Listening for echoes of the gospel

God is the author par excellence. He conceived the plot of the gospel in eternity past and is now enacting it in human and cosmic history. All other stories pick up refrains from this story.

Some novels by authors such as C. S. Lewis, Leo Tolstoy, Shūsaku Endō, and Ayako Miura are written from a Christian perspective with obvious references to the gospel in them. But the vast majority of novels and films are created by authors and directors who subscribe to worldviews different from the biblical one. And yet even these contain refrains from the gospel. Straining your ears to hear these echoes of the gospel can deepen your appreciation of Japanese culture and create precious points of connection for sharing the gospel with Japanese people in ways that resonate with them.

Genres point to the gospel

Often the genre of a piece of literature or film will affect how it connects to the gospel. For example, according to Ephesians 5:22–33, love stories are all reflections of the greatest love story of all—Christ’s love for his church. Detective stories appeal to an inherent desire in all of us to get to the bottom of seemingly intractable mysteries and to see justice done—a desire that will only be finally met when Jesus returns and judges the world. Horror stories pander to a fascination with an unseen world that the Bible assures us is very real. The list goes on. With any genre you can find a connection with the gospel narrative.

Emphases within Japanese culture

Another way to find connections with the gospel is to notice common emphases in Japanese literature and film. For example, the Japanese are very conscious of the transitory nature of everything in this world as epitomized by cherry blossoms that flutter to the ground shortly after blooming. This resonates with the Bible’s assurance that everything in this present age is passing away. Another emphasis is the central role that shame and honour play in influencing a person’s standing with others and their community. Again, the Bible develops these themes: it points us to Jesus, who took our shame upon himself when he died in the most demeaning way and bestows undeserved honour on those who deserve everlasting shame. Finally, there is a strong consciousness in Japanese culture that people live on after death. While this is a far cry from the Bible’s view of life after death, it is nevertheless a strong reminder that death is not the end.

Some examples

It’s helpful to consider a couple of examples of how books and movies can bring out elements of the gospel. Yoko Ogawa’s novel The Housekeeper and the Professor is all about finding beauty in unexpected places.¹ The professor shares his love of number theory with the housekeeper and her son. Who knew that maths could be so entrancing? It’s a pertinent reminder that while we live in a fallen world, there is beauty lurking beneath the surface, testifying to a transcendent creator. Also, the relationship of mutual respect and care that develops between the two unlikeliest of people points us to the church, where people from every social status, education, profession, and cultural background live life together and care for each other as equals.

Another example of an unusual relationship is found in the light novel I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino.² In it, a strong platonic relationship develops between two high school classmates who couldn’t be more different—Sakura, a vivacious, outgoing girl who is dying of pancreatic cancer, and Haruki, a withdrawn boy who prefers books to people. One theme that runs throughout the novel is what it means to truly live. When Haruki asks Sakura what life means to her, she replies, “It’s surely to connect to someone on a heart level.” The Bible also affirms the centrality of relationships, ultimately with God, but also with others. Also, Haruki and Sakura’s best friend, Keiko, are very antipathetic to each other throughout the story, but they become close friends after Sakura’s death—a vivid picture of how hostile relationships as typified by the Jew/Gentile divide are transformed by the death of Jesus.

The next time you’re watching a Japanese movie or reading a Japanese book, try to spot connections between it and aspects of the gospel. 

1. Yoko Ogawa, The Housekeeper and the Professor (Vintage; 2010).
2. Yoru Sumino, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (Seven Seas; 2018).