Coalition Pledges to Overcome `Religious Exclusivism`

The Korean Conference on Religion and Peace, a coalition of the seven largest religious groups in the country, announced Friday a declaration urging coexistence and joint growth among religions.

The move comes in the wake of the stir caused by a maligned video clip of Protestant Christians intruding in the Buddhist Bongeun Temple in southern Seoul.

The video shows students from “Praise Academy” pledging to carry out a “mission” to get into the temple, singing Christian hymns inside the compound, and describing their doctrine. The participants are shown saying prayers out loud and criticizing the temple facilities.

The coalition comprises the country’s seven major religious groups -- Protestants, Buddhists, Won Buddhists, Confucianists, Catholics and members of the traditional Korean religion “Daejong.” Its declaration is the first of its kind on religious peace.

After concluding a national convention of religious people attended by more than 200 people, the coalition announced the declaration titled “Religious peace is an important value in our society.”

“We are warily keeping an eye on a recent act of despising other religions by certain religious people,” the declaration said. “Let’s overcome religious exclusivism, strive to pursue religious maturity by each individual, and create a society of co-existence and joint growth.”

The declaration adopted a five-point resolution on overcoming religious exclusivism, pursuit of a mature society embracing differences, dialogue and coalition going beyond the boundary of individual religions, religious leaders setting an example, and attention and efforts by the religious community, civil society, politicians and the government.

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