ABSTRACT
In Chapter 2, I depict the beginning of Korean Protestantism. I first examine the earliest missionary endeavors to propagate Christianity to the Kingdom of Joeson and assess why they failed. Then I deal with the birth of the first Korean converts in Manchuria, Korea proper, and Japan in the late nineteenth century. Focus is placed on the translation and distribution of the first Korean Scriptures, and their meaning and impact on the early Protestant communities. It is noteworthy that the earliest Protestant communities were created by the voluntary evangelistic efforts of Korean converts. The chapter ends with how and why the Korean government opened its doors to the West and allowed western missionaries to come in.
