presented at that time identified errors in the group's doctrines of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Scripture, as well as date-setting eschatology (the prediction of specific dates for the end of the world) and disregard for apostolic tradition, among other problems.
• Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapshin): Designated the group as heretical at its 88th General Assembly in 2003.
• General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapdong): Designated the group as heretical at its 93rd General Assembly in 2008.
• Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea: Designated the group as heretical at its 59th General Assembly in 2009.
• Korean Methodist Church: Designated the group as heretical at its 31st General Conference in 2014.
• The Korea Assemblies of God is also reported to have passed a resolution designating the group as heretical.

The Group's Position and Response

The Church of God describes itself as the church established by God. It explains that the name "Church of God" derives from 1 Corinthians 1:2 and Galatians 1:13. The group claims that Ahn Sahng-hong came as Christ at His Second Coming to the Republic of Korea, "the land of the ends of the earth in the east," and it bases this claim on biblical prophecy.

Social Controversies

• Date-setting eschatology: Critics point out that the group has repeatedly proclaimed specific dates for the end of the world. Heresy researcher Lee In-gyu wrote that after Ahn Sahng-hong's death his followers claimed he would be resurrected in 1988, but this did not happen.
• Family conflict: Media outlets that cover heresy issues have reported on the conflicts and harm experienced by members' families.
• Newspaper advertising: The media-criticism publication Media Today raised concerns that a daily newspaper had received more than 1.2 billion won in advertising fees from the group in the first half of 2019 alone and had run promotional articles about it. The Kukmin Ilbo also criticized the group's advertorials in daily newspapers as an attempt to whitewash its image.