This apocalyptic Korean Christian group goes by different names
Lee Man-hee is the founder of Shinchonji, an apocalyptic Christian group from South Korea that has attracted followers in numerous countries, including the US. Lee identifies himself as "the promised pastor," mentioned in the Bible. His critics say that Lee is peddling Christian heresy.
The end times are near. And the believers of Shinchonji are ready.
“Shinchonji is the only path to God,” He tells me. “There is only one shepherd who is with Jesus and God and sends the words of Jesus and heaven. You have to meet the shepherd.”
The shepherd that he is talking about is Lee Man-hee, the founder of Shinchonji.
The members of Shinchonji call him “Chairman Lee,” or just “the chairman.” In church literature, he is also variously identified as “the promised pastor,” “the one who overcomes” or “the advocate.”
Lee Man-hee is in his mid-80s now, and he is said to have long experience with controversial Christian revivalist movements in Korea. One of them was the Olive Tree movement, which attracted an enormous following during the 1960s. Another was the Tent Temple movement, which fell apart in the 1970s after its spiritual leader was accused of fraud.
The Shinchonji Church of Jesus was founded by Lee Man-hee in 1984, one of several apocalyptic groups that emerged from the dissolution of the Tent Temple movement.
The members of Shinchonji call him “Chairman Lee,” or just “the chairman.” In church literature, he is also variously identified as “the promised pastor,” “the one who overcomes” or “the advocate.”
Lee Man-hee is in his mid-80s now, and he is said to have long experience with controversial Christian revivalist movements in Korea. One of them was the Olive Tree movement, which attracted an enormous following during the 1960s. Another was the Tent Temple movement, which fell apart in the 1970s after its spiritual leader was accused of fraud.
The Shinchonji Church of Jesus was founded by Lee Man-hee in 1984, one of several apocalyptic groups that emerged from the dissolution of the Tent Temple movement.
“Persecution is nothing new for me,” Lee explains during a tour of his group's mansion outside of Seoul, which his followers refer to as the “peace palace.”
Lee has big glasses, thinning dyed-black hair and he carries a long wooden walking stick. As he welcomes me into his home, three young men with cameras are snapping pictures and shooting video of my every move.
When I ask why, I am told that they are documenting the encounter for the church’s internal use.
As we sit down to do the interview, I start by asking Lee to tell me about his vision that led to founding the Shinchonji religious movement. But Lee says he doesn’t want to talk about that.
“There are many people who misunderstand me and also try to make false understanding about Shinchonji,” Lee says.
“For this interview,” he adds, “I would rather talk about the peace movement.”
On his business card, the list of Lee’s titles includes the name of an organization called, “Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light,” and another one called “MANNAM Volunteer Association.” Critics say that these are front groups for the church of Shinchonji. But Lee and his followers see something else.
Lee explains to me that God works for peace, his son Jesus worked for peace, and now, Lee himself is working as an international peace activist. By doing so, Lee says he is carrying out the will of God that was alluded to in the Bible.
Lee is keen to mention that he has composed a formal declaration for the end of all global war. The text of the declaration is carved into a large stone tablet in the back yard of the mansion. He tells me that the declaration has received broad acceptance around the world.
“There is no single country or anyone in the world who hasn't heard about my work,” Lee says.
At this point in the interview, Lee appears to get annoyed with me for not being fully aware of his international reputation as a peace broker. Then, I ask how his peace work is connected to Shinchonji.
“The end of global war! World peace! This is what I’m talking about,” Lee says, raising his voice. “How can anyone criticize me for this?”
The founder of Shinchonji goes on to say that prominent Christian leaders in South Korea and elsewhere only criticize Lee out of jealousy. He says his church is growing, while their churches are shrinking.
Lee sees the persecution that he faces as evidence that he is on the right track. After all, he tells me, wasn’t Jesus persecuted by prominent religious leaders of his time? His critics, Lee says, “are not connected to God. They don't know Bible.”
This leads me to ask about the “narrow path” to heaven offered by the teachings of Shinchonji. In 2,000 years of Christian history, I ask, is Shinchonji the only real way to God?
“Yes, that’s right,” Lee says.
Before leaving, I ask Lee another sensitive question. Who will take over for him after he dies?
At this point, Lee’s interpreter seems to get a little nervous, and he hesitates to translate the question. When it is finally put to Lee, he answers with a few words in English.
“I don’t know,” he says. “This is a nonsense question,” Lee adds in Korean.
But some mainstream Christian critics of Shinchonji say this question gets to the heart of why Lee Man-hee is preaching what they see as heresy.
“Shinchonji people believe that he will live forever,” says Ji-il Tark of Busan Presbyterian University, referring to Lee Man-hee.
Tark is an expert on heretical Christian groups, and he says Shinchonji is one of the most prominent of them in South Korea today. Korean Christians are “strongly against Shinchonji,” Tark says.
That's because the believers of Shinchonji, “are attacking the core belief of Christianity,” Tark says, by equating their founder with the second coming of Jesus. That, he adds, puts Shinchonji far outside of the Christian mainstream.
Another controversial aspect of Shinchonji is the way the group recruits new members. In general, competition among Christian churches to grow their congregations can be fierce in South Korea, where about a third of the country’s population belongs to one Christian denomination or another.
But Shinchonji stands apart, says Byun Sang-wook. Byun is a broadcaster with CBS, a Christian television station in South Korea. He produced a television documentary series that is highly critical of Shinchonji.
“Shinchonji members infiltrate other churches and try to lure people to their Bible study classes. And when new students sign up, they are not told right away that the class is part of Shinchonji,” Byun says.
Read the full story here:
https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-07-11/apocalyptic-korean-christian-group-goes-different-names-critics-say-its-just-cult
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