Together they gained a valuable insight into the international church and wider cultural climate, having heard first-hand about people’s experiences, challenges and aspirations.
The Principal was accompanied by two members of Wycliffe’s External Relations team – one of whom is a bilingual Korean speaker with local knowledge and contacts.
They engaged with audiences both Christian and non-Christian, including young people, industry professionals, students and church congregations.
Topics of interest were wide ranging: from the problem of evil and other aspects of theology to Artificial Intelligence, colonialism, church leadership, and loneliness and isolation.
There were also many conversations and questions relating to the decline of the church in the UK and in South Korea – and what we might learn from each other.
Korea has many denominations and although Christianity has been historically important, it has in recent years experienced a decline similar to that in the UK. Today, only around 3% of South Korean University students would identify themselves as Christian.
Aided by a translator, the Principal, Revd Dr Michael Lloyd, gave talks on 'Goodness gone wrong, and Goodness putting right' and on why the church has not been engaging in the UK and how it might start doing so.
He was also interviewed by a national newspaper discussing Wycliffe Hall, its commitment to the Arts and cultural enrichment, and the Church in the UK.
Reflecting on the visit, Michael Lloyd says:
“The hospitality of our hosts was amazing. It was an opportunity to learn something of Korean history and its wonderful culture, something of the prayerfulness and vitality of the Korean Church and its service of the community, as well as the similar challenges it faces and how we might help each other face those challenges creatively and in such a way as to shift the dial of our respective societies.”