Translating and Greeting God: The Korean Case

The Catholic Church has begun its mission in Korea since the early 1600s. Much earlier than the Protestant mission that had just arrived in the region around the 1880s. However, long before the two, in fact a number of Muslims from Persia, Arabia and Central Asia, since the 9th century AD had arrived at Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Classical Korea, which was closest to mainland China. Unfortunately, the Muslim community that came to be known as Huihui-Korea did not develop until it became almost unknown after its existence in the 16th century. It was only in the 1900s during and after World War II that Islam became known again in Korea.

Before the Abrahamic religions arrived, Korean traditional beliefs had been quite influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism, because of their intense contact with mainland China.

As with most preaching efforts in the East Asian nation, Christian evangelists, and then modern Islamic missionaries, did experience a number of difficulties when translating the concept and designation of monotheistic God in the style of the Abrahamic religion into Korean.

Korean language does have a masculine form of shin or feminine yeoshin which is usually embedded for gods / goddesses or ancestral spirits and respected figures. Similar to our androgyny form in Japanese and shen in Mandarin. Of course, it raises doubts about the Abrahamic religion to adopt it totally.

However, because it had already come into contact with Chinese tradition, Catholic evangelists preferred to continue the term for God that is prevalent in China, namely Thian-zhu (King of Heaven / Heavenly), which in Korean dialect variants is read as Cheon-ju. Meanwhile the Anglican Church's mission also uses the classic name for the Universal Chinese Worship of Shang Di, which in Korean dialect is read as Sang-je.

The newer Protestant Movement, instead, prefers the designation that has been known for a long time in Korea to refer to the God / King of Heaven, namely Haneullim, which in its variants can be called Hwanim, Hunanim or Hananim. The more conservative Protestant congregation prefers to use the Hananim variant, which can also indicate God's impression (Korean: hana = one). While the more liberal one feels no problem using an older variant namely Haneullim.

Three Color Taeguk

Haneullim itself is a name that is at the heart of Korea's traditional beliefs, before coming into contact with Confucianism, Buddhism, and subsequent Christianity. Somewhat different from the concept of God in Confucianism and Buddhism, Haneulim is generally always interpreted as someone who is indeed personal (personal).

Haneullim is considered to be the source of all creatures and who sent down Korean leaders and ministers. Quite often it is also described by the personal balance that is shared in three entities: Ruler of Heaven / Heaven, Ruler of Intermediate Nature and Ruler of Earth / Land, with Heaven as the highest transcendent figure. A somewhat different balance from Chinese dualism.

This is what causes some Christian evangelists to be somewhat hesitant to use this name, for fear of their tendency to use what they consider to be "pagan."

Meanwhile, Muslims in the modern era of Korea, used the general term shen to translate god, and only used the name Allah (Korean variant: Alla), to indicate God in the concept of Abrahamic monotheism. However, in dialogue with Protestants and modern South Koreans, Muslims have also used the title Hananim.

A number of variants of Haneullim and Sang-je are also re-used as the Universal Worship in a number of modern religious movements which are the revitalization of traditional Korean religions such as Cheondogyo in North Korea, or the Jeungsangyo, Suungyo, or various Mugyo movements. ** arms