Yonsei University - Christianity

Christianity

Yonsei University is a school founded on Christian principles and purporting to "produce Christian leaders with the spirits of freedom and truth". The Christian character of the university is also well illustrated by its history as a school originally founded by American Protestant missionaries and by its school motto from the bible, "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32). As of 2007, the Board of Directors of Yonsei University should include a member from 4 Korean Christian organizations, The Presbyterian Church of Korea (대한예수교장로회), the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (한국기독교장로회), the Korean Methodist Church (기독교대한감리회), and the Anglican Church of Korea (대한성공회). In Korea and Japan, Christian schools founded by Christian organizations or individuals, especially by Western missionaries, such as Yonsei University, are commonly called mission schools.

The conflict between a school's founding ideology and a student's freedom of religion has been a controversy in South Korean society for some time. As of 2009, a student does not have to be an active Christian to be admitted to Yonsei University. However, he or she is required to attend weekly chapel hours which consist of sermons and public prayers, similar to other mission schools in South Korea such as Ewha Woman's University, Seoul Women's University, Soongsil University, and Hannam University. As of 2004, a student of Yonsei University is required to attend weekly chapel hours for 4 semesters and take one Christianity-related class in order to graduate. These requirements are enforced strictly by attendance checks and other means.

Yonsei University recently entered an agreement with The United Methodist Church, in which the university will serve as the regional office for the Methodist Global Education Fund for Leadership Development.