일본의 기독교에 대한 전래와 수용 양상 ―초기 기독교를 중심으로―

Abstract

This study is on the missionary, Francis Xavier’s public work , who propagated the Christianity to Japan which was based on the traditional Catholic doctrine, during the chaotic period of Reformation in Europe and the polices about Christianity of Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa who dreamt of the greatest men in the world during the period of Japanese war. The mission of Xavier was welcomed by the feudal lords in Kyushu with two reasons. The first is the pursuit of profit through the international trade with a political power. The second reason was the necessity of restraining influence of Christianity against the corrupt Buddhist power. The tendency of polices about Christianity can be summed up into the keynotes of policies of the above three persons. First, Nobunaga’s active acceptance of Christianity aiming at the political stability; Second, Hideyoshi’s acceptance of Christianity and formal persecution being in a political stability. The third is Ieyasu’s connived acceptance and harsh policy of persecution of Christianity dominating the political power. When considering the process by which Christianity was transmitted and accepted in Japan, we must describe the proper function of Christianity in Japan at this time and the virtue of humility that Xavier so lauded.