The “Commission on Faith and Order of Korean Churches” was established and held its first General Assembly on May 22, 2014.

The Korean churches established this Commission in order to enhance the ecumenical movement and to collaborate together for social evangelization in Korea.

The Korean churches have continued to make efforts in the ecumenical movement, with the publication of the Common Translation Bible, the joint organization of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and the Forum for Christian Unity in Korea. In 2002, they organized the Conference of Christian Unity of Korea in order to enhance the ecumenical movement. In answer to the increasing calls for its revitalization, in 2012 the representatives of the Korean churches agreed to reorganize the ‘Conference of Christian Unity of Korea’ into the ‘Commission on Faith and Order of Korean Churches’. Since then, they have built the foundations for its establishment.

The 11 member churches of this newly reformed Commission are: the Catholic Church in Korea, the Orthodox Church in Korea, the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), the Presbyterian Church of Korea, General Assembly of Presbyterian Church, the Korean Methodist Church, the Anglican Church of Korea, the Salvation Army of Korea Territory, Korea Evangelical Church, the Korea Assemblies of God, and the Lutheran Church of Korea. Among them, the Catholic Church in Korea and the NCCK will function all the details as the working group.

The Commission on Faith and Order of Korean Churches will play a pivotal role in sharing the common heritage of faith and discussing missionary tasks. The Commission will contribute to social evangelization in Korea, strengthening the movement of Christian unity by concrete actions, such as ‘Getting acquainted with each other’, ‘Studying together’, ‘Acting together’, and ‘Praying together’.

It is very significant for the future history of Christianity in Korea that the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Protestants lay together the groundwork for promoting their unity and for enhancing the missionary collaboration by means of this official organization. This is the first cooperation since the Gospel was introduced in Korea.