A History Of The Catholic Church In Japan From Its Beginnings To The Early Meiji Era 1549 1873

Written by an international team of distinguished scholars, this comprehensive book introduces students to the fundamental historical, systematic, moral and ecclesiological aspects of the study of the church, as well as serving as a resource for scholars engaging in ecclesiological debates on a wide variety of issues.

For centuries the accommodation between Japan and Christianity has been an uneasy one. Compared with others of its Asian neighbors, the churches in Japan have never counted more than a small minority of believers more or less resigned to patterns of ritual and belief transplanted from the West. But there is another side to the story, one little known and rarely told: the rise of indigenous movements aimed at a Christianity that is at once made in Japan and faithful to the scriptures and apostolic tradition. Christianity Made in Japan draws on extensive field research to give an intriguing and sympathetic look behind the scenes and into the lives of the leaders and followers of several indigenous movements in Japan. Focusing on the "native" response rather than Western missionary efforts and intentions, it presents varieties of new interpretations of the Christian tradition. It gives voice to the unheard perceptions and views of many Japanese Christians, while raising questions vital to the self-understanding of Christianity as a truly "world religion." This ground-breaking study makes a largely unknown religious world accessible to outsiders for the first time. Students and scholars alike will find it a valuable addition to the literature on Japanese religions and society and on the development of Christianity outside the West. By offering an alternative approach to the study and understanding of Christianity as a world religion and the complicated process of cross-cultural diffusion, it represents a landmark that will define future research in the field.

The modern dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity in Japan is reaching new depths and insights and is being recognized today as a challenging and promising point of contact between two cultures. This volume is based on the premise that an understand­ing of the past is important for meaningful interaction in the present. By placing the Buddhist-Christian dialogue in historical perspective, the author provides an essential element for critical and creative reflection on today's dialogue. Thelle's historical examination begins with the arrival of Francis Xavier in 1549, which initiated the "Christian century." However, his main emphasis is on the nineteenth century, when relations between the two reli­gions moved from confrontation to conciliation. The opening of Japan in 1854 initiated a confrontation that was more than a reli­gious conflict; the meeting of the two faiths was part of an all-inclusive cultural clash. The confrontation of Buddhism and Chris­tianity is interpreted in a broad cultural and sociopolitical context and reveals how strong­ly both religions were influenced by the social and ideological upheavals in nine­teenth-century Japan. The vital issue was which religion would become the spiritual basis for the "new" Japan. Christianity, in­troduced as the spiritual backbone of West­ern power, was associated with ideas of modernization and democracy. Buddhism, regarded as part of the old culture, was in serious crisis. But the conflict was not resolved in victory and defeat. Radical changes took place within the two religions, and by the turn of the century confrontation had moved toward conciliation. The author examines the origins of emerging peaceful dialogue and uncovers the complex process by which it grew out of an atmosphere of animosity and distrust. Thelle's central themes are the connection between Christian expansion and Buddhist anti-Christian campaigns, religion and na­tionalism, Christian impact on Buddhist re­form movements, attempts at unifying the two faiths into a new religiosity, and the development of an indigenous Japanese the­ology. He throws light on cross-cultural interactions far beyond the specialized area of religion and theology. With its broad cultur­al and sociopolitical scope, this book will in­terest all students of Japanese history and culture.

This volume provides a new history of Christianity in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Japan by depicting the world of ordinary Japanese Christians. It examines their religious expressions, as well as textual expositions given to them, within the context of Japanese religious culture.