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Masao Takenaka

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Masao Takenaka (June 9, 1925 – August 17, 2006)[1] was a Japanese theologian who taught for over 40 years at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, where he was a Professor of Christian Ethics and Sociology of Religion.[2][3]

Takenaka was born in Beijing, China in 1925, and lived in China for his first ten years; his father worked for the South Manchuria Railway.[1][4] He began his studies at Kyoto University, but was drafted into the Japanese army during World War II and sent to Hokkaido.[1] After the war, he completed a degree in business and then studied theology at Doshisha. At the Yale Divinity School in Yale University, he was greatly influenced by H. Richard Niebuhr; he earned his doctorate there in 1955.[1][5][6] He returned to Japan, where he became a volunteer leader of the United Church of Christ, and then served a term as vicar in Kurashiki before joining the Doshisha faculty.[1]

Takenaka was a proponent of ecumenism, an opponent of the concept of the divinity of the Emperor of Japan, and (later in his life) a promoter of Christian art.[2] He also worked to fit Christian theology more closely to indigenous culture in Asia, for instance by defining God as the "rice of life" instead of as the "bread of life".[7]

Books

Takenaka was the author of several books:

  • The development of social, educational and medical work in Japan since Meiji (Van Keulen, 1959)
  • Creation and Redemption Through Japanese Art (Sogensha, 1966)
  • Reconciliation and renewal in Japan (Friendship Press, 1967)
  • Christian Art in Asia, (Kyo Bun Kwan and the Christian Conference of Asia, 1975; World Council of Churches, 1983)
  • God Is Rice: Asian Culture and Christian Faith (World Council of Churches, 1986; Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2009)
  • Consider the flowers: meditations in ikebana (with Koho Kamiya, Kyo Bun Kwan, 1990)
  • The Bible Through Asian Eyes (with Ron O'Grady, Friendship Press, 1991)
  • The Place Where God Dwells: An Introduction to Church Architecture in Asia (World Council of Churches, 1995)
  • When the bamboo bends: Christ and culture in Japan (World Council of Churches, 2002)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Johanus, Stephan, Christus und die Moderne in Japan: in memoriam TAKENAKA Masao 9. 6. 1925–17. 8. 2006 (in German), Deutsche Ostasienmission.
  2. ^ a b Kobia, Samuel (August 22, 2006), Tribute to Prof. Dr Masao Takenaka, World Council of Churches.
  3. ^ Yukimoto, Hisashi (August 2006), "Masao Takenaka – renowned Japanese ecumenist", Ecumenical News International, World Student Christian Federation
  4. ^ Ariyoshi, Koji (June 26, 1958), "A Japanese Christian's Views", Honolulu Record, 10 (48): 8.
  5. ^ Townsend, Tim (Fall 2002), "Alumni profile: Tracing Christian Influences in Japan – Masao Takenaka" (PDF), Spectrum, Yale Divinity School: 34.
  6. ^ Masao Takenaka, YDS alumnus and ecumenical leader, dead at 80, Yale Divinity School.
  7. ^ Kim, Sebastian C. H. (2008), Christian Theology in Asia, Cambridge University Press, p. 125, ISBN 978-0-521-68183-4.


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