Biography

PARK SEONG-WON

Park Seong-Won is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) and currently serves the Youngnam Theological University and Seminary in Korea as a Professor of Theology since 2004. Park is a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches since 2006 and a member of the Core Group of the Programme Committee. He is Co-Moderator of Oikotree – a joint movement of the Council for World Mission (CWM), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) for Justice in the Economy and the Earth.

FAMILY

Park, born on 29th August 1948 in Pohang, Republic of Korea, has been raised in a Christian family. His paternal grandfather, a Presbyterian elder, was an evangelist who initiated seven new congregations in the Pohang area in the 1950s, and his father, a Presbyterian minister served local congregations for 43 years. Park Seong-Won was married to Lee Seong-Hei in 1976 and they have three children, Ji-Yun, Mi-Yun and Sei-Yun.

ORDINATION

Park was ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament by the Seoul Northern Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Korea in 1982.

Education

After studying music at the Hanyang University in Seoul, Park was trained at the Presbyterian Theological College and Seminary in Seoul, obtaining Master of Divinity degree in 1980 and the Master of Theology in 1982. In 1987, Park obtained a Doctor of Ministry degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in the U.S.A. and Doctor of Theology degree from the University of Bern, Switzerland in 1999.

ECUMENICAL INVOLVEMENT – LOCAL

After three years of practical ministry in a local congregation, Park was called to serve the Seoul Jangshin Theological Seminary in Korea to teach as an Associate Professor of Theology and served as an Academic Dean for three years.

After having served the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Park was called by the Busanjin Presbyterian Church in Korea to serve as a senior minister. Since 2004, he has been serving the Youngnam Theological University and Seminary in Korea as a Professor of Theology.

Park has been serving the Ecumenical Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Korea as a member since 2004. He also serves the Commission on Social Witness of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. From 2005 to 2006, he served the National Council of Churches in Korea as a member of their Theological Commission.

ECUMENICAL EXPERIENCES – GLOBAL

In 1986, Park was called to work in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches with the responsibility of coordinating a theological study programme “Called to Witness to the Gospel Today”, succeeding Prof. Dr Choan-Seng Song.

From 1995 to 2004, Park worked in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches as Executive Secretary of the Department of Cooperation and Witness responsible for human rights, justice and peace, mission and unity, and church cooperation.

Park coordinated worship celebrations for three consecutive General Council meetings of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches: Seoul in 1986, Debrecen in 1997 and Accra in 2004.

Park has been engaged in the human rights advocacy work of member churches, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Equatorial Guinea, and from 1995 to 2004, he was WARC’s representative at the UN Commission on Human Rights. During this period, he was engaged in campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty and promoting economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights at the UN Commission on Human Rights.

Park was involved in a number of pastoral visits to member churches of WARC and the WCC: former USSR in 1989, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 1998 and 2001, Equatorial Guinea in 1998, Rwanda in 1999 and China in 2006.

In response to the communal conflicts between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia that occurred in 1999, Park became engaged in inter-faith work in a concrete way, facilitating reconciliation and peace among the communities in conflict, through contacting different communities including Muslim communities at local, national and global level. In July 2002, he organized an international inter-faith consultation for reconciliation and peace in Indonesia, inviting delegations of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists as well as Christians from both local and international levels, and making an ecumenical representation to the political authorities in Indonesia, both national government as well as various embassies. Through this experience, a new and fresh way of inter-faith work was explored. He also organized an Inter-faith consultation on Christian missiology in 2003 in Bali, Indonesia.

From 1995 to 2004, Park coordinated the “processus confessionis”, WARC’s theological programme on our faith response to economic injustice and ecological destruction that culminated in “The Accra Confession”, which was adopted by the 24th General Council of WARC in 2004.

ORGANIZING CONSULTATIONS

Park has organized the following key consultations: Theological Consultation on Experiences of Confessing churches (Cape Town, 2001), Consultation on Faith Stance on Global Crisis (Buenos Aires, 2003), Consultation on Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth (London-Colney, 2003) and Consultation on Theological Reflection on Global Empire Today (Manila 2006).

He has also worked as a co-organizer for a series of ecumenical consultations (Bangkok in 1999, Budapest in 2001, Fiji in 2001, Soesterberg in 2002, Cartigny in 2002 and 2003) that were jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and regional ecumenical organizations.

Park, together with staff of the participating organizations, initiated the Ecumenical Coalition for Alternative Globalization among Geneva based ecumenical organizations like the WCC, WARC, LWF, World YWCA, World Alliance of YMCAs, Frontier Internship in Mission, and Pax Romana.

PARTICIPATION IN ECUMENICAL CONFERENCES

Park participated in the following ecumenical Assembly meetings as a representative of WARC: the WCC World Convocation for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in Seoul, 1990, the 7th General Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in Hong Kong in 1997, and the 8th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Harare in 1998. He participated in the 9th General Assembly of the WCC in Porto Alegre in 2006 as a delegate of his church and was elected as a member of the Central Committee.

Park has made major presentations at various ecumenical conferences such as the Consultation on Mission in Unity in Geneva in 1988, the Consultation on Globalization and Decade for Overcoming Violence organized by the United Evangelical Mission (Iselohn, 2004), and the WCC-John Knox joint consultation on Peace on Earth and Peace with the Earth (Geneva 2008). Between 1988 and 2008, he has given presentations at 32 ecumenical conferences.

PUBLICATIONS

Park has written or edited nine books in English and Korean including “A Martyrology of the Korean Church” and “Celebrate Life – Worshipbook of the 24th General Council of WARC”. He has also written a number of articles such as “Economy of Water” (Ecumenical Review 57(2) 2005, and “Asian Spirituality and Community” (LWF, 1998). In all, he has 13 articles of note in English and 16 in Korean.



Home Park Seong-won Biography Ecumenical Journey Ecumenical Vision News Update In the press Resources Articles Photos Video Links Contact Contact Form	Biography PARK SEONG-WON Park Seong-Won is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) and currently serves the Youngnam Theological University and Seminary in Korea as a Professor of Theology since 2004. Park is a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches since 2006 and a member of the Core Group of the Programme Committee. He is Co-Moderator of Oikotree – a joint movement of the Council for World Mission (CWM), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) for Justice in the Economy and the Earth. FAMILY Park, born on 29th August 1948 in Pohang, Republic of Korea, has been raised in a Christian family. His paternal grandfather, a Presbyterian elder, was an evangelist who initiated seven new congregations in the Pohang area in the 1950s, and his father, a Presbyterian minister served local congregations for 43 years. Park Seong-Won was married to Lee Seong-Hei in 1976 and they have three children, Ji-Yun, Mi-Yun and Sei-Yun. ORDINATION Park was ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament by the Seoul Northern Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Korea in 1982. Education After studying music at the Hanyang University in Seoul, Park was trained at the Presbyterian Theological College and Seminary in Seoul, obtaining Master of Divinity degree in 1980 and the Master of Theology in 1982. In 1987, Park obtained a Doctor of Ministry degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in the U.S.A. and Doctor of Theology degree from the University of Bern, Switzerland in 1999. ECUMENICAL INVOLVEMENT – LOCAL After three years of practical ministry in a local congregation, Park was called to serve the Seoul Jangshin Theological Seminary in Korea to teach as an Associate Professor of Theology and served as an Academic Dean for three years. After having served the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Park was called by the Busanjin Presbyterian Church in Korea to serve as a senior minister. Since 2004, he has been serving the Youngnam Theological University and Seminary in Korea as a Professor of Theology. Park has been serving the Ecumenical Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Korea as a member since 2004. He also serves the Commission on Social Witness of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. From 2005 to 2006, he served the National Council of Churches in Korea as a member of their Theological Commission. ECUMENICAL EXPERIENCES – GLOBAL In 1986, Park was called to work in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches with the responsibility of coordinating a theological study programme “Called to Witness to the Gospel Today”, succeeding Prof. Dr Choan-Seng Song. From 1995 to 2004, Park worked in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches as Executive Secretary of the Department of Cooperation and Witness responsible for human rights, justice and peace, mission and unity, and church cooperation. Park coordinated worship celebrations for three consecutive General Council meetings of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches: Seoul in 1986, Debrecen in 1997 and Accra in 2004. Park has been engaged in the human rights advocacy work of member churches, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Equatorial Guinea, and from 1995 to 2004, he was WARC’s representative at the UN Commission on Human Rights. During this period, he was engaged in campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty and promoting economic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and political rights at the UN Commission on Human Rights. Park was involved in a number of pastoral visits to member churches of WARC and the WCC: former USSR in 1989, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 1998 and 2001, Equatorial Guinea in 1998, Rwanda in 1999 and China in 2006. In response to the communal conflicts between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia that occurred in 1999, Park became engaged in inter-faith work in a concrete way, facilitating reconciliation and peace among the communities in conflict, through contacting different communities including Muslim communities at local, national and global level. In July 2002, he organized an international inter-faith consultation for reconciliation and peace in Indonesia, inviting delegations of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists as well as Christians from both local and international levels, and making an ecumenical representation to the political authorities in Indonesia, both national government as well as various embassies. Through this experience, a new and fresh way of inter-faith work was explored. He also organized an Inter-faith consultation on Christian missiology in 2003 in Bali, Indonesia. From 1995 to 2004, Park coordinated the “processus confessionis”, WARC’s theological programme on our faith response to economic injustice and ecological destruction that culminated in “The Accra Confession”, which was adopted by the 24th General Council of WARC in 2004. ORGANIZING CONSULTATIONS Park has organized the following key consultations: Theological Consultation on Experiences of Confessing churches (Cape Town, 2001), Consultation on Faith Stance on Global Crisis (Buenos Aires, 2003), Consultation on Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth (London-Colney, 2003) and Consultation on Theological Reflection on Global Empire Today (Manila 2006). He has also worked as a co-organizer for a series of ecumenical consultations (Bangkok in 1999, Budapest in 2001, Fiji in 2001, Soesterberg in 2002, Cartigny in 2002 and 2003) that were jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and regional ecumenical organizations. Park, together with staff of the participating organizations, initiated the Ecumenical Coalition for Alternative Globalization among Geneva based ecumenical organizations like the WCC, WARC, LWF, World YWCA, World Alliance of YMCAs, Frontier Internship in Mission, and Pax Romana. PARTICIPATION IN ECUMENICAL CONFERENCES Park participated in the following ecumenical Assembly meetings as a representative of WARC: the WCC World Convocation for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in Seoul, 1990, the 7th General Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in Hong Kong in 1997, and the 8th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Harare in 1998. He participated in the 9th General Assembly of the WCC in Porto Alegre in 2006 as a delegate of his church and was elected as a member of the Central Committee. Park has made major presentations at various ecumenical conferences such as the Consultation on Mission in Unity in Geneva in 1988, the Consultation on Globalization and Decade for Overcoming Violence organized by the United Evangelical Mission (Iselohn, 2004), and the WCC-John Knox joint consultation on Peace on Earth and Peace with the Earth (Geneva 2008). Between 1988 and 2008, he has given presentations at 32 ecumenical conferences. PUBLICATIONS Park has written or edited nine books in English and Korean including “A Martyrology of the Korean Church” and “Celebrate Life – Worshipbook of the 24th General Council of WARC”. He has also written a number of articles such as “Economy of Water” (Ecumenical Review 57(2) 2005, and “Asian Spirituality and Community” (LWF, 1998). In all, he has 13 articles of note in English and 16 in Korean.
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