Okinawa Collection

Christian Missionaries and Ryukyus

This year Director Martin Martin Scorsese releases his film titled Silence, which is based on the Japanese novel by Endō Shūsaku (遠藤周作).

Britannica Academic Online explains that Endō’s Silence (沈黙=Chinmoku, 1966) is “a fictionalized account of Portuguese priests who traveled to Japan and the subsequent slaughter of their Japanese converts. This novel and Samurai (1980; The Samurai)—a fascinating account of a samurai’s journey on behalf of his shogun to open trade with Mexico, Spain, and Rome—are considered his best writing, showing the complexities of the interactions between cultures as well as presenting a supple and well-told narrative.” [accessed on 12/13/2016].

In 1846 Bernard Jean Bettelheim came to visit the Ryukyus, and spent the following 8 years worked as the first Protestant missionary.

The Naha City Museum of History has some images related to Bettelheim.

One of the images is a picture of the Bettelheim’s house.

Resources:

• Jenkins, A.P. (2005). The journal and official correspondence of Bernard Jean Bettelheim, 1545-54, I: 1845-51. Okinawa Prefectural History Series, 21, subseries, 2. Okinawa Prefectural Archives.
•  Porter, A. (2007). The journal and official correspondence of Bernard Jean Bettelheim, 1845-54 , I: 1845-51 . Edited by A. P. Jenkins. (Okinawa Prefectural History Ser., 21, subseries, 2.) Okinawa: Okinawa Prefectural Government Board of Education, 2005. Pp. xxx+640. Yen 4,000+ post packing from Okinawa Prefectural Archives, Arakawa, 148-3, Haebaru, Okinawa 9011105, Japan. The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 58(2), 368-369. DOI: 10.1017/S0022046906000273