Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 236 – Wed 10 Sep 2003

(This bulletin is dedicated to the nation of North Korea in recognition of her 55th anniversary on Tuesday 9 September.)

——————————— NORTH KOREA: A 55TH BIRTHDAY GIFT ———————————

The Korean Church traces its origins back to 1777, when Korean Buddhist monks found and studied Chinese-language tracts that had been written and brought into Korea by the Jesuits in China. The Korean Catholic Church was born and was self-propagating right from the start. However, the Catholics were persecuted for refusing to perform ancestral rites and because they participated in politics. The ‘Sinyu Persecution’ of 1801, in which 300 were martyred, was a watershed moment. Whilst this robbed the church of its founders, leaders and scholars, it was transformed from a movement of the elite to an underground church of the people. Persecution continued in waves. In one such wave in 1866, 8000 Christians were slain.

Korea began engaging with the outside world through the 1880s. The end of isolation saw the start of Protestant missions. The missionaries were determined that the Korean Church should be self-supporting. The result was strong, independent national churches. Religious Freedom was codified in Korea in 1899. Korea came under Japanese colonial rule from 1901-45. During those years of oppression, Christianity (which was banned) became closely linked to Korean nationalism.

When the Japanese were defeated in 1945, churches that had been closed quickly re-established and blossomed. However, the country was divided along the 38th parallel. The Americans took control of the south and the South Korean Church thrived in freedom. The Soviets took control of the north and Stalin handpicked Kim Il-sung to be installed as a Marxist dictator. North Korea declared itself independent on 9 September 1948. Christians who had not escaped south during the Korean War (1950-53), and so were north of the border when it closed in 1953, were martyred or driven into hiding, whilst their churches were bulldozed. Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, was once such a place of Christian revival that it had been nick-named ‘The Jerusalem of the East’.

The only religion permitted in North Korea today is the obligatory idolatrous worship of the late ‘Eternal President’ Kim Il-sung and of his son, the ‘Dear Leader’ Kim Jong-il. In North Korea it is alleged that when Kim was born a double rainbow and a bright star appeared in the sky. He is also allegedly a great composer, author, architect, fighter pilot, and sustainer and protector of the people. He is not to be mocked though. If his security police catch you with a Bible you will be executed. If you are caught worshipping the one true God, you and your whole family will be imprisoned as political prisoners in the gulag of concentration camps. There you will be starved, beaten and worked to death. The nation, which suffers from locusts and severe famine, is completely cut off from the outside world. Whole generations are being raised without hearing the name of Jesus.

Our birthday gift to you, North Korea, is the promise of our most passionate and vigilant prayers. We promise to not stop praying for your freedom until you are free. Then we will pray for your revival and we will continue to pray until Pyongyang is once again a city filled with songs to Jesus. (Ps 40:1-3)

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the remnant Church in North Korea, for those struggling to survive in concentration camps and for the secret believers who face death and imprisonment every day simply on account of their faith in and love for Jesus. May the forever-present Holy Spirit pour physical, emotional and spiritual strength into their lives and their souls, and keep them safe.

* the time of the Lord’s favour to come.

‘He has sent me to proclaim the captives will be released, the blind will see, the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come.’ (Prophetic testimony about Jesus.) Luke 4:18,19 (Isaiah 61:1,2)

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ———————————————————— A 55TH BIRTHDAY GIFT OF PRAYER FOR NORTH KOREA

North Korea was created after the Second World War, when the Japanese were defeated in Korea and the nation was split between the Allies along the 38th parallel. The Americans took control of the south. The Soviets took control of the north and Stalin installed Kim Il-sung as a Marxist dictator. On 9 September 1948 North Korea declared independence. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea was once such a place of Christian revival it had been nick-named ‘The Jerusalem of the East’. Today however, after 55 years of Marxism and madness, only a remnant Church survives, suffering in concentration camps and in underground churches. Let us never forget to pray for them and for their nation.

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EXTRA PRAYER POINT :

* for an end to LRA terror in Northern Uganda – The Church Missionary Society (UK) has organised a ‘Chain of Prayer’ for Uganda on 14 SEPTEMBER 2003. For more information see <http://www.cms-uk.org/>. For past Religious Liberty Prayer bulletins on the conflict in Northern Uganda see <http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc>.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

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