After criticizing commissioner, Rhee challenged by Korean pastor
By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, June 28, 2006
BIRMINGHAM – During the 217th General Assembly’s debate over the PUP proposal, Syngman Rhee, a former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), rebuked a commissioner who warned that approval of the report would lead to an exodus of Korean Presbyterians.
But Rhee’s comments were later criticized by another Korean who said that Rhee spoke only for a minority of Korean members in the PCUSA.
The chain of criticisms began after the Rev. Kathy Sizer of the Los Ranchos Presbytery warned the General Assembly that “thousands and thousands of our Korean brothers and sisters are ready to leave us” and that “many other churches are teetering on the same decision. If you do not vote for the minority report, you will go home and stand in front of your church … presumably in front of God about this great devastation.”
Rhee, a former PCUSA staff member who favored the PUP report, challenged Sizer’s statement. “I heard one commissioner say the Korean churches, thousands of them, are ready to leave our church,” Rhee said, using his privilege as a former moderator to address the assembly. “That’s totally incorrect and untrue and I would like to hear where she got that. Korean Presbyterians love this church and we will stay in this church because we love Jesus.”
During plenary debate, no one commented on Rhee’s remarks. But, after reading about them, another Korean pastor sent The Layman a letter saying Rhee was not a spokesman for Korean Presbyterians.
“Rev. Rhee’s comments during the business meeting on Tuesday afternoon were totally misleading and untrue,” said the Rev. Joon W. Lee, pastor of Korean Presbyterian Church in Columbus Ohio. “I regret that he sounded and looked like he was representing the Korean Presbyterians. The truth is that he was not.”
In fact, Lee said, the National Korean Presbyterian Council, which represents Koreans in the PCUSA, “sent to its members a newsletter a couple months ago that clearly mentions NKPC’s status to oppose the PUP recommendation. A few years ago (2001 in Chicago), during the annual NKPC meeting, the delegates voted to confirm by a large margin (99% vs. less than 1%) that Korean Presbyterians opposed ordination of practicing homosexuals.
“At the same time, NKPC has been making efforts to work together with other evangelical groups such as PFR and the Presbyterian Coalition on this issue. And it is true that many Korean Presbyterians feel ashamed to see that this even becomes an issue, since they believe that the Bible is so clear about it. Rev. Rhee was right on the point that Korean churches are not leaving the denomination. But it’s a matter of time. You never know what’s going to happen next.”
Rhee is personally familiar with the division within the ranks of Korean Presbyterians in the denomination. He has served as interim pastor of a minority group that left First Presbyterian Church in Torrance, Calif., the largest Korean congregation in the PCUSA, after the church’s majority voted to leave the denomination.