Why Korean Language Presbyteries Exist
Source: TGC via PCA Presbytery Boundaries
(This is a two-part essay written by Moses Y. Lee that was originally published in October 2022 on the Semper Ref blog, which has since been decommissioned. It has been edited and combined as one post, published here with permission from the author)
Part I: The Vision of Our Fathers
The tremendous growth of Korean Americans in the PCA over the past four decades has been nothing short of a miracle. Despite some disagreements about the nature and validity of language-specific presbyteries, the overall consensus is that the formation of Korean-language presbyteries (KLPs) was the correct move. Yet, as our denominational fathers enter into glory and pass the baton to the next generation, questions are being asked by this new generation of Teaching Elders about the origins and the intended purpose of KLPs. In this two-part series, I will begin with a historical overview of KLPs and then address some of the major challenges that KLPs are currently facing.
Historical Background
The first KLP was planted in 1982 under the auspices of Mission to North America (MNA) with the intent to alleviate some of the cultural and linguistic challenges recent Korean immigrants faced adjusting to this country. They cited the prior success of the PCUS in Texas with Hispanics using a similar model. Though the creation of a non-geographical presbytery initially caused many to question its constitutionality, the Judicial Business Sub-Committee determined that the Book of Church Order (BCO) does not address the question of non-geographical presbyteries.
In the end, language became the determining factor for its creation, viewing this as a way to prevent the future creation of non-geographical segregated presbyteries (e.g., African American and Hispanic presbyteries in the PCUS which were abolished during the Civil Rights Movement). As stated in the minutes of the Tenth General Assembly, one of the original conditions was that “the language used in the presbyteries will be Korean but…minutes…and correspondence which the General Assembly must read will be translated into English…”
The PCA’s intention for the first KLP was clear from the beginning–to eventually absorb the non-geographical presbytery into Anglo presbyteries. The first KLP was designated a shelf life of ten years and could request ten-year extensions as the need arose. But few anticipated how quickly this presbytery would grow. In its first year, the first KLP saw an explosive growth from an initial four churches and three mission churches to a total of roughly sixteen churches. By the following year’s GA, there was no choice but to divide the “non-geographical” presbytery into the Korean Eastern and Korean Southwestern presbyteries. By 1992, the GA gave an extension of another five years to KLPs.
In 1996 several Anglo and Korean presbyteries passed overtures requesting an indefinite extension for KLPs in the PCA. The GA approved the request and as a result KLPs could no longer be automatically dissolved after its extension expired without their expressed permission. As of 2016, there are nine KLPs (11% of the PCA) with 511 TEs (13.3% of the PCA) and 212 churches (11.4% of the PCA). In other words, more than one in ten presbyteries and its TEs and churches in the PCA are now a part of KLPs.
The Growing Need for a Bilingual Vision
Around the time of my ordination eight years ago in the Korean Capital Presbytery, I recall the late Teaching Elder Won Sang Lee distinctly telling fresh ordinands in front of the examination committee, “You are our future and you will one day lead us Korean immigrant pastors. We need you and we welcome you to our presbytery.”
Nineteen years after the first KLP was organized, the growing demographic of second-generation and English-speaking Korean Americans in our presbyteries compelled our fathers to shift their focus from being exclusively Korean-speaking to bilingual (Korean-English) in order to foster generational unity in KLPs, and eventually racial unity in the PCA. The end goal was never the perpetuation of exclusively Korean-speaking KLPs but their eventual integration into the larger English-speaking body of the PCA.
I recall the late Teaching Elder Won Sang Lee distinctly telling fresh ordinands in front of the examination committee,
“You are our future and you will one day lead us Korean immigrant pastors. We need you and we welcome you to our presbytery.”
English-speaking, Korean-American pastors from our presbytery, in particular, took away from those words that we will always have space at the table of the presbyteries we were reared in. This was in the same spirit of Teaching Elder Henry Koh, the first Coordinator of Korean Ministries and one of the nine charter members of the first Korean Language Presbytery, who wrote in 2001 to MNA, “Korean-language presbyteries should elect bilingual pastors as their Stated Clerks” and “should endeavor to conduct the presbytery meeting in both languages” [emphasis added].
As a result, second-generation Korean Americans never saw their Korean-speaking fathers and brothers as competition or a threat but family members we needed to serve alongside of and to look out for when interacting with our brothers from the Anglo presbyteries. We understood it was our responsibility (our duty, really) to volunteer as representatives to the Committee of Review of Presbytery Records, Nominating Committee, or General Assembly on behalf of our Korean-speaking brothers. Even though this relationship was not always perfect, we strived to give one another the benefit of the doubt.
Concluding Thoughts
As the number of second-generation, Korean-American Teaching Elders continues to grow, we must never forget to show honor and respect to our immigrant fathers who did most of the grunt work in building a room for us in our denominational home. This room has proven to be a safe space for all Korean Americans to be themselves (not having to code switch) and to recover from the exhaustion of being perpetual minorities in a majority-culture space.
There will always be cultural and generational challenges for recent immigrants and their more Westernized counterparts, especially now that recent immigrants are the same age as (or even younger than) second-generation Korean Americans who have oftentimes been in the PCA longer than their immigrant brethren. Yet, the gospel of Jesus Christ and the example of our Savior will prove to be our only hope and strength for sustaining the health of KLPs for future immigrants and children of immigrants. We must never forget we are all on the same team as members of the Body of Christ.
In Part Two, I will address some of the major challenges that KLPs are currently facing as a new generation of English-speaking, Korean-American leaders begin to take the helm.
Part 2: Not Uniformity But Pluriformity
Introduction
In Part One, I discussed the origins of Korean-language presbyteries (KLPs) in the PCA in light of the lessons learned from the formerly racially-segregated PCUS. To avoid the mistakes of the PCUS, one of the original conditions of KLPs was that it function as a language-specific presbytery. Yet, the growth of English-speaking Korean Americans in KLPs over the years necessitated presbytery business to eventually be conducted in both Korean and English. Consequently, this would also help raise up English-speaking leaders in order to pursue the end goal of KLPs–their eventual integration into the broader, English-speaking body of the PCA. However, the growth of English-speaking members and their increasing influence in KLPs have met several challenges, mainly on two fronts.
Reversing Course on Bilingualism
Despite a decades-long effort to build mutual cooperation across first-generation and second-generation Korean Americans in the PCA through bilingualism, this coalition is under siege by a new narrative that takes the meaning of “Korean-language” in KLPs to an extreme that reverses course from their intended end goal. More recent Korean immigrant supporters of this shift argue that KLPs are exactly that–presbyteries that conduct business exclusively in Korean. Accordingly, any attempt to conduct business in a bilingual fashion (even when bilingual translations are available) is contradictory to the original purpose and function of KLPs.
What is the purpose for this revisionism? Without speculating on the intent, the consequences are obvious: if Korean-language normativity takes hold of regular presbytery and committee business, elders unable to speak Korean will be unable to participate in the duties of a presbyter, thus relegating them to mere observers and giving them no choice but to transfer out into Anglo Presbyteries. Surely, this was not the vision for the organic, mutually beneficial relationship that our Korean-speaking fathers had in mind between more recent immigrant pastors and second-generation pastors.
Part of the vision, according to Teaching Elder Henry Koh, is for Korean-speaking pastors to raise up the second-generation and to serve together: “I believe one of the reasons why first-generation Korean ministry in the PCA exists is for the raising of second-generation leadership in the PCA. When second-generation leadership training occurs, Korean-language presbyteries may eventually be phased out.”
Over the past two years, two English-speaking, second-generation Teaching Elders were voted in as moderators in their respective KLPs. For many, this was an answer to decades of prayer. After all, who would not celebrate this major milestone that our late Korean fathers had only dreamed of? Yet, at least two groups were rather critical of this news: 1) some of the more recent Korean-speaking immigrant pastors (and their bilingual allies) who prefer Korean-language normativity, and 2) some members of Anglo Presbyteries who claim that it is redundant to conduct KLP business in English. Both have lost sight of the vision of KLPs and the vital, transitional role of English-speaking members of KLPs.
The Role of English-Speaking Korean Americans
What are we to do with English-speaking, Korean-American Teaching Elders not serving under the Korean immigrant pastors? What future do second-generation pastors and their Korean-American congregations have within KLPs? Another condition for formation of the first Korean Language Presbytery was that “any Korean church applying for membership in the PCA may submit its application to whichever presbytery it prefers.” What is not mentioned is whether “Korean” here refers to the preferred language, majority ethnic make-up, or majority culture of the congregation.
Perhaps the ambiguity by our fathers is actually to our benefit: let each second-generation Teaching Elder and congregation decide whether to stay in or leave KLPs. As I stated in my first article, some of these brothers are needed to help with conducting denominational business on behalf of our Korean-speaking fathers and brothers. Yet, even more of them are needed to raise up the next generation of Korean-American church planters and English-speaking elders in KLPs.
As Teaching Elder Henry Koh writes, “Simply put, most first generation Korean pastors are not equipped to mentor, teach, coach, train, and support second-generation leaders. Help is needed from culturally-sensitive Anglo-American pastors, who not only possess the vision for multi-ethnic ministry but also the resources to mentor, coach, and train second-generation Ko-Am church planters.” To that, I would also add help is needed from culturally-sensitive, English-speaking, Korean-American members of KLPs.
The Greater Issue at Hand
Over the years, many observers have remarked on the incredible foresight of the Tenth General Assembly and how they uniquely positioned the PCA for the incredible numerical growth of Korean Americans in our denomination over the past 40 years. Just like the explosive growth of ethnic-specific ministries in Cru and InterVarsity in recent years, the PCA saw similar growth by creating a space for Korean Americans to be themselves and to govern themselves under the broader umbrella of the PCA.
Interestingly enough, the theology of this approach is in line with the doctrine of pluriformity as espoused by Kuyper and Bavinck who resisted attempts at unity at the expense of diversity. They were concerned that modern attempts at pursuing unity oftentimes resulted in uniformity and not unity in diversity. To overcome uniformity, one must value both unity and diversity, leaving room for diverse expressions of worship within a broader framework of cultural diversity under the Lordship of Christ (i.e., pluriformity). According to the Tenth General Assembly, one of the rationales for founding the first KLP echoes this doctrine:
An important purpose of this structure is to promote the unity of the church while at the same time making room for the rich diversity which we find among Christians of different cultural heritages. This will help us all to stay close to the Scriptures and the creed while at the same time permit the development of leadership and vision among a group of people who have the same faith but a very different cultural background.
In other words, the real issue behind the formation of KLPs was not just linguistic but cultural diversity. Our fathers were concerned that premature attempts at unity would stifle cultural diversity in the denomination, resulting in the collapse of racial unity and the failed integration of Korean Americans into the larger body of the PCA. Racial unity at the expense of cultural diversity will only result in the tokenization of minorities and not true racial unity. Pluriformity must be organically pursued and not artificially “implemented.” How will we know the PCA is ready for the final step of phasing out KLPs? When Korean-speaking and English-speaking Korean Americans from KLPs tell us we are.
Reasons for Hope
Over the course of my decade in the PCA, I have seen God use a Korean-speaking member of my presbytery to raise up the one of the largest churches in our denomination and commission hundreds of missionaries (both Korean-speaking and English-speaking) from his flock during his twenty-six years of faithful shepherding. I have seen God use a Gospel-saturated, English-speaking member of my presbytery to revive a small and hurting congregation to almost a thousand attendees in a matter of years, blessing an entire generation of second-generation Korean Americans in our presbytery. I have seen God use one of the most intelligent and published Korean immigrant men I have ever met to sharpen and mentor countless young English-speaking ordinands in our presbytery for Gospel ministry.
How will we know the PCA is ready for the final step of phasing out KLPs?
When Korean-speaking and English-speaking Korean Americans from KLPs tell us we are.
With such brothers in our ranks, in both Korean-speaking and English-speaking congregations of KLPs, it is clearer than ever that we are stronger together. This is also Teaching Elder Henry Koh’sprayer: “It is my prayer that second-generation Ko-Ams will be able to significantly contribute to the PCA as we seek to become a truly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic denomination that is honoring to God.” In many ways,this prayer has been answered and will continue to be answered but only when Korean-speaking and English-speaking Korean Americans work together. Additionally, we continue to pray for greater efforts by the denomination as a whole to resist uniformity and to pursue pluriformity.
Moses Y. Lee (MDiv, ThM) is the pastor of Rosebrook Presbyterian Church in North Bethesda, Maryland. He’s a contributing author to Hear Us, Emmanuel: Another Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation, and Unity in the Church and has also written for The SOLA Network, TGC, and the Korean American Leadership Initiative.
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