Religious Experience in Trauma: Koreans' Collective Complex of Inferiority and the Korean Protestant Church

The Korean Protestant Church grew rapidly due to historical events such as the fall of the Joseon Dynasty, the Japanese Occupation, the Korean War, and the Korean Military Dictatorship. These events caused a collective inferiority complex in Koreans and their psychological relationships with their colonizers, leading them to convert to Protestantism as a means to avoid psychological pain and fulfill their desire to become like Americans.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 199 pages
Publication date: 04 September 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This captivating book delves into a profound psychohistorical exploration of the remarkable growth of the Korean Protestant Church. Author KwangYu Lee takes us on a journey through the turbulent historical events that shaped Korea's 20th century, including the fall of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the Japanese Occupation (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), and the Korean Military Dictatorship (1961-1987). Through meticulous analysis, Lee uncovers the profound psychological impacts these events had on the collective unconsciousness of the Korean people.

Lee argues that the collective inferiority complex that Koreans harbored, which was exacerbated by these traumatic experiences, coupled with their complex psychological relationships with their two colonizers, the Japanese and Americans, drove a mass conversion to Korean Protestantism. This conversion was seen as a means to alleviate their psychological pains and fulfill their futile desire to emulate the perceived ideal of Americans, their idealized psychological object.

The book offers a rich tapestry of insights, drawing on a wide range of sources and perspectives to shed light on the complex dynamics that shaped Korean society and religion during this transformative period. Lee's analysis is nuanced and thought-provoking, challenging readers to consider the enduring legacies of history and the profound psychological forces that continue to shape the nation today.

In conclusion, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex relationship between history, culture, and religion in Korea. It provides a valuable contribution to the field of psychohistory and offers a fresh perspective on the growth of the Korean Protestant Church. Through its exploration of the historical events that shaped the collective unconsciousness of the Korean people, Lee offers a profound understanding of the forces that drive human behavior and the search for meaning in the face of adversity.

Weight: 285g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030535858
Edition number: 1st ed. 2020