In search of full salvation: The fourfold gospel and the Korea Holiness Church in relation to the American holiness movement

This study reconsiders the theology of the "fourfold gospel" in the historiography of the Korea Holiness Church (KHC) in relation to American holiness movements. The KHC, the third largest Protestant body in Korea, is challenged by the task to define its theological identity before its centennial celebration in 2007. This dissertation shows that the KHC originated as an evangelical holiness movement through indigenous work and the American holiness mission. From its inception, the KHC believed that its primary task was not only to promote "scriptural holiness," as John Wesley and primitive Methodism had preached, but also to preach the "full gospel" (later, the "fourfold gospel" became the terminology), which may be summarized as regeneration, sanctification, divine healing, and the premillennial second coming of Christ.;This dissertation argues that the theological foundation of the KHC can be best understood by analyzing the fourfold gospel in the history of the KHC and its internationally connected holiness movements. The theme of the "fourfold gospel" was one of the most pervasive theological streams among the nineteenth century American evangelical Protestants. This theme influenced the theological formation of the KHC. In recent years, it has become the most debatable aspect in the KHC's historiography.;Following the introductory chapter, chapter 2 discusses an alternative paradigm to interpret the evangelical movement and depicts the formation of the fourfold gospel by A. B. Simpson, who coined the term. Chapter 3 addresses how the full gospel was formed in search of "full salvation" (Wesley's term for "Christian perfection"). Then it deals with "full salvation," further developed by Martin Knapp and Seth Rees, the founders of the International Apostolic Holiness Union (now the Wesleyan Church). Chapter 4 covers a "full gospel" preached by Charles and Lettie Cowman, Ernest Kilbourne, Juji Nakada, and Tetsusaburo Sasao---all founders of the Oriental Missionary Society (now OMS International). Finally, chapter 5 identifies the theme of the fourfold gospel as the original vision of the pioneers of the KHC, Bin Chung and Sang-Jun Kim. It clarifies the terminology and argues that this theme should serve as a corrective to interpret the KHC's history.