Benefits of a having a historical perspective

A mere three-minute stroll from our previous home in western Tokyo lie the ruins of a temple built around 750 AD—part of a nationwide system of temples established in response to a pandemic. A couple of minutes farther on, a path besides a small stream was a favourite location of a relative of an Edo-period shogun for falconry. Take a ten-minute walk in the other direction and you can find the remains of a Jōmon-era house built around the time of Abraham. And nearby there’s a thirteenth-century road that connected the region to Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture when it was the country’s capital.

While the area where we lived (Kokubunji) is particularly abundant in historical remains, you don’t have to travel very far in most places in Japan to find evidence of its long and rich history. The country is a haven for history buffs, but missionaries can also enjoy and benefit from Japan’s history.

Appreciating the history of a country offers many benefits when seeking to reach people for Jesus. For a start, it can provide valuable insights into contemporary Japanese culture. For example, the relatively high suicide rate in contemporary Japan may have some roots in the honour accorded to taking one’s life in certain situations in the past.

Having an appreciation of Japanese history can also be important for establishing connections with Japanese people. It can help build relationships through demonstrating an interest in and a respect for the local culture. And it can be useful for contextualizing the message of the gospel. Sermon illustrations drawn from Japanese history and literature can impact the hearts of people more directly than illustrations from Western sources.

Importantly, a historical perspective can provide a broader outlook from which to view the present. “One of the great benefits of studying history is that it gives us a standard of comparison against which we can judge our own time, values, and assumptions,” says Matthew Sterenberg (private communication with author), assistant professor of history at Waseda University.

In particular, knowing about the history of past mission efforts is valuable for assessing present strategies. “We absorb ideas, values, and assumptions from the culture of which we are a part, but when we look at the history of missions, we may find that some of our assumptions are mistaken, because we’re confronted by people who did missions effectively in very different ways,” explains Sterenberg. He adds, “Studying history is a kind of cross-cultural study and can provide a clearer perspective on our own culture that can help us make better, more informed judgments.”

Finally, in Japan many historical figures were Christians (see the timeline poster we’ve included with this issue), and the influence of Christians in Japan vastly exceeded their numbers. This is a powerful testimony that it is possible to be simultaneously Japanese and Christian and to greatly contribute to the welfare of the nation.

For all these reasons, it’s important to have an appreciation of Japanese history and how it shapes the national narrative. “Anyone thinking about doing missions work in Japan should have a sense of how the country has changed over time, of the key turning points in its history, and of the forces and personalities that have made the country what it is,” says Sterenberg. He continues, “It’s also important to understand how the Japanese people understand their own history and how they weave that understanding into their national identity.”

Tips for learning Japanese history

Given the importance of knowing Japanese history for missions, here are some tips for learning more about it.

• Establish a rough framework for the different periods in Japanese history. This will allow you to place scenes from books and novels in their historical context, and historical facts you glean can be placed within this framework.
• Read books on Japanese history. There’s a wealth of good books on Japanese history in English. Start with ones that give a brief overview of the whole span of Japanese history and dig as deep as your interest takes yo­­­u. Sterenberg suggests beginning with a good introductory level volume on Japanese modern history that introduces the main contours of Japanese history. He also notes that Andrew Gordon’s A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present is a popular choice.
• Listen to podcasts and watch documentaries and videos on Japanese history.
• Visit historical sites and museums in your vicinity and when travelling in Japan.

Making the most of being in a country with such a rich history as Japan would enhance our witness. Explore ways to grow in your understanding of its historical roots, culture, literature, and Christian history. A better understanding can make our ministry to the Japanese more effective.