SUCCESS OF CHRISTIANITY IN KOREA AND GOVERNORATE OF LIVONIA: TWO CASES OF SPIRITUAL REORIENTATION IN THE 18TH–20TH CENTURIES

The rapid spread of Christianity over the entire world in the 18^th through the early 20^th century was closely related to the Protestant movements of religious awakening (Great Awakening) in Europe and America, as a result of which Protestant missionaries extremely intensified their work by establishing communities and promoting their revivalist religious fervour. This time coincides with the spiritual-social transformation of society and modernisation trends both in Europe and Asia. Christianity was present in these processes alongside other spiritual and social teachings, and in certain cases played a very significant role, such as in Korea and the Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire. Although Christianity in Korea has been the subject of an extensive range of studies, comparative material is needed for its analysis in order to better understand common and differing phenomena in the intercultural context. In this regard the Governorate of Livonia is a good comparative example, clearly showing how in the context of particular geopolitical circumstances identical spiritual teachings may be, with great success, transplanted from outside into the suppressed layers of European and Asian societies due to their similar social situation.