Koreans in Europe search for new expressions of mission in unity

In recent decades, immigration has decisively changed the face of Europe. The plurality of nationalities, cultural traditions, religious practices and languages which for centuries has characterized Asia or Africa is now a reality in many European countries.

This new diversity raises many questions for both the incomers and their hosts. Through what lenses do we view the other? What helps us to see beyond inherited stereotypes? Are we willing to learn to relate to and cooperate with people who are different from ourselves?

For churches, such questions are particularly pertinent. We claim to believe in one God, one world, one church, one mission. Yet it is not unusual for mainstream European churches to discuss mission in Europe without involving the immigrant Christians in their midst.

Against this background, a group of Korean congregations in Europe requested the mission in unity project to organize a consultation around three questions:

1. how can Koreans in Europe, from different denominational families, work closer together in mission?
2. how can Koreans and Europeans witness together in Europe? and
3. how can relationships with other ethnic minorities be improved?

The underlying assumption, which Europeans often find hard to accept, was that closer cooperation within a minority group is often a prerequisite for establishing more fruitful working relationships between the minority churches and the established churches.

The planning committee

On a sunny day in June, 60 participants set out for the John Knox International Reformed Centre in Geneva: pastors of Korean congregations in different European cities, staff from their home churches in Korea and from Korean churches in the diaspora, representatives from other ethnic minority churches, and representatives of several mainstream Reformed churches in Europe.

Mission impossible?

Jooseop Keum of the Presbyterian Church of Korea, at present writing a doctorate in Edinburgh, reports:

When I flew from Edinburgh to Geneva early on June 5, I did not expect a lot from the consultation. On the contrary, I feared that it might create even more tensions. I was worried about the recent divisions in the Korean church in Edinburgh. My experiences in Scotland had also prejudiced me against pastors from other Korean denominations.

It seemed at first that others were also watching each other carefully and were even suspicious of the consultation itself. Perhaps they were instinctively protective of their congregations, which might also have suffered from divisions.

I cannot say exactly when these anxieties disappeared. But very early in the consultation, we suddenly found that we dared to open ourselves to each other, face to face.

Discussing in plenary

Here I must express my appreciation to the preparatory group who gave much thought to the programme. There were many social activities and opportunities for sharing, even touring together. We began to think about the Korean presence in Europe beyond ourselves. Indeed, it was a consultation not only for discussion but also for mutual encouragement towards unity and for healing of pain over divisions.

The modern ecumenical movement started as a missionary movement. This has important implications for Korean Christians in Europe, where Korean churches keep their denominational and confessional background. Most of them have their own presbyteries or conferences as part of their denomination in Korea. Thus the same divisions exist in Europe as in Korea. Among the second and third generations, the link with the home denominations is weakening; furthermore, we feel that for effective mission among Korean and other ethnic communities in Europe, we need to work together. There was a missiological necessity for this gathering.

This was the first experience we had of worshipping together and learning from each other. It was this togetherness that made it possible for us to affirm our commitment to unity among Korean churches in Europe, with detailed steps for follow-up action. We realized that we have a common mission, whether our present divisions are "given divisions" from home or divisions we have created ourselves.

Harmony in many tongues

It is often said that Korean Christians live in isolation from the local Christian communities. Frankly speaking, we do not always know how we can contact and cooperate with the churches in the local context. Even when they are eager to cooperate with churches in Korea, European churches are often not very interested in Korean Christians on their home ground.

The consultation also created momentum for cooperation with mainstream churches in Europe. It enabled us to meet and discuss the significance of living and witnessing together in a multi-ethnic Europe. The presence of ethnic churches in Europe cannot be ignored; some European churches have their ethnic churches in other parts of Europe as well. We need to approach the multi-ethnic nature of Europe as an opportunity to enrich our Christian life, and commit ourselves to work together with respect for each ethnic identity.

After the consultation somebody said: "I dare to dream of the unity of Korean churches through an ecumenical endeavour among Korean churches in Europe".

I would like to share what we have done in my own context in Edinburgh to begin realizing this dream. As soon as I received the consultation report, I sent copies to the four Korean churches in Scotland. In Edinburgh, Korean pastors and theological students organized study seminars on the issues. The first seminar was to share what took place at the consultation. The second was a theological exploration of Calvin's phrase pia conspiratio [breathing together], which was the theme of the consultation. Now the next step is to invite the four churches for a joint consultation to discuss further action here in Scotland. I believe that there has been similar follow-up among the Korean Christians in other parts of Europe.

Mission in unity is not a "mission impossible" for Korean Christians in Europe!