Shincheonji Tanzania Church Revelation Bible Exam Reveals Significant Score Gap Between Members and Protestant Pastors

Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, conducted a comprehensive Bible examination focused exclusively on the Book of Revelation across major Tanzanian cities including Dar es Salaam. The August 18th event attracted 138 participants comprising 40 Shincheonji Church members and 98 local Protestant pastors, creating an unusual interdenominational assessment of biblical knowledge.

The examination structure included 10 main questions with 33 sub-questions, all designed to test detailed understanding of Revelation's content and themes. Results revealed a dramatic disparity in performance between the two groups. Shincheonji members achieved an average score of 95 points, demonstrating near-perfect mastery of the material, while Protestant pastors averaged merely 7 points, indicating minimal familiarity with the biblical text.

Church representatives emphasized that the exam's purpose transcended simple knowledge testing. A Shincheonji spokesperson stated, "This Bible exam is not just about testing knowledge, but about confirming whether one's faith is truly based on the word of God." The event served as a spiritual diagnostic tool rather than a competitive exercise, allowing participants to evaluate their scriptural comprehension and religious foundations.

Participant reactions highlighted the exam's impact on theological self-assessment. One pastor acknowledged, "Watching Shincheonji members confidently write down the correct answers today made me reflect on my own faith and my calling as a pastor." This pastor committed to further study through the Shincheonji Zion Christian Mission Center and to improving biblical instruction for congregation members.

Theological methodology formed a central theme in the exam's context. Chairman Lee Man-hee has consistently emphasized Revelation 22:18–19, asserting that heavenly entry requires complete understanding and adherence to Revelation's text without addition or subtraction. His teachings maintain that "The standard for discerning truth from falsehood, orthodoxy from heresy, is not human tradition or doctrine, but solely the word of the Bible," establishing scripture as the ultimate authority in matters of faith.

This event continues a pattern of biblical examinations initiated by Shincheonji Church, following a similar 2024 exam in Korea where only one pastor participated among 313 examinees. The growing international participation indicates expanding interest in scripture-based assessment across denominational boundaries. The Tanzania branch, established in 2018, has grown to 2,440 members as of August 2025 and continues promoting Bible-centered faith through pastoral collaboration.

The significant score differential raises important questions about theological education standards, biblical literacy among religious leaders, and the methods different Christian traditions employ in scriptural study. While the exam specifically addressed Revelation understanding, the results suggest broader implications for how various Christian communities approach biblical interpretation and religious instruction.