I'm sure you know about the background and purpose of starting BTS at SWMThe BTS course was taught to CPs from different socio-cultural backgrounds in Turkuye. How was it teaching them since their culture is different from the culture here?

I understand that within Turkey, there are workers from various ethnic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. There were brothers from Iran and Africa, showing the diversity present even within Turkey. However, as someone with a Korean background, this was an opportunity for me to experience more deeply the similarities and differences between Koreans and Turks.

Although Korea and Turkey have different cultures, they are both part of the Asian continent and share languages of the Altaic language family. Because of this, there was a generally very friendly and familiar atmosphere towards Koreans or Korean people.

Therefore, from the very first impression, I felt a sense of friendliness and anticipation. Although it was a short time, just as there is a sense of affection (Jeong) in Korean culture, I could feel a similar atmosphere with them.

One aspect that was somewhat different from Korean culture was that these people, while very serious, were also very proactive and sincere in expressing their opinions and asking questions. This seemed to be in contrast to the more reserved nature of Korean culture.

The subject you taught this time was Church History. What was your special emphasis in this subject?

My class covered not just church history but also the history of missions. Therefore, the emphasis was on showing how the Gospel had been spread and how Christianity had expanded over time.

Another focus was on approaching church history from the perspective of what is called World Christianity. This perspective highlights that Christianity was not simply a religion transmitted by Westerners or Western missionaries; rather, from the early stages of Christian history, it began in Asia and spread to all regions, including Europe and Africa, taking root in these areas.

Thus, the class covered various church traditions and their contributions to missions and theology. Particularly, since the students had Asian backgrounds and the region of Turkey played a significant role in early church history and Asian church history, the students showed a positive response by gaining a broader and deeper understanding of church history through learning about Eastern church traditions. This was very gratifying, and I believe we achieved our intended goals.

Do you remember anything in particular about teaching your students?

The students actively interacted with the class, and their responses, particularly the insightful and sharp questions, were impressive.

For example, while discussing the traditions of Eastern Christianity, I explained the missions of the so-called Nestorian Church. I mentioned that the name "Nestorian" is actually a misnomer for this Eastern Church (specifically, the Church of the East), and that it is quite uncomfortable with this label. This church existed long before Nestorius, who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries. However, Nestorius was condemned as a heretic at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, and has been labeled a heretic ever since. Scholars now recognize that this council's decision was fraught with errors and misunderstandings, and even the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of the East reconciled over this misunderstanding during the time of Pope John Paul II.

The Church of the East, which has no relation to Nestorius, was a significant Christian tradition that carried out extensive missionary work across the vast Asian continent before the Catholic and Protestant missions of the 16th century. Despite its importance in mission history, it has been under-researched and misunderstood due to historical misconceptions, which is quite regrettable.

Some students asked questions about this topic, and I was grateful that they listened attentively to my explanations and expressed a willingness to reflect on their previously held biases.

When discussing the mission history of the Asian continent, excluding or ignoring the tradition of this ancient Church of the East would result in a serious imbalance and omission. Additionally, Turkey is a region rich with the historical sites of this Church of the East.

One of the students in the class was from a region where the Church of the East had trained and dispatched missionaries, and he reacted very positively, even inviting me to visit the area. Inspired by this response, I am eager to visit that region the next time I am in Turkey.

Were there any challenges you faced?

There were no particularly serious issues.

However, during the final exam process, I was somewhat surprised to see that the questions, which I thought would be straightforward and easy if the students had understood the lecture content well, turned out to be quite challenging for the students. This reaction made me realize that perhaps I had underestimated the local students' familiarity with the exam culture, thinking it would be similar to the Korean context. Although some students achieved good results, I think it would have been better if I had understood the local students' academic levels and situations beforehand.

Another point is that I had assigned pre-class reading tasks to the students through the syllabus, expecting them to complete these readings before class. However, some students seemed unaware of this requirement, which was puzzling. Whether this was a communication issue or simply student negligence, I am unsure, but I hope this aspect can be better communicated and prepared in the future.

One of the inherent difficulties of this class seems to be the language barrier. Moreover, while there are many reading materials and textbooks available in English, there are not many translated into Turkish. This adds the additional burden of translation, making it structurally challenging to prepare for the class and access teaching materials in the local language.

These days, it has become easy to translate using advanced AI and translation tools, such as ChatGPT and Google Translator. It seems that some materials were translated from English to Turkish using these tools. However, there were instances where local students pointed out that the translations were incorrect due to unclear meanings or mistranslations. In the future, even if translations are done using translation tools, it is necessary to ensure that they are verified by native speakers to confirm their accuracy.

What is the teaching style like at BTS

The teaching method was good. The equipment for interpretation, sound, and video recording was well-prepared, and everything proceeded smoothly without major technical issues.

I was especially grateful and impressed by the efforts and excellence of the sister who provided the interpretation.

What do you think should be kept in mind in the future to ensure that the BTS curriculum is tailored specifically for Turkic and Muslim students?

As mentioned earlier, it would be better if the reading materials were translated in advance, allowing sufficient time and preparation for the students to read them thoroughly. While there are many theological texts available in English, finding and securing them in the local language is not easy. However, if this challenge is overcome, it could lead to more effective learning.

From 2025, the second BTS course will be conducted for three years. If you have any advice or suggestions regarding the BTS course, please share them, and it would be appreciated if you could give a blessing to the students.

In particular, I think Turkey is very important geopolitically and strategically significant for missions. Turkey is historically significant with key events, regions, and figures from world civilization history, the Old and New Testaments, early church history, and medieval church history, making the entire country feel like a museum.

Additionally, Turkey is home to many refugees, including Kurds, and those from Syria, Egypt, and Iran. This course, specially designed for those working for the refugees, was therefore a meaningful and precious opportunity.

These days, there are many instances of the gospel being spread through refugees and the diaspora, making it feel necessary to prepare more comprehensive lectures on this topic. Field workers are likely to feel the need for and have more examples of this.

Historically, missions in the Asian region began with the churches in Turkey, which carried the gospel across Asia along the Silk Road. I hope this seminar opens the students' eyes to this historical perspective, helps them discern God's will for their lives, and serves as a valuable training ground for their preparation. I love and bless you all.