Spirit of Jesus Church
Encyclopedia
The Spirit of Jesus Church (Iesu no Mitama Kyōkai, イエス之御霊教会), is an independent New religious movements which was established in 1941 in Japan
by Murai Jun
. The church was named in accordance with a heavenly vision he reportedly received in 1941. The core mission of the Spirit of Jesus Church, is defined in the Gospel of Mark
16:15-18. There he instructed his disciples to preach the gospel and baptize the believers, and promised the power to perform miracles, cast out demons, speaking in tongues, and heal the sick. It is one of the fastest-growing Christian bodies in Japan, having increased its membership from 34,477 in 1970 to 433,108 at the end of the 1980s. Taken at face value, the Spirit of Jesus Church is one of the largest New religious movements in Japan.. It has combined elements of Christianity and Japanese folk religion. They also reject the trinitarian doctrine and claims to be the only true Christian church in Japan.
They also perform the ceremony of the washing of the feet
, which was originally performed by Jesus (John
13). This practice has been revived with some pastors who wash the feet of the new members immediately after the baptism in the name of Jesus. The ceremony of washing the feet, symbolizes that members have cut off ties with the devil and have embarked on a new life. In addition to these practices, the Spirit of Jesus Church also retains the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
When the Spirit of Jesus Church presents the Gospel to the newcomers, they invite people to accept Jesus
, and encourage them to be baptized in water and Spirit. They sing "Receive the Holy Spirit, received the baptism in water." Only perform Baptism
s in the name of Jesus Christ according to Acts 2:38 and Acts 10:48, and believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is received through speaking in tongues. During prayer sessions, the members would continually recite "Hallelujah" until they had received the Holy Spirit.
had contact with the True Jesus Church
. Thus he joined that Pentecostal apostolic church by accepting the doctrine of the single God
, and received baptism in the Holy Spirit speaking of tongues, and the baptism of water in the name of Jesus. He also knew the ceremony of foot washing, and the hope of the Second Coming of Jesus. He was then Baptised as a member of the True Jesus Church
.
However, upon his return to Japan, he founded his own denomination, the Spirit of Jesus Church He claimed that his wife, Suwa, had received a revelation from God in which the name Iesu no Mitama Kyokai (Spirit of Jesus Church) was to be given to designate them as a new church.
Organized as an independent group in 1941, this institution, like many other Christian denominations in Japan, have not experienced significant growth until after World War II
. In 1950, the church was built in central Tokyo
, and two years later had established a Bible Institute to train pastors.
The Spirit of Jesus Church engages in "spiritual warfare" against the Japanese traditional religiosity and condemns the practice as "idolatrous". In their evangelistic campaigns, pastors have invited believers to stay away from pagan
idols
and refrain from participation in pagan rituals. It also teaches that we must refrain from the practice of traditional rituals of ancestor worship.
The Spirit of Jesus Church considers the Buddhist altar, the hereditary tombstones and amulet
s of Shintoism as places where evil spirits dwell. According to representatives of the church, ancestor worship is a direct violation of the second commandment that spoke against the worship false gods.
. They link salvific work in the spirit world and the notion of "household" salvation to the supposed ritual of vicarious baptism referred to in 1 Cor. 15:29. This church claims that through the ritual of vicarious baptism (先祖の身代わり洗礼) that the blessings of individual salvation can be extended to past generations as well. Members of this church can request that ancestors be baptized at the same time they are, or whenever they become concerned about the salvation of those who have gone before. A member simply states the ancestor's name, announces his or her relationship to the deceased, and then undergoes baptism by immersion on their behalf. It is significant to note here that this church also performs baptism for mizuko (水子, aborted
and stillborn children). They claim that "through this ritual the good news of the forgiveness of sins is communicated to the dead, and their spirits are transported from hades to heaven." Members of that church are assured that they may lay aside all their doubts and misgivings regarding the state of their ancestors following this ritual. A pastor of this church in Okinawa explained that prior to the ritual of vicarious baptism many of the members had disturbing visions of the wandering spirits of the dead. Following this ritual care, however, the sprits were felt to be 'at peace' and there were no longer any troubling spiritual encounters.
Concern for the dead does not end with the ritual of baptism. The Common Memorial Service for Comforting of the Spirits is also an important service in all Spirit of Jesus Churches. According to a church representative, the significance of this service is that it allows living believers to join with the spirits of the dead in common prayer to Jesus. In this it certainly resembles the Buddhist Obon Festival, and a central motif of which is reunion and fellowship with the dead.
The church has recently clarified these statistics by indicating that there is an "active membership" of 23,283 individuals who regularly attend meetings and engage in church activities of one kind or another. One rural church on the island of Shikoku
reported a membership of 600, however regular attendance at weekly meetings in the mother church was from 3-15 people. The Tokyo
district reports a membership of over 80,000, but attendance at weekly meetings in the main church averages around 500. The Okinawa Spirit of Jesus Church reports a membership of 7,464, but pastors informed me that attendance is between 180-200, and 400-500 would attend the Christmas and Easter services. If one generalizes from these three examples, the active membership is probably less than 10% of the total claimed. Although the Spirit of Jesus Church continues to report thousands of baptisms, these claims are not accompanied by a serious increase in "active" members.
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...
by Murai Jun
Murai Jun
Murai Jun was the founder of what is regarded today as the largest indigenous church in Japan - Iesu no Mitama Kyōkai, was born into a Methodist family in Tokyo and later studied theology at Aoyama College. While he was studying there, something troubled him deeply to the point of anticipating...
. The church was named in accordance with a heavenly vision he reportedly received in 1941. The core mission of the Spirit of Jesus Church, is defined in the Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
16:15-18. There he instructed his disciples to preach the gospel and baptize the believers, and promised the power to perform miracles, cast out demons, speaking in tongues, and heal the sick. It is one of the fastest-growing Christian bodies in Japan, having increased its membership from 34,477 in 1970 to 433,108 at the end of the 1980s. Taken at face value, the Spirit of Jesus Church is one of the largest New religious movements in Japan.. It has combined elements of Christianity and Japanese folk religion. They also reject the trinitarian doctrine and claims to be the only true Christian church in Japan.
Doctrines and beliefs
They believe in divine health through prayer and the anointing of oil, because this is a practice referred to in the New Testament (James 5:14-16).They also perform the ceremony of the washing of the feet
Feet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
, which was originally performed by Jesus (John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
13). This practice has been revived with some pastors who wash the feet of the new members immediately after the baptism in the name of Jesus. The ceremony of washing the feet, symbolizes that members have cut off ties with the devil and have embarked on a new life. In addition to these practices, the Spirit of Jesus Church also retains the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
When the Spirit of Jesus Church presents the Gospel to the newcomers, they invite people to accept Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, and encourage them to be baptized in water and Spirit. They sing "Receive the Holy Spirit, received the baptism in water." Only perform Baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
s in the name of Jesus Christ according to Acts 2:38 and Acts 10:48, and believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is received through speaking in tongues. During prayer sessions, the members would continually recite "Hallelujah" until they had received the Holy Spirit.
History
In a visit he made to Taiwan in 1941, Murai JunMurai Jun
Murai Jun was the founder of what is regarded today as the largest indigenous church in Japan - Iesu no Mitama Kyōkai, was born into a Methodist family in Tokyo and later studied theology at Aoyama College. While he was studying there, something troubled him deeply to the point of anticipating...
had contact with the True Jesus Church
True Jesus Church
The True Jesus Church is a non-denominational Christian church that originated in Beijing, China, in 1917. The current elected chairman of the TJC International Assembly is Preacher Yong-Ji Lin. Today, there are approximately 2.5 million members in fifty three countries and six continents...
. Thus he joined that Pentecostal apostolic church by accepting the doctrine of the single God
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
, and received baptism in the Holy Spirit speaking of tongues, and the baptism of water in the name of Jesus. He also knew the ceremony of foot washing, and the hope of the Second Coming of Jesus. He was then Baptised as a member of the True Jesus Church
True Jesus Church
The True Jesus Church is a non-denominational Christian church that originated in Beijing, China, in 1917. The current elected chairman of the TJC International Assembly is Preacher Yong-Ji Lin. Today, there are approximately 2.5 million members in fifty three countries and six continents...
.
However, upon his return to Japan, he founded his own denomination, the Spirit of Jesus Church He claimed that his wife, Suwa, had received a revelation from God in which the name Iesu no Mitama Kyokai (Spirit of Jesus Church) was to be given to designate them as a new church.
Organized as an independent group in 1941, this institution, like many other Christian denominations in Japan, have not experienced significant growth until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1950, the church was built in central 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...
, and two years later had established a Bible Institute to train pastors.
The Church of the Holy Spirit of Jesus and the traditional religion of Japan
The preaching methods of the Spirit of Jesus Church tend to reiterate the pledges of the spiritual and material blessings for the true believers, with the belief that God complies faithfully to their promises.The Spirit of Jesus Church engages in "spiritual warfare" against the Japanese traditional religiosity and condemns the practice as "idolatrous". In their evangelistic campaigns, pastors have invited believers to stay away from pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
idols
Idolatry
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
and refrain from participation in pagan rituals. It also teaches that we must refrain from the practice of traditional rituals of ancestor worship.
The Spirit of Jesus Church considers the Buddhist altar, the hereditary tombstones and amulet
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
s of Shintoism as places where evil spirits dwell. According to representatives of the church, ancestor worship is a direct violation of the second commandment that spoke against the worship false gods.
Vicarious baptism rituals
The Spirit of Jesus Church performs Baptism for the DeadBaptism for the dead
Baptism for the dead, vicarious baptism or proxy baptism is the religious practice of baptizing a living person on behalf of one who is dead, with the living person acting as the deceased person's proxy...
. They link salvific work in the spirit world and the notion of "household" salvation to the supposed ritual of vicarious baptism referred to in 1 Cor. 15:29. This church claims that through the ritual of vicarious baptism (先祖の身代わり洗礼) that the blessings of individual salvation can be extended to past generations as well. Members of this church can request that ancestors be baptized at the same time they are, or whenever they become concerned about the salvation of those who have gone before. A member simply states the ancestor's name, announces his or her relationship to the deceased, and then undergoes baptism by immersion on their behalf. It is significant to note here that this church also performs baptism for mizuko (水子, aborted
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and stillborn children). They claim that "through this ritual the good news of the forgiveness of sins is communicated to the dead, and their spirits are transported from hades to heaven." Members of that church are assured that they may lay aside all their doubts and misgivings regarding the state of their ancestors following this ritual. A pastor of this church in Okinawa explained that prior to the ritual of vicarious baptism many of the members had disturbing visions of the wandering spirits of the dead. Following this ritual care, however, the sprits were felt to be 'at peace' and there were no longer any troubling spiritual encounters.
Concern for the dead does not end with the ritual of baptism. The Common Memorial Service for Comforting of the Spirits is also an important service in all Spirit of Jesus Churches. According to a church representative, the significance of this service is that it allows living believers to join with the spirits of the dead in common prayer to Jesus. In this it certainly resembles the Buddhist Obon Festival, and a central motif of which is reunion and fellowship with the dead.
Scope
By 1958, the Spirit of Jesus Church had grown to a number of 28,000 members, becoming the third largest Protestant denomination in Japan. For 1970 it had 453 churches and a membership of 62,726 adherents. The church continued to grow strongly during the decade of the 1970s and has experienced great growth during the last decade. Early in the 1990s the church is believed to have 420,000 members.The church has recently clarified these statistics by indicating that there is an "active membership" of 23,283 individuals who regularly attend meetings and engage in church activities of one kind or another. One rural church on the island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
reported a membership of 600, however regular attendance at weekly meetings in the mother church was from 3-15 people. The 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...
district reports a membership of over 80,000, but attendance at weekly meetings in the main church averages around 500. The Okinawa Spirit of Jesus Church reports a membership of 7,464, but pastors informed me that attendance is between 180-200, and 400-500 would attend the Christmas and Easter services. If one generalizes from these three examples, the active membership is probably less than 10% of the total claimed. Although the Spirit of Jesus Church continues to report thousands of baptisms, these claims are not accompanied by a serious increase in "active" members.