The Reception of Christianity in Okinawa : On Relations between the Okinawa Baptist Convention and Native Religion

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  • FURUSAWA Kentaro
    同志社大学大学院神学研究科歴史神学専攻博士課程後期

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Other Title
  • 沖縄におけるキリスト教受容 : 沖縄バプテスト連盟と土着信仰の関係に見る
  • オキナワ ニ オケル キリストキョウ ジュヨウ オキナワ バプテスト レンメイ ト ドチャク シンコウ ノ カンケイ ニ ミル

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Christianity in Okinawa was compelled to face up to a couple of problems before and after World War II. One of them was a history of control by another culture that has lasted since the invasion by the Satsuma Clan until today; the other was the native beliefs in Okinawa. The folk shaman called Yuta is the primary figure in Okinawan native belief. Appreciation of her historical significance has been a key challenge for the foreign missions. The initial Christian mission in Okinawa aimed to enlighten the people from native belief. For instance, The United Church of Christ in Okinawa, which had a Methodist origin, expressly ruled to expel the yuta. By contrast, the pastors of the Okinawa Baptist Convention have tended to act with such a keen interest in shamanism that many Okinawans assume a link between them. Christian Pastors in Okinawa, (especially, the Baptist pastors) try to clear up the misunderstanding. Discussion about the Baptist mission in Okinawa has been beset with vagueness until today. The factors that favored the Baptists on Okinawa are not clear. But using testimonies, materials, regulations etc. we can infer that certain historical events led Christian missionaries to think deeply about native beliefs. Moreover, the political situation of Okinawa also had repercussions on the mission by the Okinawa Baptist Convention. The social environment has been unstable. In prewar days, Okinawa was divided in two between people who chose to belong to Japan and people who wanted to be a dependent state of the Qing dynasty. After the war, Okinawa was afflicted with government by the U.S. Army. This thesis aims at elucidating what happens when cross-cultural ideas flow into a land strongly influenced by native culture and rich in historical materials and literature. Especially, this thesis focuses on the Okinawa Baptist Convention and how its pastors were rewarded with such success.

Journal

  • Religion and Society

    Religion and Society 13 (0), 3-23, 2007

    The Japanese Association for the Study of Religion and Society

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