Assessing the Nexus between Shamanism and Protestantism in South Korea

Korean shamanism has been in existence since the beginning of Korean history. Shamanism - a form of belief common to all tribes ranging throughout north-east Asia, Mongolia and Siberia - became the most prominent religious force dominating Koreans’ lives. It is believed that certain characteristics of Korean shamanism have played both positive and negative roles in relationship to the Protestant Christian mission and ministry in South Korea. The shamanistic concept of God, Hananim was a helpful bridge to Protestant Christianity and helped Korean people accept the notion of the Christian God. The search for present prosperity of Korean shamanism has functioned as a catalyst to spread the Gospel especially in Korean charismatic mega-churches. The function of the shaman, as a mediator between gods and human beings helped Koreans understand Jesus as our Mediator with ease. Also, traditional shamanistic faith energized Christian mission remarkably. On the other hand, the concept of god in shamanism has no precise idea of trinity and redemption. The shaman is merely a human being, and thus needs to know the true Shaman (the Mediator) Jesus Christ. Korean shamanism also tends to lead people to fatalism, and focuses on temporal pleasure and amusement. Shamanistic faith should be transformed into a Christian one. Thus, keeping shamanism’s positive parallel concepts in the Protestant church and its indigenous forms with Christian truth, we should overcome its heretical beliefs and negative elements. The Christian gospel needs to be contextualized into Korean shamanistic culture and transform this culture with the transforming power of the gospel.