There are many yet to be told and told but known to the few stories about the gradual but heroic spread of our dear Christian faith in many parts of the world. How many incorrupt bodies like that of St. Philomena are yet to be discovered and how many hidden sacrifices against one's own people for the sake of the faith may never be known or are almost forgotten by the few that knew it. Yet we know, according to Marcus Garvey, that "a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."
The History of Christianity in Japan, like every other little beginning of Christianity, in need of some precious blood of Martyrs for seeds, had its share of martyrdom and persecutions. The tales of the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki in Japan is quite known to many Catholics who are interested in the history of our Catholic heritage. Nevertheless, very few knows the story, struggles and rebellions of a Catholic Samurai, Shiro Amakusa in an effort to save the lives of tens of thousands of Christians. This struggle is now known as the Shimbara rebellion.
A Quintessential Author, Michael. T. Chibenko has taken his time to give a historical, philosophical and an adventured presentation of this momentous event in the Catholic history of Japan in his book Masaru, published by Arx publishing.
OUTLINE
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
Christianity came to Japan in the mid-16th
century AD. Heralded by courageous Jesuits from Spain and Portugal, eager to
take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the earth, Christianity
soon took root in that far-off land. At the time, Japan was divided between
warring states as feudal lords known as daimyo vied for supremacy. From day
one, the Catholic faith found surprising acceptance among Japanese of all walks
of life, and within fifty years the number of Japanese converts known as
Kirishitan numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Things began to change with
the arrival of a unified Japan under the powerful Tokugawa shogunate in the
early 17th century. While the Tokugawa shoguns valued European weapons and
trade goods, they were of little use to the alien religion, whose success was
viewed with growing suspicion and hostility. Shiro Nakagawa comes from a family
of recent converts living near Hitoyoshi Castle on Kyushu Island. Shiro, a
young man from the samurai class, is studying healers but has also heard the
call to become a Catholic priest. However, his plans for the future are
interrupted when the shogun in Kyoto orders all churches across Japan to be
closed. All Gaijin priests are expelled from the country. All Christian
practices and images are strictly forbidden. This order leads to widespread
persecution, mistreatment and even killing of Christians on the islands.
Attacked, Shiro knows he must act. Together with his childhood friend Tomi,
Shiro embarks on a mission to save the priest, Olivera and defend the defenseless
Kirishitans in southern Kyushu. Along with an army of outraged ronin and
villagers, Shiro captures Yatsushiro Castle and sheltered
tens of thousands of Christian refugees. But even as the spark of justified
resistance begins to burn, Shiro and his comrades realize it's only a matter of
time before the Shogun's army descends on Yatsushiro in full force, deploying
terrifying new European weapons. Masaru is a historical novel that paints with
vivid colors the sufferings of early Japanese Christians. Cibenko uses his
expert knowledge of Japanese culture and language to create a memorable and
authentic epic of early Christian Japan that entertains the reader while
effortlessly providing a lesson about this fascinating and complex period of
history.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
"My
book, Masaru (a word that translates to “victory”), is a work of historical
fiction based on the events
of The Shimabara Rebellion, and the person of Shiro Amakusa. (In the book, I
give the main
character the last name of Nakagawa, the maiden’s name of my Japanese
grandmother.) Masaru
blends actual history with many of the cultural observations of my four years
living in Japan.
It also contains a good deal of apologetics, much of which was inspired by
theological discussions
during my fifteen years of teaching Catholic high school in my native northwest
New Jersey.
This labor of love, which really seeks to get to the heart of what makes a
Christian warrior,
was written for anyone who is interested in Church history, Japanese culture,
or just a compelling
adventure story."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael
T. Cibenko is a graduate from the University of Montana. In his early 20s, he
taught English in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. During this time, he became
fascinated by the local culture and the devotion of the close-knit community of
Japanese Catholics. It was in this close-knit community that he revived his
faith and met his wife who is a native of Yatsushiro. A student of history,
Michael became interested in the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637, an ultimately
failed Japanese Christian revolt led by a Catholic samurai Shiro
Amakusa. It is this fascination that is to flourish in the historical novel,
Masaru.
RECOMMENDATION
"In
a manner reminiscent of Clavell’s Shogun, Masaru transports the reader to
medieval Japan with realism that delights the senses, offering up a blend of
history, philosophy and adventure. Based on events little known to those in the
West, Masaru artfully presents the faith with a compelling synthesis of action
and dialog. Calling upon his own heritage and experiences living in Japan, the
author brings to life with vivid textures the characters and settings of the
tale. Timeless truths of the faith are presented with fidelity, yet in a manner
that is both refreshing and provocative. This is a must-read for anyone who
appreciates Japanese culture, lovers of history and philosophy, or those who
simply enjoy an exceptionally well-told story." —Jeffrey Bond, PhD, The
University of Chicago
GET THE BOOK
You
can get this book at a very affordable price from the Arx Publishing by
clicking here
REFERENCE
Many of the information used in this post were gotten from both the Arx Publishing website and direct correspondence with the author of the book.
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