WRF Board Member Dr. Jong Yun Lee announces the creation of two major and exciting organizations. 

The names and descriptions of the organizations are listed below.We urge all WRF members to pray for the Lord’s blessing on these organizations.Anyone who wishes more information about these organizations may contact Dr. Lee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Academia Christiana of Korea An academic foundation which was formed in 1988 by a few theologians who recognized that the Republic of Korea’s National Academy of Sciences did not include a theology division within their organization. The foundation was formed with the mission to support the development of Korean theological studies as well as to contribute to the overall health of the Korean church.Its members include theologians with the highest degrees in Theology and/or professors of Theology who are nominated by two current members of the Academia.

Nominees are evaluated by a committee, then officially invited to join upon successful evaluation. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, and is supported by the Korean church, through their prayers as well as financial support. The Academia is the owner of land property in the suburbs of Seoul of about 300 acres, and operates with a base fund of approximately 10 million dollars. The foundation’s core projects include the biannual open theological seminar as well as the publication of an annual theological journal. The foundation also presents the annual Christian Scholastic Award to theological scholars as well as those in other academic fields who have demonstrated excellence by endeavoring to contribute to the Christian faith. The Academia also founded Ulaan-baatar University in Mongolia, through which mission work is being done. Dr. Lee was inaugurated as Director of the foundation last January.Korea Refo 500    75% of South Korea’s Christian population is Presbyterian, i.e. followers of the Reformed faith and Reformed theology. However, and unfortunately, the Korean Presbyterian church is split into over 250 different denominations.

The Council of Presbyterian Churches in Korea has called for the unification of the Korean Presbyterian church, even with its multifarious structures, and has been praying for a reformation in which the Korean Presbyterian church would unite as one. Koreans call it one Presbyterian Church (denomination) with different systems, much like the federal vs. state government structure of the United States of America. The core source of contention amongst the 250 denominations lies in the theology. As most WRF members probably know,  the contentions between the radical progressive, liberal theology and conservative, evangelical theology are severe. After a long period of prayer, the Korea Presbyterian Theological Society was formed in 2001, through which Korea’s theologians gathered on a monthly basis to engage in in-depth theological discussions.   It was eventually concluded that the only answer to recovering the Korean Presbyterian church’s identity would be a return to Reformed theology.

To do so, the Academia Christiana of Korea brought together about 2,000 members from 7 of the most representative theological societies (Korea Society of Christian Studies, Korea Evangelical Theological Society, Korea Luther Society, Korea Calvin Society, Korea Wesley Society, Korea Reformed Theological Society, Korea Presbyterian Theological Society) and formed Korea Refo 500. Korea Refo 500 has set its goal to recover, by 2017 (the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation), the Reformed theology that has been lost in the Korean Presbyterian church, and to that end, has translated and published approximately 100 publications related to Reformed theology from various languages into Korean. Such efforts involved the participation of numerous Korean theologians whose purpose has been to rediscover Reformed theology; the work of which is shared through their published works. Twice a year, Korea Refo 500 also hosts a seminar in which Reformed theology is brought alongside current issues in politics, economics, culture, society and education. Various theologians share their findings through this seminar.

Korea Refo 500 has also set its roadmap to host an international theological conference in 2015, through which Reformed theology can be further expanded on a global scale, influencing churches around the world. Korea Refo 500 firmly believes that rediscovering and expanding Reformed theology, not only amongst Korean churches, but internationally, will contribute to bringing a revival to the world’s churches. Dr. Lee adds this personal note:Personally, I wish to see Evangelical theology separated from Reformed theology. I am deeply concerned by the trends in which un-biblical theories of church growth are spreading throughout Korean churches. This is why I value the work of the WRF so much. I am deeply proud of, and greatly respect those members of the WRF who tirelessly dedicate themselves to Reformed theology.