Editing Providence (religious movement) (section)

== Theology ==
Jung Myung Seok set up Providence in 1980 as a breakaway sect from the UC.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.france24.com/en/20181122-mission-god-south-koreas-many-cults | title=On a mission from God: South Korea's many cults | date=November 22, 2018 | access-date=September 29, 2020 | archive-date=November 8, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108114908/https://www.france24.com/en/20181122-mission-god-south-koreas-many-cults | url-status=live }}</ref> Providence's core teaching are found in a series of unpublished [[precept]]s called the ''30 Lessons'',{{efn|name="lesson-levels"}} which bear considerable resemblance to the ''"[[Divine Principle]]"'' of the Unification movement,<ref name="luca" /><ref name="kyodo" />{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007b|}}<ref name="hyundae_jongyo7" /><ref name="sim_chaeng-seop1997" /> which are partly inspired by teachings of {{ill|Kim Baek-moon|ko|김백문}}, including his book ''The Fundamental Principles of Christianity'' (基督教根本原理 drafted March 2, 1946, published March 2, 1958).<ref name="kkg">{{Cite web |date=2021-09-10 |title=김백문의 기독교근본원리 연재 1 – 국역 서론 |url=http://www.kportalnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=20749 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=기독교포털뉴스 |language=ko}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=교회와신앙 |url=http://www.amennews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=8687 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=www.amennews.com| date=July 7, 2008 }}</ref><ref>[https://iss.ndl.go.jp/books/R100000002-I000001449787-00 "淫教のメシア・文鮮明伝" 萩原遼編]</ref> According to Tahk Myeong-hwan, nine of the 30 lessons exhibit a "considerable level of resemblance" with the ''Divine Principle''.{{sfnp|Sakurai|2006|p=143–144|ps= : "{{Nihongo2|研究家、卓明煥『キリスト教異端研究』(1986)によれば..14,17,19,20,26,27,28,29,30 の各章に統一教会の『原理講論』と相当程度の類似がある.}}(According to Tahk Myeong-hwan, ''Study of Christian cults'' (1986)..  chapters 14, 17, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 contain considerable levels of similarity with the UC's "The Divine Principle")}}<ref>{{Harvnb|Tahk|1986|loc=기독교 이단 연구 [Study on Christian cults]}}</ref> The lessons are based on a [[numerology|numerological]] interpretation which identifies the sect's leader as the Second Coming of Christ.<ref name="cheung-southchinamorningpost">{{cite news
| author       = Cheung Chi-fai
| url          = https://www.scmp.com/article/423407/wanted-cult-leader-may-be-repatriated-south-korea
| title        = Wanted cult leader may be repatriated to South Korea
| work         = South China Morning Post
| date         = July 31, 2003
| access-date   = March 1, 2014
| quote        = Mr Jung founded the so-called Ae-Chun Church in 1980 and it became affiliated with the Methodist Church. The church was later expelled from the Christian body and he changed its name to the International Christian Association. Mr Jung also wrote the '30 lessons', which criticise Christian teachings and beliefs and end with his adopting the role of Jesus Christ at the second coming.
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140308033810/http://www.scmp.com/article/423407/wanted-cult-leader-may-be-repatriated-south-korea
| archive-date = March 8, 2014
| url-status= live
| df= mdy-all
}}</ref><ref name="Theological-critique">{{cite news
| last= Chong
| first = Sin-dae ({{lang|ko-Hang|총신대 }}) |url=http://www.kportalnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=13006 |script-title=ko:정명석에 대한 신학적 비판 |language=ko |trans-title=Theological critique of Jeongmyeongseok |work = Cult Research Committee |publisher = Christian Portal News |date = July 4, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316092909/http://www.kportalnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=13006 |archive-date = March 16, 2015 |access-date = August 24, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="Tahk 1986 120">{{Harvnb|Tahk|1986|p=120}}</ref>

One lesson implies that those who do not "meet" him will not go to Heaven; another that any who betray him are committing a grave crime.{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007c|p=4|ps= : Lessons 20 and 22}} During the instruction of the advanced level{{efn|name=lesson-levels}} of the ''30 Lessons'', it is taught that Jung is the [[Messiah]], proven through the numerological interpretation of prophesied dates and times in the book of Daniel,{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007c|p=7|ps=: :"{{Nihongo2|2.4 再臨主の弁証 - ...688 ＋ 1290(ダニエル書12:11,日を年に換算)= 1978 年。第二イスラエル民族の霊的開放。鄭明析が伝道を開始した。だから，鄭明析こそ，再臨のメシアに他ならないという.}}(2.4 Proof of Messiah... 688 + 1290 ([[Book of Daniel|Daniel]] 12:11, days converted to years) = Year 1978. The spirial emancipation of the Second Israelites. Jung Myung-seok initiated its evangelism. Therefore, Jung Myung-seok can be none other than the Second Coming of the Savior, so they say."}} although more recent statements from a representative seems to contradict this claim.<ref name=":0">{{cite web
| last         = Tozer
| first        = Joel
| url          = https://www.scribd.com/doc/217192865/Extracts-of-Correspondence-With-Providence-Representative-in-South-Korea
| title        = Extracts of Correspondence With Providence Representative in South Korea
| publisher    = Scribd.com
| date         = April 9, 2014
| access-date   = August 31, 2015
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150831134650/http://www.scribd.com/doc/217192865/Extracts-of-Correspondence-With-Providence-Representative-in-South-Korea
| archive-date = August 31, 2015
| url-status     = live
| df           = mdy-all
}}</ref>

Like the UC, Providence preaches the advent of the "Complete Testament Era" ({{Hanja|成約時代}}). Providence furthermore allegorize the relationship between God and man to that between the groom and bride, or two lovers.{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007c|pp=5–6}} While both UC and Providence teach that [[original sin]] was caused by Eve's intercourse with the fallen angel, who turned into [[Satan]]. Providence teaches this can be redeemed by having sex with Jung Myung-seok.{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007a|p=140}}{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007c|pp=5–6}}{{Refn|name="jo_geong-suk"|Also stated by Jo Gyeong-suk, former head of the Seoul Branch of Providence, and allegedly a victim herself.<ref name="Christian-times-mushrooms" /><ref name="newsnjoy-jeong-naked" />}} Jung was found to have forced female followers to have sex with him "as a religious behaviour meant to save their souls" in the Korean Court of Law.{{efn|[[Supreme Court of Korea]] civil suit ruling, January 2008}}<ref name="yonhap2008" /> Former members have stated or testified that young and attractive women were presented to Jung as "sexual gifts", with whom he coercively engaged in sexual acts, which was explained to them as a [[Ritual purification|purification rite]].{{efn|[[Seoul Central District Court]], criminal trial, 2008. And statements reported in media, 2007.}}<ref name="kang-koreatimes">{{cite news
| last        = Kang
| first       = Shin-who
| url         = https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/05/117_2823.html
| title       = Suspect of Cult Founder Arrested in China
| work        = [[The Korea Times]]
| date        = May 13, 2007
| access-date  = February 27, 2008
| url-status  = live
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070913080827/http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/05/117_2823.html
| archive-date = September 13, 2007
}}</ref><ref name="reuters1">{{cite news
| last         = Herskovitz
| first        = Jon
| url          = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-korea-sect-idUSSEO9345720080812
| title        = South Korean religious sect leader jailed for rape
| work       = Reuters
| date         = August 12, 2008
| access-date   = December 18, 2013
| quote        = A South Korean court yesterday sentenced Jung Myung-seok, the leader of a fringe religious sect, to six years in jail for raping female followers, a court official said. ... Former members have told the Seoul court that young and attractive women were presented to Jung as "gifts" and he forced them into sex as a part of a purification ritual.
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20131219031716/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/08/12/us-korea-sect-idUSSEO9345720080812
| archive-date = December 19, 2013
| url-status     = live
| df           = mdy-all
}}</ref>

Although some of the teachings are a carefully guarded secret within the sect, scholars such as {{interlanguage link|Yoshihide Sakurai|ja|櫻井義秀}} who analyzed and summarized the sect's beliefs relied on documented testimonies as well as interviews with ex-members that included victims.{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007c|p=5}} He obtained notes from ex-members which were used in the "bible study", as instructions in the ''30 lessons'' were conventionally called within the sect.{{sfnp|Sakurai|2007c|p=5}}