|
CATH-137 Japanese Catholicism
Fall only
Catholicism has a history in Japan longer than the United States has been a nation. Beginning with the arrival of St. Fr ancis Xavier in 1549, Catholicism has shaped Japanese culture in subtle but profound ways. This course seeks to enrich our understanding of Japanese culture by challenging stereotypes of Japanese culture as either “non-religious” (materialistic) or “not-our-religious” (Buddhist, Confucian, etc). Simultaneously, it challenges Eurocentric views that reduce Catholicism to an expression of Western culture.
This course will emphasize the Catholic experience in modern Japan (defined as from 1868 to the present). Available English language sources focus on the postwar period (1945-present), and especially the writings of three important Catholic Japanese novelists. Readings in the past have included works by Endo Shusaku (whose manuscripts are housed in GU’s library) such as Silence and A Life of Jesus. Silence is a historical novel that looks at the period of Catholicism’s arrival in Japan in the mid 16th century, the horrific martyrdoms that occurred, and the struggle of faith for Japanese at that time. A Life of Jesus is Endo’s imaginative reconstruction of the life of Jesus through his own self-consciously, Japanese sensibilities. We also have read fictional works like The Sting of Death, by Shimao Toshio (1917-1986) and No Reason for Murder by Sono Ayako (1922-1999). Background readings, including Pope John Paul II’s Ecclesia in Asia, commentaries on the novels, and even films present a broader picture of the experience of the Catholic faith in modern Japan.
Take a course at Georgetown that will introduce you to the culture that St. Francis Xavier struggled within his latter years! Course and readings are in English. No previous study of Japan or Catholicism is required or presumed.
This course satisfies one semester of the College Theology requirement.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
|
 |
Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:
More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.
The academic department web site for this program may provide other details about this course.
|
