Senior Pastor Kim Ki-dong of Seongnak Church Passes Away at Age 85

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] Kim Kidong, the senior pastor of Seongnak Church who was designated as a heretic by major domestic denominations for his 'Berean Ghost Theory,' passed away at 7 p.m. on the 22nd, the Seongnak Church Funeral Committee announced on the 24th. He was 85 years old.

According to the Funeral Committee, the funeral parlor has been set up at the Shinchon Severance Hospital Funeral Hall (Special Room 1). The funeral will be held as a church funeral of Seongnak Church.

The farewell service will be held at 9:30 a.m. on the 25th at the Seongnak Church Christian World Mission Center Grand Sanctuary. Pastor Oh Gwansuk, honorary chairman of the Korea Christian Federation and senior pastor of Haneul Vision Church, will deliver the sermon.

The deceased was born in 1938 in Seosan, Chungnam, and grew up in Yesan. After joining Yesan Methodist Church in 1957, he began his ministry at Bibong Methodist Church in 1963, was ordained as a pastor in 1966, and founded Seongnak Church in 1969.

He advocated the 'Ghost Theory,' which claims that unbelievers become ghosts after death. In 1987, after being declared heretical by the Christian Korean Baptist Church, his affiliated denomination, he withdrew from the denomination, founded the Christian Southern Baptist denomination, and established a seminary.

He served as chairman of the Berea Academy Foundation, president of Berea International Graduate University, honorary trustee of Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford in the UK, distinguished professor of the 'Dr. Kim Kidong Church Growth Chair' at SBU in the United States, chairman of the Wolsan Foundation, vice chairman of the Korea Essayists Association, and general chairman of the Southern Baptist Christian Union, Christian Berea Union, and World Berea Christian Union.

He was also active as an essayist and poet. In addition to over 260 Berean publications during his lifetime, he left numerous poetry and essay collections. Since his debut in 1997, he received awards including the Korea Literature and Arts Award (Essay category), Korea Essay Literature Award, Korea Literature Centennial Award, Sowol Literature Award main prize, as well as the Korea Daily Grand Prix for Religion (World Mission category), and the Proud Korean Award for Contributions to Christian Development.

Survived by his wife Kang Soon, his son Pastor Kim Sunghyun, and daughter-in-law Pastor Choi Eulsook. The burial site is Berea Academy House in Sambong-ri, Joan-myeon, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.