J-CATS Japanese Contextual and Theological Studies

Alissa and Mika continue their conversation about how the Japanese see art, and how Mono no Aware is both uniquely beautiful and how it can be viewed from a Japanese Christian perspective.

Guest Host Alissa is a missionary in Yokohama, and she loves contextualization! In today's episode Alissa interviews her friend Mika, who is an artist and filmmaker who became a Christian three years ago! In today's portion of their conversation Alissa and Mika talk about Miura Ayako's works and what we can learn about evangelism in Japan from Miura Ayako!

Christianity Made in Japan, by Mark Mullins: https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/christianity-made-in-japan-a-study-of-indigenous-movements/What makes a Christian movement indigenous? Today I look at the first three indigenous movements detailed by Mark Mullins, the Non-Church Movement (Uchimura), The Way (Matsumura), and Christ Heart Church (Kawai). Older movements that mixed Bushido, Confucianism, Self-Cultivation, and a respect for Buddhism with Christianity. Can modern Christians learn anything from these groups about reaching Japanese while staying faithful to the Gospel? Are the principles of venerating pre-Christian traditions incompatible with Christianity? Is it different when Japaense thinkers revere pre-Christian voices compared to when church fathers revered Greek philosophers as pre-Christian voices? Later movements to be discussed in a future episode.

Today we chat with Kengoro Goto, Old Testament scholar and leader of the online Japanese Christian community 'Lights Church', which can be accessed here: https://lights-church.com/en/home-2/

I speak with Artist and Missionary Roger Lowther about Ethnodoxology, contexutal worship in Japan, Music, Arts, and the Japan Consultation on Arts and Music in Missions (JCAMM) which will be held 5/22-23, and 5/25-27 in Tokyo, please come if you are able! Also, give Roger's podcast 'Art Life Faith' a listen.JCAMM - https://www.communityarts.jp/jcammRoger's website - https://www.rogerwlowther.com/Art Life Faith - https://www.rogerwlowther.com/category/podcast/

Just a fun episode. What is Bonenkai? Mostly just cathartic ramblings with Jon and friend of the show Joe. If this isn't your thing return for more informative content in 2026!

Today I talk with Billy, a third generation missionary in Japan, no that's not true, Billy is not a missionary, he is a pastor within a Japanese denomination. He goes to pastor meetings and presents reports in unaccented Japanese at annual meetings, but he's 6'5" and was born in Tennessee.

I look at Christianity Today's articles on Christianity and Shinto, parts of an interview of Tokyo Christian University's Yoichi Yamaguchi by Kazusa Okaya. Article Links:Shinto's Key Teachings: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/shinto-shintoism-japan-teachings-kami-animism/Shinto's Historical and Contemporary Influences on Society: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/shinto-shintoism-japan-society-history-emperor-worship/Christianity and Shinto: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/shinto-shintoism-japan-religion-culture-faith/JCATS episodes on Japanese protestant history:JCATS Protestant Church History w/ prof. Kai (part 1)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f8aaWaVAW8&t=1sJCATS Protestant Church History w/ prof. Kai (part 2)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGfWnKIwt1UJCATS Protestant Church History w/ prof. Kai (part 3)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg6Qss6JqykBooks: Understanding Japaneseness by Kosuke Nishitanihttps://books.google.co.jp/books/about/Understanding_Japaneseness.html?id=hX5hEQAAQBAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=yWhen the Bamboo Bends by Masao Takenakahttps://books.google.co.jp/books/about/When_the_Bamboo_Bends.html?id=nvXFQgAACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y

Today we talk with Morgen Hildebrand, a missionary from Kansas who completed a theology degree at Tokyo Christian University. She gives a number of fascinating insights to the way that Japanese professors teach Christianity, and the way that her Japanese classmates encouraged her to fine tune her gospel message in a culturally winsome way.

Today Chris Pain, Japan field director of OMF joins me to review a report on Church Planting and Partnering with Japanese pastors that OMF produced. You can download the report for free here!https://omf.org/resource/download-report-church-planting-and-partnering-in-japan/