The Founding of Catholic Tradition of Korea


Founding of Catholic Tradition in Korea

The Catholic Church in Korea has a history spanning more than 200 years. The role it has played in Korea is unique in that many initiatives have come from the laity, rather than from clergy or the church administration. After a prolonged period of cultural conflict, according to a recent census, the number of Catholics has grown to 8% of the total population. Believers in the early period suffered persecution comparable to that experienced in Rome, but they persevered, and now the Korean membership is one of the largest in the world. It is a bit odd, then, to find such a paucity of English-language materials dealing with the realities of the Church’s mission in Korea. This volume brings together translations of several articles, which together cover many of the most significant aspects of Korean Catholic history.