Mother of God, Mother of Christianity: The Development of the Marian Tradition in Early Modern Japan
Class Year
2019
Document Type
Student Research Paper
Date of Creation
Spring 2019
Department 1
East Asian Studies
Abstract
The Christian figure of the Virgin Mary, first introduced as Jesus’ mother in the Bible, has since been repeatedly reinterpreted in various roles and imagery through her incorporation into different cultures. This project analyses the historical adoption and adaptation of Mary among Christian converts in Japan, from the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in 1549 to the end of the Tokugawa era in the nineteenth century. An examination of doctrinal prayers, the rosary, and Marian iconography within Japan illustrates Mary’s role as the Mother of God and compassionate intercessor for early Japanese Christians. Moreover, their affinity for Mary enabled Christianity to endure centuries of religious oppression under the Tokugawa shogunate as the hidden believers accommodated Mary within preexisting Buddhist traditions and Japanese customs. In studying the primacy of Mary and her roles within Japanese Christianity, this research explains a main reason behind the religion’s survival in early modern Japan.
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Keller, Alaina, "Mother of God, Mother of Christianity: The Development of the Marian Tradition in Early Modern Japan" (2019). Student Publications. 719.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/719
Comments
Written for EAS 460: East Asian Studies Capstone.