The Diary of a Japanese Convert (ePub)

Uchimura Kanzo (1861-1930) was a renowned Japanese author and Christian evangelist who is highly regarded for his significant contributions to the development of non-church Christianity in Japan. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), he pursued his education at Sapporo Agricultural College, where he was deeply influenced by his American teachers and embraced Christianity. Uchimura's faith was not simply doctrinal but also profoundly contemplative and interwoven with his sense of national identity, a recurring theme in his literary works and public life. After studying in the United States, he returned to Japan determined to propagate a form of Christianity that was free from ecclesiastical structures and foreign influence, fostering a direct personal relationship between the individual believer and God. His seminal work, 'The Diary of a Japanese Convert' (1895), offers an introspective narrative of his spiritual journey, reflecting his internal struggles and the synthesis of his Christian faith with Japanese values. Uchimura's literary style is characterized by introspection, sincerity, and a passionate concern for truth and justice, elements that have invited comparison with the transcendentalist movement. His writings continue to be studied for their unique approach to religion and spirituality that bridges Eastern and Western philosophical thought.