This study explores and analyzes conversion to Evangelical Christianity among Indonesian and Iranian Muslims living in South Korea. The large influx of foreigners coming into Korea has been one of the prominent features of Korean society since the early 1990s. A large proportion of the immigrants are Muslims who come from Islamic states or Muslim-majority countries. Under these new circumstances, Korea gradually has become spiritual war field between Islam and Christianity. In this context, some Muslims have converted to Evangelical Christianity while living in Korea. Why do Muslims in Korea convert to Christianity, even though this puts their lives at risk? To answer this question, this study explored the conversion of 11 Indonesian Muslims and 21 Iranian Muslims to Evangelical Christianity in South Korea and analyzed the factors of their conversions from socio-cultural, doctrinal, and experiential perspectives in order to better understand these two groups of Muslims in Korea.
The primary method for the research was grounded theory, a qualitative research method designed to aid in the systematic collection and analysis of data and building of theories. The researcher conducted interviews with the 32 converts and translated all the interviews into English. The 471-page manuscript of the transcripts was the primary sources of analysis; information from pastors and missionaries who knew the individual converts was also referenced.
This study found that Indonesian and Iranian Muslims in Korea began to attend church in order to resolve their suffering, difficult lives in Korea, and problems in international marriages. After attending one or more Christian churches, these Muslims who were embedded in Muslim culture evaluated the Christian culture through the lenses of their own cultures and traditions, and decided to convert to Christianity. Indonesian Muslims accepted Jesus through an intuitive inner feeling (in Indonesian, rasa), and some considered accepting the new faith because of practical help it offered in their daily lives. In contrast, Iranian Muslims turned to the Christian faith through their traditional truth seeking (in Iranian, Haq ju), and some changed their religious position after supernatural experiences.
This study proposes that conversion of Indonesian and Iranian Muslims to Evangelical Christianity in Korea have particular pattern of process: context, encounter, evaluation, and transformation, according to their culture and tradition. Indonesian converts have intuitive approach to Christianity, and turn to Christian faith through affective conviction of the gospel. While Iranian converts have rational approach to Christian faith and accept the gospel through their evaluation of Christian truth.
In this critical time of international migration, these findings about Muslim conversions will contribute to bring the gospel to Muslims who live in Korea with a deeper understanding of the potential converts and also offers missiological direction to world Christian communities. The study recommends tracing the converts’ lives after their return to their home-lands.