Missionary - Senkyoushi (English spelling) missionary

Japanese: 宣教師 - せんきょうし(英語表記)missionary
Missionary - Senkyoushi (English spelling) missionary

It refers to priests and pastors who are sent to countries where Christianity has not yet taken root in order to spread the gospel of Christ and the church. In a broader sense, it also includes people who directly or indirectly assist these clergymen. Following the teaching of Christ to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people" (Mark 16:15), Christianity has been actively engaged in missionary activities since its early days. The activities of the Apostle Paul are a typical example, and his missionary speech at the Areopagus in Athens is famous (Acts 17:19-34). Missionary activities continued even after that, producing many martyrs. In particular, the activities of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the Middle Ages and the missionary work to Asia, Africa, and the New World centered on the Jesuits in the 16th century are important events in the history of Christianity. Many missionaries came to Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries, including the Jesuit Xavier, and established the Christian era.

In modern times, the enthusiasm for overseas missionary work grew among various Protestant denominations, starting with the mission to India of Carey of the British Baptist Church, known as the "father of early modern overseas missionary work." After the country opened up to the world at the end of the Edo period, missionaries such as Brown, Hepburn, Williams, Verbeck, Rose, Janes, the Catholics Girard and Petitjean, and the Russian Orthodox Nikolai came to Japan one after another and played an active role. Furthermore, it is also historically important that these missionaries not only spread Christianity but also played the role of intermediaries between Western culture in general and the various civilizations in the areas where they were to spread their faith.

[Yoshio Tsuruoka]

[Reference] | Evangelism

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

キリストの福音(ふくいん)を宣(の)べ伝え、教会を広めるために、キリスト教がまだ根づいていない地域の国々に派遣される司祭や牧師をいう。広義には、これらの聖職者を直接間接に補助する人々も含む。「全世界に出ていって、すべての人々に福音を宣べ伝えよ」(「マルコ伝福音書」16章15)とのキリストの教えに従って、キリスト教はその最初期から布教活動を積極的に行ってきた。使徒パウロの活動はその典型であり、アテネのアレオパゴスでの宣教の演説は名高い(「使徒行伝」17章19~34)。その後も宣教活動は、多くの殉教者を生み出しつつも絶えず続けられ、とくに中世のフランシスコ会やドミニコ会の活動、16世紀のイエズス会を中心とするアジア、アフリカ、新大陸への宣教は、キリスト教史上においても重要なできごとである。日本にも、イエズス会士ザビエルはじめ、16~17世紀にかけて多くの宣教師が来日し、キリシタン時代を築いた。

 近代に入っては、「近世海外伝道の父」とよばれる英国バプテスト教会のケアリーのインド宣教を嚆矢(こうし)に、プロテスタント諸教派にも海外伝道熱が高まり、わが国にも幕末の開国後、ブラウン、ヘボン、ウィリアムズ、フルベッキ、バラ、ジェーンズ、カトリックのジラール、プチジャン、ロシア正教のニコライらが次々に渡来して活躍した。なお、こうした宣教師たちが、キリスト教の普及と同時に、西洋文化全般と布教地の諸文明との仲介者の役割を果たしてきたことも歴史的に重要である。

[鶴岡賀雄]

[参照項目] | 伝道

出典 小学館 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について 情報 | 凡例

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