Understanding Megachurches in the South Korean Socio-historical and Cultural Context

While megachurches are a global phenomenon, they are also embedded in a particular social, historical, and cultural context, affecting and being affected by it. And unless we understand how megachurches interact with their contextual forces, their full texture will elude us. This roundtable aims to explore how Korean megachurches interact with their socio-historical and cultural forces. The panel comprises a presider and five presenters. Each presenter will speak to a noteworthy aspect of interaction between South Korean megachurches and their contextual factors. The presenters will discuss the following five topics: the spirituality of Yoido Full Gospel Church, especially with respect to Shamanism; megachurches and North Korean women refugees in the South; Korean megachurches’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and post-pandemic aims; insider criticism of Korean megachurches as exemplified in CBS Christian Now; and kyohoe saesŭp (churchly hereditary succession) controversy in South Korea, with a focus on the Myungsung Church controversy.