Learning from Niijima Jō

The Reformed tradition recognizes two key mandates that God has given to the church: proclaiming the gospel to all people and transforming culture to reflect God’s glory. Our calling as Christians is not only to proclaim the gospel, but also to work towards the transformation of culture so that we may glorify God in all areas.

However, many churches only focus on the gospel mandate and neglect the call to transform culture. We might take inspiration from Niijima Jō, a prominent figure in the history of Japanese Christianity, who pursued the fulfilment of not only the gospel mandate but also the cultural mandate by spreading Christianity in Japan through education.

The life of Niijima Jō

Niijima Jō (新島 襄), also known by his English name Joseph Hardy Neesima, was born in Edo (now Tokyo) in 1843 to a samurai family. He secretly left for America in 1864 because he admired the development of Western countries and was also curious about Christianity.

Niijima studied at Phillips Academy and Amherst College and learned how deeply rooted Christianity was in America.¹ Later, he studied theology at Andover Theological Seminary and was ordained as a Protestant minister.

Japan was always in his heart, and Niijima returned to his home country in 1875 to establish a training school and spread Christianity. For that purpose, he bought land in Kyoto and established the Doshisha English School, which later, due to its rapid growth, transformed into Doshisha University. Niijima died in 1890 and was buried in Doshisha Cemetery in Kyoto.

Niijima’s legacy

Niijima had an unquenchable dream and passion for the transformation of Japan. He believed that Christian education had the power to save the nation. Despite social resistance around him and the aversion of the Japanese to open, direct evangelism, Niijima kept pursuing his vision of spreading Christianity through education. At Doshisha English School, he oversaw a curriculum that included various subjects including English, Chinese studies, mathematics, physics, anatomy, world history, and economics. Knowing that science and faith could not be separated, he insisted on teaching theology in the school (under the name of “moral science” as a compromise to the local authorities) despite the government’s prohibition of incorporating Christianity into school curriculums.² To introduce Christian spirituality to his students, Niijima had a school chapel built for worship services.

As a missionary, Niijima criticized other missionaries who only taught the Bible at school while neglecting the significance of teaching natural sciences.³ Believing both to be important, he wanted to teach Japanese people about both Christianity and science. Furthermore, as a person who had himself studied natural science and theology, Niijima wanted to establish ties across both fields. For example, he responded to Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species—published only 16 years before the establishment of Doshisha School—by promoting discussion about evolution and natural theology.⁴

Over his lifetime as an educator, Niijima made a significant contribution to the development of both Christianity and education in Japan. Some of his students would go on to become prominent industrialists, educators, financiers, and Christian leaders. And as a result of his influence, many schools were built—at least two colleges and several graduate schools, four high schools, four middle schools, and two elementary schools with kindergartens.⁵

Niijima might not have used the phrase “cultural mandate” in his letters or speeches, but his work as an educator clearly fulfilled the calling to transform culture for the glory of God.

Today in Tokyo

In my own church—International Reformed Evangelical Church (IREC)—we are working to fulfil the cultural mandate in Tokyo. IREC is a branch of the church founded by Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong. In Indonesia, he worked to establish a museum, a concert hall, a clinic, and multiple schools as well as a university. His example and teaching about the transformation of culture is a legacy for us to learn from.

Though we are still far from fulfilling our calling to transform the culture on a large scale—such as building a school—we can begin on a small scale. For example, our church has begun to educate children in a cultural mandate event series, which aims to help children see various subjects from the Christian perspective and avoid separating the secular and sacred—we want to promote science and faith, not science versus faith. These events are also a good opportunity to invite young unbelievers to hear the gospel while learning about subjects such as music, history, science, and technology.

There are many other things that Christians can and should do to work towards the transformation of Japanese culture. In what way might you live out God’s cultural mandate? May God be glorified in all areas of our lives. Soli deo gloria.

1. “Founding Spirit and Joseph Neesima,” Doshisha University, https://www.doshisha.ac.jp/en/information/neesima/index.html (accessed Feb 20, 2025)
2. Trent Maxey, “Niijima Jō, the Dōshisha, and the Christian Liberal Arts in Meiji Japan,” in Amherst in the World, ed. Martha Saxton (Amherst College Press, 2020), 80.
3. Ibid, 82.
4. Doshisha University Center for Christian Culture, “Niijima Jo and the Natural Sciences: Doshisha, Christianity and the Natural Sciences,” Doshisha University, 2020, https://christian-center.doshisha.ac.jp/cc/images/facility/en2020_11.pdf, 18.
5. Motoi Yasuhiro, “Doshisha University Founder Niijima Jo: Pastor and Missionary,” The United Church of Christ in Japan, https://uccj.org/knl/18782.html (accessed Feb. 20, 2025).
Photos submitted by author