"I passed along and observed the objects of your worship . . ."

With these words, the Apostle Paul introduced his message to the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers on Mars Hill.  Before he attempted to start preaching the Gospel to the people of Athens, Paul had taken time to walk around and carefully observe their culture, their religious practices and their ways of living life.

Every culture, every place has objects of worship.  For Korea, Buddhism has had a substantial impact upon the formation of its culture.  This past Saturday, I was invited to travel to Gyeongju, the ancient capital city of Korea, and to tour Bulguksa Temple by my good friend and young brother, Kris and his wife Mary, who is a 3d year law student soon to graduate from Handong International Law School.  In many ways, Gyeongju is the Athens of Korea.  As we stepped through Bulguksa's gates, we began to realize that we were entering a very special place.

Bulguksa is known as "Buddha's country temple."  Within the monastery are two of the oldest pagodas in Korea.  They are among the country's national treasures.  While we were passing along through the temple grounds, we observed both the objects of worship (the picture at right is another national treasure -- a golden buddha measuring nearly 20 feet in height) and their worshippers. 

We met one elderly Korean lady who serves within the temple (most likely an "Anna" of this temple) and, though, we could not communicate with her in words, she was drawn to Kris and Mary's little 18 month-old daughter, Sadie Rose.  She displayed the warmth and tenderness of a grand mother, and her face glowed when Sadie Rose gave her a smile.

I wonder if what I sensed as we made our way around the temple and its cloister walk was something like what Paul experienced as he perused the Athenian altars.  Just as the Apostle heard echoes of God's truth in the words of the Greek poets and philosophers (see Acts 17:26-28), I perceived the wisdom of the ages in several decorative scrolls upon which monks from the temple had written some sayings of the Buddha. 

One read, "Go on your way with one mind."  It prompted me to think of the admonition in James 1 to single-minded devotion to Christ. Another said, "The fragrance of a flower may last for 1,000 miles, but the aroma of a virtuous life will endure for 10,000 years."  That one reminded me of Paul's description of followers of Jesus as an "aroma of Christ" in 2 Corinthians 2.  Kris and I talked as we walked about the ways we can see God's common grace reaching out and speaking to and through diverse cultures.

It takes time to "observe the objects of worship" in other cultures.  I'm sure Paul spent several days walking about Athens before he found the altar to the "Unknown God."  That altar became his entree to conversation with the people who spent there days hanging out on Mars Hills discussing the latest ideas of the day.  I don't think I'll encounter any Stoics or Epicureans around these parts, but maybe a deeper appreciation of the sayings of the Buddha may equip me to engage one of his followers who are without a doubt are -- like those in the Athens of Paul's day -- a very religious people.

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Here are a few more pictures that Kris took while on our tour through Bulguksa.

The monastery's prayer bell (barrel-shaped copper bell in the center of this structure.

Close-up of the prayer bell.  Note the red, log-sized striker suspended to the right side of the bell.

Mary, Kris and Sadie Rose all bundled-up (It was a bit chilly)

A strange American chap we found posing in front of the Temple.