During my cultural tour of South Korea, I couldn’t help noticing the numerous crosses jutting up across the landscape of cities and towns. In other countries of Asia that I have visited, Christians number fewer than 2% of the population, and the cultural sights center on Confucian and Buddhist shrines. In contrast, about one third of the population of South Korea is Christian. When I asked about this, I was told about the respect that Korean culture has for Catholic and Protestant Christianity due to its emphasis on education, the value of each individual, and human rights.

My first day in Seoul was a Sunday, so we went immediately to Myeong Dong Cathedral. It is a major landmark, a symbol of the church in…