Handbook of Japanese Christian Writers

The influence of Christian teachings on Japanese literature is significant, with many authors drawing themes and imagery from Christian teachings. Protestantism emphasized individual freedom, while Catholicism has produced religiously committed authors such as Endo Shusaku. These authors have contributed to the indigenization of Christianity in Japan.

Format: Hardback
Length: 372 pages
Publication date: 06 February 2023
Publisher: Amsterdam University Press

Despite a century and a half of Christian proselytizing in Japan, only a tiny percentage of the population, approximately one percent, has converted to Christianity. However, the influence of Christian teachings on writers in Japan is significantly higher, with a notable proportion having been baptized or significantly influenced by Christian principles in their work.

In this comprehensive volume, seventeen authors are examined, each of whom has incorporated themes and imagery influenced by Christian teachings into their writings. The authors examined in this study span different periods, from the 1880s to the onset of World War II. While many of these writers initially embraced the Protestant emphasis on individual freedom, they eventually distanced themselves from sectarian affiliations.

Since 1945, Catholicism has gained prominence in Japan, producing a number of religiously committed authors, led by figures such as Endo Shusaku, who has become the most popular and influential Christian writer in the country to date. These authors have played a significant role in indigenizing the imported religion, adapting it to the Japanese cultural and spiritual context.

Through their writings, these authors have explored various aspects of Christianity, including its teachings on love, compassion, and forgiveness, as well as its significance in Japanese history and society. They have also addressed the challenges and complexities faced by Christians in Japan, such as the perception of Christianity as a foreign religion and the integration of Christian values into Japanese culture.

The essays in this volume provide a rich and diverse perspective on the influence of Christianity on Japanese writers, highlighting the ways in which the religion has shaped their artistic expression and contributed to the broader cultural landscape of Japan.

Weight: 808g
Dimension: 181 x 256 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789048558216