- Shamanism and folk religion
- Buddhism (from 372 CE)
- State religion until Joseon Dynasty in 1392
- Oppressed from state to local level after change in state religion
- Neo-Confucianism (from mid 1200s)
- State religion during Joseon
- Daoism (from 624 CE)
- Christianity
- Catholicism (from 1700s)
- Protestantism (from 1885)
- Criticism: fear of believing Pope or God over king
- New Religions (from 1900s)
- Other minority religions (Islam, Judaism, Hinduism)
- North Korea
- Religious oppression
- Ideology of Juche
- Worshipping leader
- Deified cult of personality
possible aims
- Salvation
- Self-perfection
- Spiritual cultivation
- Peace of mind
- Transition in life (birth, marriage, death)
- Answers to “big questions”
- Fellowship/community
- Overcoming frustrations and limitations in human life
- Supernatural assistance of intervention
New Religions
features
- Charismatic leader
- Recognized as
- Divine incarnation
- Prophet
- Messiah
- Succession
- Eclectic
- Pluralistic
- Syncretistic
- Alternative to mainstream
- Proposal for social reform
- New rituals, some kept secret
- Milennialism or Apocalyptic: paradise on Earth after apocalypse
- Can have cult-like traits
- Authoritarian control
- Extremist
- Isolation
- Oppose independent thinking
- Exploitation
- Veneration of single individual
Donghak Religion
- Choe Jeu 1824–1864
- Poor yangban
- Believed heard voice of God
- Faith melds
- Catholic
- Confucianism
- Buddhism
- Daoism
- Shamanism
- Seen as counter to Catholicism
- Principles
- All equal
- Unity of heaven and mankind
- God is everyone
- Egalitarian and humanistic
- Monotheist
- Donghak Movement and Peasant Rebellion (1894)
- Leads to Sino-Japanese War (1894–95)
- Foundation of Cheondoism (Cheondogyo)
traditionalist
- Daejongism 대종교 (1909)
- Worship of first king Dangun as incarnation of Lord of Heaven, God
- Same time as independence movements against japan
- Influential on Dahnhak
- Kaengjeongyudo 갱정유도
- Confucianism with millenialism
Christian-based
- Megachurches
- Unification Movement
- Seventh-Day Adventist
- Olive Tree
- Shincheonji Church of Jesus
- Yongsaegyo
- Providence
other
why Korea
- Accelerated history, rapid changes
- Socio-political
- Japanese colonization
- Independence movements
- Korean War
- Rapid modernization
- Seeking answers to questions in times of crisis