Kazoh Kitamori
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
theologian, pastor, author, professor, and churchman. His most famous work in the West is The Theology of the Pain of God, which was published in 1946 in Japan
and in the United States
in 1965. He was a longtime professor at Tokyo Union Theological Seminary
. He was, along with Kōsuke Koyama
, a leading contributor to Protestant Christian theology from twentieth century Japan.
in 1916. In high school, he was so impressed by a paper he read about Martin Luther
that he made the decision in 1935 to go to Tokyo
to attend the Lutheran Theological Seminary there. He graduated in 1938. Having finished his studies at the seminary, he attended Kyoto Imperial University
, studying in the literature department under Hajime Tanabe
, a disciple of Japanese philosopher Kitarō Nishida. He graduated from the university in 1941, and continued there as an assistant until 1943. In 1943, he moved to the Eastern Japan Theological Seminary, which later became Tokyo Union Theological Seminary. He became a full professor in 1949, and continued to teach systematic (dogmatic) theology there until his retirement from teaching in 1984. He received a Ph.D. in Literature from Kyoto Imperial University
in 1962.
Kitamori was a major post-war theologian in Japan and this status made him one of the most important players in the re-formation of the Kyodan Church (United Church of Christ in Japan
). He worked both as a pastor, serving a congregation for forty-six years, and as a churchman, serving in various capacities and helping to draft of the confession of faith of the Kyodan Church.
While he is best known for Theology of the Pain of God, Kitamori was a prolific writer in many areas, not only in Theology. He published forty-two books and many articles. His theme of the Pain of God remained a central idea in many of these. Theology of the Pain of God has reached a wide audience in Japan, even outside the Christian community.
In the Japanese Literary Version (an older translation of the Bible into Japanese), the phrase, "My heart yearns..." can be translated "My heart is pained." Luther matches this idea most closely when he translates it "Darum bricht mir mein Herz" (Therefore my heart is broken). While modern Japanese versions were moving away from this translation, Kitamori felt that translators like Luther and Calvin gave him scholarly justification for keeping this translation as the basis of his work.
Kitamori's (1946) book, Theology of the Pain of God, was used by Jürgen Moltmann
.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
theologian, pastor, author, professor, and churchman. His most famous work in the West is The Theology of the Pain of God, which was published in 1946 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1965. He was a longtime professor at Tokyo Union Theological Seminary
Tokyo Union Theological Seminary
thumb|200px|Tokyo Union Theological Seminary is a private university in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1930, and it was chartered as a university in 1949....
. He was, along with Kōsuke Koyama
Kosuke Koyama
was a Japanese, Protestant Christian theologian. Koyama was born in Tokyo in 1929, of Christian parents . He later moved to New Jersey in the United States, where he completed his B.D. at Drew Theological Seminary and his Ph.D., on the interpretation of the Psalms of Martin Luther, at Princeton...
, a leading contributor to Protestant Christian theology from twentieth century Japan.
Life
Kitamori was born in KumamotoKumamoto, Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...
in 1916. In high school, he was so impressed by a paper he read about Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
that he made the decision in 1935 to go to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to attend the Lutheran Theological Seminary there. He graduated in 1938. Having finished his studies at the seminary, he attended Kyoto Imperial University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
, studying in the literature department under Hajime Tanabe
Hajime Tanabe
was a Japanese philosopher of the Kyoto School. In 1947 he became a member of The Japan Academy, in 1950 he received the Order of Cultural Merit, and in 1957 an honorary doctorate from University of Freiburg....
, a disciple of Japanese philosopher Kitarō Nishida. He graduated from the university in 1941, and continued there as an assistant until 1943. In 1943, he moved to the Eastern Japan Theological Seminary, which later became Tokyo Union Theological Seminary. He became a full professor in 1949, and continued to teach systematic (dogmatic) theology there until his retirement from teaching in 1984. He received a Ph.D. in Literature from Kyoto Imperial University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
in 1962.
Kitamori was a major post-war theologian in Japan and this status made him one of the most important players in the re-formation of the Kyodan Church (United Church of Christ in Japan
United Church of Christ in Japan
The United Church of Christ in Japan is the largest Protestant denomination in Japan. It was a union of thirty three diverse Protestant religious bodies forcibly brought together by the Japanese wartime government on June 24, 1941.The UCCJ is a member of the World Council of Churches .-Events...
). He worked both as a pastor, serving a congregation for forty-six years, and as a churchman, serving in various capacities and helping to draft of the confession of faith of the Kyodan Church.
While he is best known for Theology of the Pain of God, Kitamori was a prolific writer in many areas, not only in Theology. He published forty-two books and many articles. His theme of the Pain of God remained a central idea in many of these. Theology of the Pain of God has reached a wide audience in Japan, even outside the Christian community.
The Pain of God
Kitamori's idea of the Pain of God is based on Jeremiah 31:20:"Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the LORD. (NIV)
In the Japanese Literary Version (an older translation of the Bible into Japanese), the phrase, "My heart yearns..." can be translated "My heart is pained." Luther matches this idea most closely when he translates it "Darum bricht mir mein Herz" (Therefore my heart is broken). While modern Japanese versions were moving away from this translation, Kitamori felt that translators like Luther and Calvin gave him scholarly justification for keeping this translation as the basis of his work.
Kitamori's (1946) book, Theology of the Pain of God, was used by Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann is a German Reformed theologian. The 2000 recipient of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.-Moltmann's Youth:...
.
Other sources
- Hashimoto, Akio. "Legacy of Kitamori in Contemporary Japanese Christian Thought." Missio Apostolica, XII, 1, May 2004, pp. 11–16.
- Lundeen, Lyman T. "Theology of the Pain of God." (Review) Lutheran World, XIII, 4, Winter 1966, pp. 465–466.
- Meyer, Richard. "Toward a Japanese Theology: Kitamori's Theology of the Pain of God." Concordia Theological Monthly, XXXIII, 5, May 1962, pp. 261–272.
- Skrade, Carl. "Theology of the Pain of God." (Review) Lutheran Quarterly, XVIII, 3, August 1966, pp. 289–291.