First Church in Honam Shaped by American Missionaries
Creatrip Team
a year ago
This article celebrates the 140th anniversary of Protestant missionary work in Korea, focusing on Jeonju Seomun Church, the first church in the Honam region. Established by seven American Southern Presbyterian missionaries, the church became a center for religious and educational activities. The missionaries, including Dr. John M. Underwood and the Tate siblings, were inspired by Korea's potential and zealously contributed to evangelism, founding schools, hospitals, and an orphanage in Jeonju. Their work involved overcoming language barriers, societal challenges, and personal losses due to diseases and other hardships. Despite trials like forced shrine worship under Japanese occupation, their efforts left a lasting impact on Korean Christianity. Today, Jeonju Seomun Church, with its historical bell tower and legacy, continues to uphold the missionaries' spirit and values, maintaining its role and influence in the community.
