The Perspective of Ebina Danjō's Japanized Christianity: A Historical Case Study

AbstractThis article approaches the topic of Japanese Christianity during the Meiji era (1868-1912). Missionaries introduced Protestant Christianity to the Japanese people after the end of Japanese national seclusion, and many of them converted to Christianity. This paper particularly focuses on Ebina Danjō, a Japanese theologian and a Christian leader. It examines his syncretistic Christianity, in which he combined some Japanese traditional religions with Christianity. This study first presents a historical background of Christianity in Japan during the Meiji era and biographical information of Ebina Danjō. It then explores Ebina's formation of his theological foundation. Finally, it discusses and evaluates how he established syncretistic Christianity.