Japanese Understanding of Salvation

Japanese Understanding of Salvation PDF Author: Martin Heißwolf
Publisher: Langham Publishing
ISBN: 1783683716
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 545

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Book Description
It is no secret that Christianity has been widely rejected in Japan with less than two percent of the population identifying as Christian. The dominant worldview in Japan is deeply animistic, with beliefs such as the Japanese mana-concept, ki (気), the Japanese soul-concept, and the concept of God/god(s), kami (神), being deeply rooted in the culture and fundamentally influencing society. Dr Martin Heißwolf, with his years of experience in Japan, critically examines Japanese animism in light of core Christian beliefs, such as the concepts of “peace” and “salvation.” Central to Japanese people’s rejection of Christian truth is the diametric opposition of its supernatural message to the natural focus of Japanese animistic folk religion. Heißwolf’s meticulous study is framed squarely within missiological thought and praxis so Christians serving in Japanese contexts are better able to communicate the message of the gospel by more fully understanding Japanese people, people by whom God wants to be known.

Japanese Understanding of Salvation

Japanese Understanding of Salvation PDF Author: Martin Heißwolf
Publisher: Langham Publishing
ISBN: 1783683716
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 545

Get Book Here

Book Description
It is no secret that Christianity has been widely rejected in Japan with less than two percent of the population identifying as Christian. The dominant worldview in Japan is deeply animistic, with beliefs such as the Japanese mana-concept, ki (気), the Japanese soul-concept, and the concept of God/god(s), kami (神), being deeply rooted in the culture and fundamentally influencing society. Dr Martin Heißwolf, with his years of experience in Japan, critically examines Japanese animism in light of core Christian beliefs, such as the concepts of “peace” and “salvation.” Central to Japanese people’s rejection of Christian truth is the diametric opposition of its supernatural message to the natural focus of Japanese animistic folk religion. Heißwolf’s meticulous study is framed squarely within missiological thought and praxis so Christians serving in Japanese contexts are better able to communicate the message of the gospel by more fully understanding Japanese people, people by whom God wants to be known.

American Evangelists and Tuberculosis in Modern Japan

American Evangelists and Tuberculosis in Modern Japan PDF Author: Elisheva A. Perelman
Publisher: Hong Kong University Press
ISBN: 9888528149
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 253

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Book Description
Tuberculosis ran rampant in Japan during the late Meiji and Taisho years (1880s–1920s). Many of the victims of the then incurable disease were young female workers from the rural areas, who were trying to support their families by working in the new textile factories. The Japanese government of the time, however, seemed unprepared to tackle the epidemic. Elisheva A. Perelman argues that pragmatism and utilitarianism dominated the thinking of the administration, which saw little point in providing health services to a group of politically insignificant patients. This created a space for American evangelical organizations to offer their services. Perelman sees the relationship between the Japanese government and the evangelists as one of moral entrepreneurship on both sides. All the parties involved were trying to occupy the moral high ground. In the end, an uneasy but mutually beneficial arrangement was reached: the government accepted the evangelists’ assistance in providing relief to some tuberculosis patients, and the evangelists gained an opportunity to spread Christianity further in the country. Nonetheless, the patients remained a marginalized group as they possessed little agency over how they were treated. “Perelman captures the strategies that enabled Protestant missionaries to become a central force in treating tuberculosis and providing social services in prewar Japan. Acting as ‘moral entrepreneurs,’ the medical missionaries deftly raised funds abroad, gained support from the Japanese state, gained converts, and cultivated a corps of Japanese medical practitioners.” —Sheldon Garon, Princeton University; author of Molding Japanese Minds: The State in Everyday Life “Based on a wide range of primary and secondary sources, this groundbreaking book traces evangelical Christianity and the work of medical missions in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Japan. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Christianity, disease, medicine, or public health in modern Japan.” —William Johnston, Wesleyan University; author of The Modern Epidemic: A History of Tuberculosis in Japan

Historical Dictionary of The Salvation Army

Historical Dictionary of The Salvation Army PDF Author: John G. Merritt
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538102137
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 781

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Book Description
The Salvation Army is an integral part of the Christian Church, although distinctive in government and practice. The Army’s doctrine follows the mainstream of Christian belief and its articles of faith emphasize God’s saving purposes. Its objects are ‘the advancement of the Christian religion… of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole.’ The Salvation Army was founded in London in 1865 by William Booth its first 'General' and has continued growing ever since. In 2015 it celebrated it 150th anniversary and today it has a presence in 127 countries. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of The Salvation Army contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on i leaders, personalities, events, facts, movements, and beliefs of The Salvation Army. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about The Salvation Army..

Prophet Motive

Prophet Motive PDF Author: Nancy K. Stalker
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824832264
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
From the 1910s to the mid-1930s, the flamboyant and gifted spiritualist Deguchi Onisaburô (1871–1948) transformed his mother-in-law’s small, rural religious following into a massive movement, eclectic in content and international in scope. Through a potent blend of traditional folk beliefs and practices like divination, exorcism, and millenarianism, an ambitious political agenda, and skillful use of new forms of visual and mass media, he attracted millions to Oomoto, his Shintoist new religion. Despite its condemnation as a heterodox sect by state authorities and the mainstream media, Oomoto quickly became the fastest-growing religion in Japan of the time. In telling the story of Onisaburô and Oomoto, Nancy Stalker not only gives us the first full account in English of the rise of a heterodox movement in imperial Japan, but also provides new perspectives on the importance of "charismatic entrepreneurship" in the success of new religions around the world. She makes the case that these religions often respond to global developments and tensions (imperialism, urbanization, consumerism, the diffusion of mass media) in similar ways. They require entrepreneurial marketing and management skills alongside their spiritual authority if their groups are to survive encroachments by the state and achieve national/international stature. Their drive to realize and extend their religious view of the world ideally stems from a "prophet" rather than "profit" motive, but their activity nevertheless relies on success in the modern capitalist, commercial world. Unlike many studies of Japanese religion during this period, Prophet Motive works to dispel the notion that prewar Shinto was monolithically supportive of state initiatives and ideology.

Catholic Spirit

Catholic Spirit PDF Author: James L. Schwenk
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 146165727X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 158

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Book Description
The relationship between John Wesley and George Whitefield has often been viewed as suffering from irreconcilable theological differences. In fact, for several years, the relationship between these two leaders of the revival of the Christian faith in eighteenth-century England was strained almost to the breaking point. Whitefield, a Calvinist, believed that each individual who ever lived was either destined for the glories of heaven or the horrors of hell due to an irrevocable decree of God. Wesley on the other hand argued that each person has placed before them two options: either to accept God's forgiveness or to reject it in favor of following one's own way. Most books in the past have focused on these John Wesley's and George Whitefield's differences, but what has been overlooked is the lasting friendship between these two men, which, after a brief period of separation, was restored for the sake of the continuation of the revival movement on two continents. Catholic Spirit: Wesley, Whitefield, and the Quest for Evangelical Unity in Eighteenth-Century British Methodism focuses on the key themes upon which both men agreed. It stresses the commonalties between the two leaders of British Methodism and illustrates the great lengths both went to in order to further the revival of the Christian religion in England and North America. Both Wesley and Whitefield claim to possess "Catholic spirits," that is, they both believed the importance of working with other like-minded individuals to spread the message of salvation through Christ. Author James Schwenk argues that they were successful in promoting that spirit of cooperation, even as some of their followers failed to understand how hard they worked at making "molehills out of mountains."

The Meaning of Pentecost in Early Methodism

The Meaning of Pentecost in Early Methodism PDF Author: Laurence W. Wood
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 1461673208
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 425

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Book Description
John Fletcher's theology of Pentecost is generally unknown today, and this book is the first comprehensive treatise on this subject. His writings were in large part responsible for shaping the theology of early American Methodism, especially his treatise on Christian Perfection, which highlighted a theology of Pentecostal sanctification. Wood recounts the decisive influence Fletcher had on early Methodism, and shows that his writings were able to "control the opinions of the largest and most effective body of evangelical clergymen of the earth." Fletcher's views on the Holy Spirit were also relevant in the ecumenical movement, specifically with reference to the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order held in Lima, Peru, in 1982. This group recommended the introduction of a liturgy of the Spirit in Christian baptism. For students and scholars or general readers interested in Methodist history and theology. Also a resource for pastors-helpful in developing a theology of Pentecost that will preach in a relevant way in the contemporary world.

German Radical Pietism

German Radical Pietism PDF Author: Hans Schneider
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 9780810858176
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 276

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Book Description
Explores major figures, movements, and ideas that relate to radical German Pietism in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Also details Pietism's role in the formation of modern religious communities, such as Quakers, Brethren, and precursors to modern United Methodism.

The Presence of God in the Christian Life

The Presence of God in the Christian Life PDF Author: Henry H. Knight
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 1461673445
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
While the most standard treatments of John Wesley's theology focus their attention on his distinctive 'way of salvation', they fail to provide a thorough examination of Wesley's 'means of grace.' This book offers the first detailed discussion of the means of grace as the liturgical, communal, and devotional context within which growth in the Christian life actually occurred. Knight shows how the means of grace together form an interrelated pattern that enables a growing relationship with God.

The Prevenient Piety of Samuel Wesley, Sr

The Prevenient Piety of Samuel Wesley, Sr PDF Author: Arthur Alan Torpy
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0810860589
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 186

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Book Description
For the better part of two centuries, Wesley scholars have been given a picture of the family of John Wesley that focuses positively upon the relationships of John and his brother Charles and his mother Susanna. What has come down to us about John Wesley's father--Samuel Wesley, Sr.--is a mixture of good and bad character traits, mostly seemingly inconsequential with respect to the making of Methodism under John and Charles. Now with Arthur Torpy's work, we have reason to think differently. Samuel Wesley, Sr. was a complex person whose thoughts, actions, and convictions were based on his understanding and practice of his tradition, experience, scripture, and reasoning. The Prevenient Piety of Samuel Wesley, Sr. examines the life of Samuel Wesley, exploring the influences of his early Dissenting upbringing, his Oxford education, subsequent published writings, and post 1709 sermons.

Holiness Abroad

Holiness Abroad PDF Author: Floyd Timothy Cunningham
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 9780810845640
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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Book Description
This resource provides a detailed case study of an American denomination's work in Asia during the first three-quarters of the twentieth century.