霊の進化--ブラジルにおける世界救世教の受容をめぐって
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概要
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The Church of World Messianity (Sekai Kyusei Kyo), a Japanese new religion, has propagated in Brazil since 1956. The religion claims that it has 250,000 followers and 95 percent of them are non-Japanese. By comparing Messianity with Catholicism and kardecismo, a Brazilian spiritualism, this paper tries to elucidate the reason why the religion was accepted by non-Japanese Brazilians. Messianity defines itself as a religion that realizes the prophecy of Christianity. Further, Messianity's care of its followers is attractive for Catholics because liberation theology, which has retained remarkable influence in Brazil since the 1970s, focuses on the salvation of society rather than on individual salvation. Kardecismo is closer to Messianity than Catholicism, however. Both Messianity and kardecismo (1) believe in the existence of the spirit world, (2) put importance on the procedures which transfer transcendental energy from one human being to another (3) believe in reincarnation, (4) urge spiritual evolution; raise the spirit's level in the spirit world. These similarities are not by coincidence. Western spiritualism reflects in Messianity's doctrine, because the founder Okada Mokichi was interested in Western spiritualism and read its literature in Japanese translation. With its closeness to Catholicism and kardecismo both in doctrinal and practical aspects, Messianity has achieved success in propagation in Brazil.
- 東京大学文学部宗教学研究室,Department of Religious Studies. The University of Tokyo,カリフォルニア大学バークレー校の論文