_WORLD WATCH______________________________
______________South Korea_________________

New Age movement gaining strength
Bishops see a danger to faith

The Ki movement, which is attracting many Christians, mostly Catholics in Korea, as a means of health promotion, is going beyond this dimension and entering the religious realm and this is a matter of concern for the local Church, according to South Korea’s bishops’ conference.

In January Bishop Peter Kang, an auxiliary of Seoul, sent an official memorandum to all clergy and religious of the archdiocese warning about the ambiguity and danger of Ki culture, which is part of the New Age Movement, in fashion in Korea and other countries. Bishop Kang expressed concern, first of all, about Catholics, even clergy and religious, who go to Ki Centers, and he underlines the need for discernment: “When Ki formation touches the religious realm, going beyond its dimension which is health promotion, it becomes dangerous.” He added, “If they use Ki training as a means of improving health then I have nothing to say. But if they insist that people can reach salvation by themselves, this is a serious mistake.”

Ki culture was first seen in Korea in the 1980s. The Ki movement insists that human beings can become absolute by a mysterious art and that salvation can be reached through personal spiritual exercises.