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Beyond Cultural Differences

ICF Delegates Share Common Hopes, Concerns

I got off the plane from Seoul, Korea, after a long journey; weary, yet full of fresh images seeking expression. Mostly, I feel so much in my heart; joy for having met many amazing and dear people, and pain for understanding the realities they face in their worlds.

Evening rallies included choral and instrumental music, both traditional and contemporary, and traditional Korean dancing in dazzling costume.
Photographs by Penny Schibsted, William Ahrens and John Doud.

I had just returned from the seventh quadrennial conference (Aug. 15-20) of the International Congregational Fellowship (ICF), which took place at the Olympic ParkTel, a hotel erected for the 1988 Seoul Olympic games. There were 104 delegates from various countries in attendance, not counting 300 Koreans, and sixteen countries were represented. The ICF Moderator, the Rev. Dr. Richard Kurrasch, opened the meeting joined by the Host Chairman, Yi Hyung Lee, President of the Korean Puritan Movement Association (KPMA).

It should be noted that the Koreans have adopted the word "Puritan" as a way of describing their desire to form autonomous churches without any outside ecclesiastical control, much the same way the Puritans and Separatists did to challenge the authority of the Church of England in the 1500s. As a religious movement in Korea, Christianity is very strong (almost 50 percent of the population, including Protestant and Roman Catholic). Buddhism and other religions have waned due to the missionary zeal of Christians.

A lone figure, the Rev. Dr. Wendy Van Tassell, Spencer, Iowa, contemplates the splendor of the Olympic Plaza, built for the 1988 Olympic Games.

I treasure conversations had with different ones and am still moved by regional reports heard from around the world. There was the minister from Tanzania (Africa) who has found himself working with many couples from his congregations who are struggling in their marriages. He has developed a reputation as been a good counselor, but lacks information and tools to help him with the many situations he encounters. There was the school director from Nigeria, who knows his older students need equipment for chemistry labs, but has no way to provide such. I recall the report of communities on the Marshall Islands who face the real threat of their island no longer being in existence. Perhaps from global warming, the sea level has risen and is threatening to cover several inhabited islands. I was moved by Phaedon Cambouropoulos, our missionary in Athens, Greece, who reported on the congregations in Greece who have been trying to help Balkan churches and immigrants. Steve de Gruchy shared his struggles for justice in South Africa, where he works with different tribal groups as well as whites. The AIDS epidemic is also a painful reality for churches in Africa. Other ministries and challenges were presented as well from Brazil, Argentina, Australia, the UK and the USA.

The topic for the conference was "Congregationalism and Culture," and, wow, did we get to experience the dynamics of cultural diversity amongst us! Our hosts were leaders of the Korean Puritan Movement. Workshops for Korean church leaders took place simultaneously with the ICF conference, and then all met together each evening for a "Mass Rally." The rallies included the most spectacular instrumental, choral and contemporary music, traditional dance, and even Tae-Kwon-Do presentations. In addition to these, there were at least three sermons with interpretation each evening! After being in meetings all day, it was a challenge for many to sit in bleachers for three to four hours, but these rallies were the highlight of the day for the Koreans, and so we sat, sore backsides and all!

Host Chairman Yi Hyung Lee (center), shown with ICF Vice Moderator-Elect the Rev. Dr. Patrick Shelley, right, next to Moderator-Elect Janet Wootton. Also shown, on the left, is the Rev. Dr. James Schibsted, a member of the U.S. Delegation. 

The afternoon sessions focused on ICF business, including reports from the moderator, regional secretaries, ambassadors, youth, publications, special projects, the Theological Commission, finance, and elections. The Rev. Dr. Janet Wootton (England) was elected Moderator and the Rev. Dr. Patrick Shelley (United States) and Harding Stricker (Argentina) were elected Co-Moderators-Elect for the next ICF meeting, scheduled to take place in 2005 in Greece, hosted by Phaedon Cambouropoulos, minister of the Third Greek Evangelical Church of Athens.

In the evenings there were mass rallies at the Olympic Weight Lifting Gymnasium lasting approximately three hours each, which could best be described as "Southern Revival Tent Meetings."

The Koreans were extremely hospitable to us in every way they could be. Students sat amongst us to interpret, accompanied us on subway rides, drove us to church sites and answered a myriad of questions. Their patience and graciousness did not waver. Speaking with Korean church leaders, still, was often a challenge. When a Korean leader gave a presentation, and individuals asked questions, the meaning of the question and answer given did not match. The challenge of cross-cultural communication was seen and felt.

The U.S. delegation leads the singing at the International Congregational Fellowship (ICF) quadrennial meeting in Seoul, South Korea. You may be able to spot Carol Cole on the far right next to Bernice Gamage and Millie Gardner, all from California.

At various times it became clear that even "what we shared in common" was perceived quite differently. Congregationalists from places like the UK and U S. believe what they share in common is their Christian faith and Congregational polity. To the members of the Korean Puritan Movement, Congregationalists are brothers and sisters in Christ who share a common history in Puritanism. This history is meaningful for the Koreans now because they believe the church is again in need of purification. What this purification means exactly was not always clear, but one thing it certainly includes is prayer. We heard several times of the need to pray, and when in Korean meetings, the prayers were long, loud and intense. Individuals were encouraged to spend several hours a day in prayer. The purpose of these prayers is to help purify hearts by making them open to God’s Spirit. One pastor told me some Korean pastors do not sleep for up to seven days at a stretch because they believe they should be fervent in their prayer, Bible study, worship and Christian service. The belief is that when one cannot sustain himself/herself it becomes more clear that the Holy Spirit is the sustainer. Being the therapist I am, I had to ask the question, "Do you know what ‘burnout’ is?" . . . To this the pastor smiled and said, "Yes."

There were so many examples of historical references being viewed differently by people of different cultures. One example was the American Pilgrim story. At almost every meeting, we heard respectful references to the Pilgrims. The Koreans tell the story much the way many in the United States would tell it. "The Puritans were persecuted and left the old world to come to the new." They then go on to tell how these Puritans started schools and missionary societies and came to places like Korea to share the gospel. Hearing this made reference to over and over, while sitting with several from England, caused new light to be shed on me! With each reference to the Pilgrims I would hear an increasing number of sighs, and later comments like, "What about the majority of Puritans who did not leave England, but stayed behind and suffered persecution? They also did good deeds (and bad, as did the Americans). They also sent missionaries to places like Korea. Why is the American story told over here in Korea as if it is the whole story?"

The value gained in listening to, worshiping and laughing with people from other cultures is immense. The fortunate young people from our churches who were able to attend sang and played with Korean children. They even learned to cook Korean food! We adults smiled, walked, ate and shared tears together. With all the struggles to understand each other there were wonderful "ah-has!"; moments of realizing a precious treasure held between us. This treasure is the common human spirit and the divine Holy Spirit. For this and for the dear people met, my bounding heart says, "Thank you, God!" 

Penny Schibsted is a member of First Congregational Church, Anaheim, California. The Rev. Dr. John Doud, Arbor Grove Congregational Church, Jackson, Michigan, also contributed to this article.

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