1903 Wonsan Revival

Robert A. Hardie

The Wonsan Revival as a Foundational Moment

The 1903 Wonsan Revival was not an isolated religious event but a pivotal catalyst for a series of revivals that profoundly shaped the trajectory of modern Korean Christianity. Initiated at a time of deep national crisis, this spiritual awakening served as the initial “spark” that ignited a larger, continuous movement culminating in the Great Pyongyang Revival of 1907.

The Wonsan Revival and its subsequent proliferation served as a crucible for the development of an indigenous Korean Christian faith, infusing it with a potent nationalistic identity and establishing unique spiritual practices that persist to this day.

This report provides a comprehensive historical analysis, contextualizing the revival within the socio-political landscape of early 20th-century Korea, detailing its core characteristics, tracing its expansion, and evaluating its long-lasting impact on Korean society, national consciousness, and the global Christian movement.

1. The Contextual Crucible: Korea at the Dawn of the 20th Century

The religious fervour that manifested in the Wonsan Revival did not occur in a vacuum; it was a direct consequence of a nation in profound transition. The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked the political and cultural collapse of the Joseon Dynasty, a period of instability that left the Korean intelligentsia searching for new models to “invigorate and transform the nation”.¹

This state of national vulnerability created a fertile ground for new ideologies, with many intellectuals looking to Western models to modernize the country.¹

Korea’s traditional religious landscape at the turn of the century was a complex mosaic. While the majority of the population practiced an indigenous religion guided by shamans, the Joseon kingdom had adopted a strict version of Neo-Confucianism, actively suppressing and marginalizing both Buddhism and Korean shamanism.¹

Monasteries were destroyed, and monks and nuns were prohibited from entering towns, a state of suppression that lasted until the 19th century.¹ This systemic marginalization created a spiritual void and a widespread discontent, particularly among the lower classes, who found little solace in the rigid social structure upheld by Confucianism.²

It was within this vacuum that Protestant Christianity arrived, uniquely poised to appeal to a society in crisis. Unlike its introduction in many other East Asian nations, Christianity began to spread internally in Korea before the widespread arrival of foreign missionaries.²

Reform-minded Confucian scholars independently encountered and explored Western religious texts, performing Christian practices and incorporating them into their existing traditions, all without external guidance.²

This process of indigenization, which predated the formal missionary presence, fundamentally shaped the character of Korean Christianity.

Following the 1882 Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States, Protestant missionaries were officially permitted to enter Korea.² Their work extended far beyond mere evangelism; they established schools and hospitals that provided modern education and medical care, which were inaccessible to most of the population under the traditional system.³

Pioneers such as Dr. Horace G. Underwood, who published the first Korean-English dictionary, and medical professionals like Dr. Horace Allen and Dr. O.R. Avison, who founded the Gwanghyewon hospital (the forerunner to Yonsei University), provided a comprehensive solution to Korea’s plight.³

Christianity thus became a vehicle not only for spiritual renewal but also for social and intellectual reform, appealing to middle-class elites who sought a path to modernity for their sons.³

The success of the Christian faith in this period can be attributed to its ability to fill a pre-existing spiritual and social void by offering both hope for the future and tangible, pragmatic benefits in the present.

2. The Genesis in Wonsan: The Spark of 1903

The first documented “spark” of the great Korean revival movement was ignited in the city of Wonsan in 1903.⁵ This event occurred at a time of immense national hardship, marked by wars and famines in the central part of the country.⁵

While some historical interpretations have treated the Wonsan revival as a separate, more “general” event in contrast to the monumental 1907 Pyongyang revival, a more nuanced scholarly view posits that the two were “one continual great revival” that began in Wonsan and culminated in Pyongyang.⁷

The influence of the Wonsan movement was significant and widespread, impacting various people and places across the Korean peninsula.⁷

The revival was initiated by two key figures, the Methodist missionary Robert A. Hardie and Arthur G. Welbon.⁵ Hardie’s role, in particular, has been historically undervalued and forgotten by many scholars.⁷

However, historical records indicate he was instrumental in the inception of the movement and its subsequent development, playing a seminal role in establishing the Methodist mission in Korea and contributing significantly to theological education and Christian publishing in the post-revival era.⁷

The Wonsan Revival was defined by a number of powerful spiritual characteristics, chief among them being an intense “spirituality of prayer” and a deep focus on repentance.⁹ Believers were deeply moved, praying with tears and engaging in ceaseless works of contrition and repentance, often praying “all night long”.⁹

One of the most notable manifestations of this repentant spirit was the practice of “conscience money”.⁸ This involved the repayment of money to an owner who had been wronged or, if the owner could not be found, the offering of the money to the church.⁸

This practice, analogous to the concept of a trespass offering described in Leviticus 6:4-6, provided a tangible, real-world expression of a spiritual conviction, binding the sacred and the secular in a profound act of restitution.⁸

The genesis of this spiritual awakening was not a random, spontaneous occurrence. It was the result of a deliberate and intentional prayer movement.⁹ In late 1906, Korean Christians began to receive reports about the Welsh Revival (1904–1905) and the Khasi Hills Revival in India (1905–1906).⁶

These reports significantly increased the desire for a similar spiritual outpouring among both missionaries and Korean believers, leading them to a renewed “commitment to extraordinary prayer” specifically for a revival.¹⁰

The Wonsan revival, therefore, can be viewed as the first fruit of this specific, concerted prayer effort, placing it within a broader network of global evangelical movements and demonstrating that it was a conscious spiritual aspiration in addition to being a reaction to national crisis.

3. From Spark to Wildfire: The Expansion and Culmination in Pyongyang

The spiritual fire that began in Wonsan did not remain confined to one city. The movement “soon expanded to the Presbyterians in 1906” and the embers from Wonsan became the strong prayer and Holy Spirit movement that led to the great revival in Pyongyang in 1907.⁵

This continuity is further underscored by the fact that Robert A. Hardie, the Methodist missionary who had been instrumental in the Wonsan revival, was also an “inspiration for the movement” in Pyongyang.⁶ However, the defining characteristic of this new phase was a profound and permanent shift in leadership.

While missionaries were crucial in the initial phases, the climax of the movement in Pyongyang was driven by a Korean pastor, Kil Sŏn-chu (also spelled Gil Seon-ju).⁵ This transition from foreign missionary guidance to indigenous Korean leadership marked a definitive turning point in the history of Korean Christianity.

Kil Sŏn-chu was one of the first Korean Protestants to be ordained as a Presbyterian minister.⁶ He had come to the faith not through a missionary but through a Christian friend, having a profound personal conversion experience where he heard a mysterious voice while praying.¹¹

His leadership fundamentally transformed the nature of Korean Christianity from a foreign-led movement to a truly self-sustaining, indigenous faith. This empowerment fostered a sense of ownership, allowing Korean believers to be perceived as “co-workers for the gospel” rather than merely as passive recipients of paternalistic guidance.⁵

The catalyst for the explosion of revival fervor in Pyongyang was an act of profound humility and public repentance by Kil Sŏn-chu. In January 1907, during a Bible conference attended by approximately 1,500 Korean men, Kil Sŏn-chu came forward and publicly confessed his personal sin of stealing 100.⁶

He compared his sin to that of Achan, believing it was “blocking the Lord’s blessing”.¹⁰ This powerful act of public confession triggered a wave of similar repentance among the conference attendees, with hundreds of men following his example by weeping, confessing their own sins, and throwing themselves on the floor in “agony of conviction”.⁶

The meeting, characterized by this spontaneous outpouring of repentance, went on until the early hours of the morning.⁹

This defining moment gave rise to several spiritual practices that became cornerstones of Korean Protestantism. The event on Monday night, January 14, saw the introduction of praying aloud in unison, a practice that became a “characteristic feature” of Korean church spirituality.⁹

The revival also led to the widespread adoption of all-night prayer and early morning prayer (as early as 5 a.m.) as typical practices for Korean believers.⁶ The empowerment that came with the shift to Korean leadership created a self-propagating faith that could grow and thrive independently of foreign guidance, laying the groundwork for its subsequent explosive expansion.

4. The Legacy of Revivalism: An Indigenous Faith and a National Identity

The Wonsan and Pyongyang revivals were far more than fleeting religious events; they were powerful forces that catalyzed profound and lasting transformations in Korean society and politics. The revival movement began to break down the rigid class and gender boundaries of the centuries-old Confucian social hierarchy.⁵

Christianity’s appeal to the lower classes and its challenge to traditional social norms began to blur the lines of social distinction within the church community.²

Perhaps the most significant long-term impact was the inextricable link that was forged between Christian identity and Korean nationalism. As the Japanese Empire began its absorption of the Korean peninsula, culminating in formal annexation in 1910, it attempted to impose its State Shinto religion and mandated that all Koreans participate in Shinto rituals.¹

This persecution and the fabrication of charges against Korean Christians in the 1910 Conspiracy Case fueled anti-Japanese sentiment and solidified Christianity’s role as a symbol of national identity and anti-colonial resistance.²

The spiritual energy and organizational structure fostered by the revivals were directly channelled into the fight for national independence. Christians, who were galvanized and mobilized by the revival, played a “disproportionately large role” in the leadership and population of the March First Independence Movement of 1919.²

The direct causal link between the revival and this political movement is exemplified by the fact that Kil Sŏn-chu, the Korean leader of the Pyongyang Revival, was also a “key leader” in the independence movement.⁵ The revivals, by unifying a community around a shared spiritual identity and purpose, provided the institutional framework for this organized resistance.

The revivals also spurred an extraordinary and unprecedented period of growth for the Korean Christian church, transforming it into a powerful, self-propagating institution. The statistical evidence of this growth is compelling and reveals the explosive nature of the movement.

Table: Statistical Growth of the Korean Protestant Church (1905-1912)

Year	Event/Group	Number of Believers	Source
1905	Baptized Protestants	9,000	2
Mar 1907	Converts (post-revival)	2,000	10
Jul 1907	Converts (post-revival)	30,000	10
1911	Korean believers	200,000	10
1912	Korean believers	300,000	10

The numbers above demonstrate the remarkable speed at which the Korean Christian community grew in the immediate aftermath of the revivals. The fact that the number of believers increased by an order of magnitude in a span of a few years attests to the deep societal penetration and spiritual power of the movement.¹⁰ This statistical evidence provides a tangible measure of the revival’s profound effect, moving the analysis beyond a qualitative description to a quantitative demonstration of its historical impact.

5. The Enduring Impact and Global Influence

The Wonsan and Pyongyang revivals continue to be the source of a spiritual legacy that defines much of modern Korean Protestantism. The unique spiritual practices forged during this period, such as early morning prayer and all-night prayer, have become foundational pillars of the Korean church.⁶

This devotional fervor is often cited as a key factor in the development of modern Korean megachurches and the church’s strong “this-worldly focus” on material prosperity and success.²

Perhaps the most profound and far-reaching long-term impact of the revivals is the transformation of Korea from a recipient of foreign missions into one of the world’s most prolific missionary-sending nations. The missional zeal and self-propagating nature of the post-revival church created a dynamic, outward-looking faith.¹⁰

This historical transformation is evidenced by the fact that today, Seoul is home to some of the world’s largest churches, and Koreans have sent over 10,000 missionaries abroad, a direct fulfilment of the evangelical impulse born out of the revivals.¹⁰

The Wonsan and Pyongyang revivals not only established the Christian faith in Korea but also fundamentally changed the global landscape of missions by transforming Korea from a passive mission field into a dynamic, active agent in the global spread of the Gospel.

Conclusion: A Pivot Point in Korean History

The 1903 Wonsan Revival, in concert with its culmination in Pyongyang, represents a foundational pivot point in modern Korean history. The movement began as a local spiritual awakening, but its genius lay in its ability to adapt and be fully indigenized under the leadership of Korean pastors like Kil Sŏn-chu.

This shift transformed Korean Christianity into a self-sustaining and self-governing force, no longer dependent on foreign guidance.

The revivals served as a catalyst for a chain of social, political, and cultural transformations. They provided a new social structure that challenged traditional class and gender boundaries, and they offered a unified, institutionalized identity for Koreans to rally behind in the face of Japanese colonial oppression.

The spiritual energy and organizational coherence fostered by the revival were not merely a religious phenomenon but the very engine that powered the anti-colonial resistance, as evidenced by the Christian community’s prominent role in the 1919 independence movement.

Ultimately, the Wonsan Revival of 1903 was the initial spark that led to the development of a resilient, indigenous, and globally influential Christian faith. It was a religious event that transcended the spiritual realm to become a profound force for social and political change, a legacy that continues to define the national identity and global role of the Korean church to this day.

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