Customer Reviews

Japan's Modern Prophet: Uchimura Kanzo 1861-1930 (Asian Religions and Society)

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Howes surprised me with his patient account of this deep thinker and passionate, somewhat troubled Christian. I am not religious, but nevertheless found inspiration in the passionate struggle of Uchimura to attain virtue -- not freedom from sin, but a compromise to live with little sin as best he could.

Perhaps the concept of sin doesn't feel relevant to those who are not religious -- yet we see in this portrait Uchimura's struggle, like Africans educated in Europe, to determine who he is, and overcome what he thinks is wrong with him.

Uchimura ends up being a true pillar -- inspired by other Christian ministers early in his life, in awe of their upstanding self-sacrifice and devotion to giving -- Uchimura learns to find strength within himself to inspire, to be an authority on ethical questions.

An excellent antidote to the mal de siècle that leaves us feeling a tasteless lack of ethical solidity in North American society today.