TOKYO - 19 May 2008 - 349 words
Japanese priest speaks on dialogue between Shintoism and Christianity
Japanese priest Fr Yuji Sugawara SJ, professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, outlined the relationship between Shintoism and Christianity in Japan, in an interview with Agenzia Fides.
Fr Yuji said that Shintoism is the oldest
traditional religion in Japan, begun by the pre-historic peoples
living in central Asia, and has been left as it is today after
a long co-existence shared with Buddhism. In Shintoism, there
are no doctrines or explicit ethical norms. It is based on an
animist vision, the Kami, spiritual essences or gods that are
manifested through nature. The worship of ancestors and the Emperor
(until the modern reform), who was considered to have divine origin,
are also at the center of this religion.
Today, he said, Shintoism continues to play a key role in Japanese
culture, however those who practice it are dwindling in number
and there is a development of something called sincretism, a "homemade"
blend with Christianity. Many Japanese, although they may not
accept Baptism, seem interested in its teachings and consider
themselves Christian. This offers the Church a fertile ground
in dialoguing with Shintoism and in general, with religions and
the modern culture.
Fr Yuji Sugawara told Fides: " In Japan today being a Shintoist
is above all a cultural inheritance. As there is no 'shintoist
baptism,' it is impossible to tell how many people are still really
practicing. For the same reason, the Japanese do not feel truly
identified with their traditional religion and show a profound
interest for Christianity. Many request marriage in the Church."
With this in mind, the dialogue between the two religions is something
more that simply confronting a series of subjects, and it is rooted
in the concrete life experiences.
"Dialogue is more of a peaceful and friendly encounter. Above
all, it is a spiritual encounter, in the sense of the will to
pray, in respecting differences. In a secularized nation like
Japan, the people today no longer pray. Thus, prayer takes on
a great significance, above all for a traditional religion like
Shintoism, where prayer is more important than ethics. There is
also an apostolic activity that is sustained by the mutual collaboration
on charitable themes and aid. Lastly, there is an abundance of
well-prepared studies available on the two religions. Although,
I think the truest encounter happens in the day-to-day, with simple
co-existence. In the end, Christians continue to be a minority
and their very presence in society is an important factor in bearing
witness. We can think, for example, in the innovation for Japanese
women, with the message of freedom. However, the influences have
often been stifled by the hostilities of the political power,
especially by the shogun."
In the 1800s, as well, Shintoism suffered a great interference
by the State. In order to encourage the country's modernization,
more and more importance was given to the worship of the Emperor.
Fr Sugawara said, " from 1600, the shogun regime had place
the Emperor in a corner. In 1800, with the end of the old regime,
Emperor Meyi needed to legitimize his new position of leadership.
Shintoism offered a mythology that already had the characteristic
of the view of the Emperor as a divine figure. The consequence
of this policy was the Japanese's sense of invincibility, until
their defeat in World War II. The Kamikaze pilots themselves,
lead to suicide, were victims of this religion of the state."
Today, Japan is a democratic nation with typically Western lifestyles. The challenge, therefore, for both Shintoism and Christianity, is to collaborate in the common good and awaken people to the questions about the meaning of their own lives. "This is why the Church is fully committed to the missionary field, with the active presence of many religious orders," Fr Sugawara concluded.
Source: Fides
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