This denomination was founded by pastors and lay people who had resisted the shrine worship and had been imprisoned by the Japanese. After liberation in 1945 on September 18, l945, they organized the KyungNam Reconstruction Presbytery in Pyongyang and called for full investigation and repentance of the pastors who hadworshiped the shrine. Their request was rejected. Three pastors who had suffered imprisonment in Pyongyang (Joo Nam-Sun, Han Sang-Dong, and Park Yun-Sun) moved to the South and in 1946 founded KoRyu Seminary (now KoShin University) in Pusan. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, however, refused to recognize the seminary. Originally the three pastors belonged to the KyungNam Reconstruction Presbytery. But due to internal tensions, this presby divided into five parts (1950). The founders of KoRyu Seminary formed the KyungNam (BubDong = legitimate succession) presby (1952). They continued to call for a full investigation and repentance of shrine worshipers. They refused fellowship with them. Their presby later became the KoShin denomination. Several splits occurred in KoShin. In 1957 secession took place which resulted in the foundation of KyeShin (no. 2). A conflict between two leaders, Park Yun-Sun and Song Sang-Suk, which started in the 1950s, eventually led to the foundation of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (KoRyuPa [no. 3]). When in 1960 TongHap (no. 14) and HapDong (no. 15) divided (for details cf. below, no. 15), the suggestion was made that HapDong and KoShin should unite. The union did not last long. KoShin withdrew from the united church; only about 150 local churches stayed with HapDong. A further split occurred in 1976. Song Sang-Suk, then rector of KoShin University in Pusan, sought to maintain himself in his position beyond his term. The KoShin Assembly decided to bring him to court. Some members of the Assembly, led by Suk Won-Tae, objected to this decision on biblical grounds (1 Cor. 6:1-11). Together with Song Sang-Suk they withdrew from KoShin and founded the Presbyterian Church in Korea (KoRyu � Anti-Accusation [no. 4]). Some members of this new denomination later returned to KoShin. In the following years KoShin developed steadily. In 1993 an Assembly building was erected.
|