Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
Encyclopedia
The or JELC is a Lutheran church in Japan
. It currently has approximately 21,990 baptized members in 122 congregations nationwide.
The current president of the JELC is the Rev Sumiyuki Watanabe.
, a predecessor of the Lutheran Church in America
, arrived in Yokohama
. The first worship service in Japan was observed on Easter Sunday of 1893 in the city of Saga
on the island of Kyūshū
under the leadership of James Augustin Brown Scherer
and R. B. Peery assisted by a Japanese co-worker, Ryohei Yamanuchi.
The first 16 believers were baptised within the first 2 years of the work and by 1898, the JELC was organized with 60 baptised members with the city of Kumamoto
becoming the center of Japanese Lutheranism. The first expatriate workers were soon joined by missionaries from the American Danish Lutheran Church (1898) and Finland (1900). The first church building was also consecrated in the city of Saga in 1900.
In 1909, the Lutheran Theological Seminary was established in Kamamoto to train national workers and by 1920 congregations were being established in major cities like Tokyo
, Osaka
, and Kobe
. In 1925, the Lutheran Theological Seminary was transferred to Nakano, Tokyo
.
. As many as 12 different Lutheran denominations and mission societies established work in Japan. Former Lutheran members from the UCCJ met in Kamamoto in 1947 and decided to withdraw from the UCCJ and re-establish the JELC.
The JELC worked in close cooperation with many of the mission agencies and in 1963, the Tokai Lutheran Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
merged with the JELC. In 1969, the Lutheran Theological Seminary was moved to Mitaka, Tokyo
and in the same year the JELC embarked on a 5 year plan to achieve self sufficiency and by 1974, the goals set forth had generally been achieved.
A ten year evangelism and church restructuring program known as Power Mission 21 was adopted in 2002 to move the JELC into a new era of true independence through structural reformation and a renewed emphasis on evangelism. This includes an emphasis on youth evangelism as well as fostering the Christian growth of youth, the strengthening of the laity and lay led evangelism, clergy continuing education and a program for clergy review, as well as church/congregational restructuring in order to strengthen outreach.
Many local congregations in all districts serve their communities through Christian kindergartens and nursery schools.
The JELC also works in partnership with:
, the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Japan Lutheran Brethren Church, the Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church and the Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church (Marburger Mission).
Cooperation among the various Lutheran churches in Japan is common, particularly with respect to outreach ministries. Church planting plans are mutually shared in order to avoid duplications. Most of the Lutheran churches have also joined together to form the , which publishes Christian books and materials; one notable endeavor being in the publication of a common Lutheran hymnal.
The NRK and the JELC sponsor a joint seminary in Tokyo, the Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary
whilst the other Lutheran seminary in Kobe
is sponsored by the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church and the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It currently has approximately 21,990 baptized members in 122 congregations nationwide.
The current president of the JELC is the Rev Sumiyuki Watanabe.
Early history
The beginnings of the JELC go back to 1892 when the first missionaries to Japan were sent by the United Synod of the SouthUnited Synod of the South
United Synod of the South is the name given to a historic Lutheran church body in the southern states of the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
, a predecessor of the Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Church in America
The Lutheran Church in America was a U.S. and Canadian Lutheran church body that existed from 1962 to 1987. It was headquartered in New York City and its publishing house was Fortress Press....
, arrived in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. The first worship service in Japan was observed on Easter Sunday of 1893 in the city of Saga
Saga, Saga
is the capital of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province....
on the island of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
under the leadership of James Augustin Brown Scherer
James Augustin Brown Scherer
James A. B. Scherer served as the last President of the Throop Polytechnic Institute until its renaming to the California Institute of Technology . Before being asked by George Ellery Hale to serve as President of Throop, Scherer was a Lutheran minister...
and R. B. Peery assisted by a Japanese co-worker, Ryohei Yamanuchi.
The first 16 believers were baptised within the first 2 years of the work and by 1898, the JELC was organized with 60 baptised members with the city of Kumamoto
Kumamoto, Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...
becoming the center of Japanese Lutheranism. The first expatriate workers were soon joined by missionaries from the American Danish Lutheran Church (1898) and Finland (1900). The first church building was also consecrated in the city of Saga in 1900.
In 1909, the Lutheran Theological Seminary was established in Kamamoto to train national workers and by 1920 congregations were being established in major cities like Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
. In 1925, the Lutheran Theological Seminary was transferred to Nakano, Tokyo
Nakano, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nakano City .As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 311,690 with a household number of 176,936 and a density of 19,992.94 persons per km². The total area is 15.59 km².-Geography:Five special wards...
.
Second World War
Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, the (UCCJ) was formed under state pressure and all Protestant denominations were forced to merge with this new body. All foreign missionaries were expelled from the country and some churches were closed in this period. The JELC ceased to exist and only reconstituted themselves upon the end of the war.Post war period
The end of the Second World War saw an influx of foreign missionaries, particularly from the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As many as 12 different Lutheran denominations and mission societies established work in Japan. Former Lutheran members from the UCCJ met in Kamamoto in 1947 and decided to withdraw from the UCCJ and re-establish the JELC.
The JELC worked in close cooperation with many of the mission agencies and in 1963, the Tokai Lutheran Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church (United States)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church or ELC was formed in 1917 as the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America .-Background:The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was formed by merger of the Hauge Synod , the Norwegian Synod , and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America...
merged with the JELC. In 1969, the Lutheran Theological Seminary was moved to Mitaka, Tokyo
Mitaka, Tokyo
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 November 2010, the city has an estimated population of 176,737. The total area is 16.50 km² and is about 50 – 55 meters above sea level...
and in the same year the JELC embarked on a 5 year plan to achieve self sufficiency and by 1974, the goals set forth had generally been achieved.
Current developments
In 1993, a Mission Centennial Assembly was held in Kumamoto. Despite having a comparatively small membership with most congregations having less than 50 members, the JELC has sent successive missionaries to serve among Japanese immigrants in Brazil, serving with the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, as well as to the United States among expatriate Japanese.A ten year evangelism and church restructuring program known as Power Mission 21 was adopted in 2002 to move the JELC into a new era of true independence through structural reformation and a renewed emphasis on evangelism. This includes an emphasis on youth evangelism as well as fostering the Christian growth of youth, the strengthening of the laity and lay led evangelism, clergy continuing education and a program for clergy review, as well as church/congregational restructuring in order to strengthen outreach.
Structure & organization
The current president of the JELC is Rev Masatoshi Yamanouchi who formerly served as the Executive Director of the JELC. The JELC is divided into 5 regional districts which are further subdivided into geographical areas and institutions.List of districts
- Kyūshū District link
- Congregations in the prefectures of FukuokaFukuoka Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
, KumamotoKumamoto Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
, SagaSaga Prefectureis located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
, NagasakiNagasaki Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, ŌitaOita Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
, MiyazakiMiyazaki Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....
, and KagoshimaKagoshima Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
- Western District link
- Congregations in the prefectures of KyotoKyoto Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....
, OsakaOsaka Prefectureis a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
, HyōgoHyogo Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
, OkayamaOkayama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
, HiroshimaHiroshima Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, ShimaneShimane Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
, KagawaKagawa Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...
, EhimeEhime Prefectureis a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
, and YamaguchiYamaguchi Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
- Tokai District link
- Congregations in the prefectures of ShizuokaShizuoka Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, AichiAichi Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
, and GifuGifu Prefectureis a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
- Eastern District link
- Congregations in the prefectures of MiyagiMiyagi Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
, ChibaChiba Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, Tokyo, KanagawaKanagawa Prefectureis a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, YamanashiYamanashi Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, and NaganoNagano Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...
- Hokkaido District link
- Congregations in the prefecture of HokkaidōHokkaido, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
Ministries
Throughout the history of the JELC, education has been emphasized along with evangelism. Social welfare has also long been an important part of the JELC's work.Education
- Kyūshū District
- Kyushu Gakuin Junior & Senior High School, Kumamoto, Kyūshū
-
- Established in 1911 for the training of pastors and the education of young men. Became co-educational in 1991
- Luther Junior & Senior High School, Kumamoto, KyūshūKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
- Luther Junior & Senior High School, Kumamoto, Kyūshū
- Established in 1924 for the education of young women. Became co-educational in 2001
- Kyushu Lutheran CollegeKyushu Lutheran College' has its roots in Kyushu Jo-Gakuin , originally established as a girl's high school in 1926. A women's junior college opened in 1975 and the current four-year college opened its doors to women and men in 1997. The Rev. Dr. Yoshiro Ishida was the college's first president. The Rev...
, Kumamoto, Kyūshū
- Kyushu Lutheran College
- Established in 1975 as the Kyushu Women's Junior College. Received accreditation as a four year college in 1997
- Eastern District
- Japan Lutheran CollegeJapan Lutheran Collegethumb|200px|Japan Lutheran Collegethumb|200px|Chapel is a private university in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded 1909 in Kumamoto, Kumamoto. It was chartered as a university in 1964. The present name was adopted in 1996....
, Mitaka, Tokyo
- Established in 1909 as the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Kumamoto, Kyūshū. Relocated to Tokyo in 1925 and received accreditation as a four year college in 1964. In 1996, the college is renamed Japan Lutheran College and the seminary administered as a separate entity.
- Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary, Mitaka, Tokyo
- Originally part of the original Lutheran Theological Seminary, it merged with the School of Theology established by the Japan Lutheran ChurchJapan Lutheran ChurchThe or NRK is a Confessional Lutheran denomination in Japan. It currently has approximately 2,645 baptized members in 35 congregations nationwide.The current president of the NRK is the Rev...
and has been administered separately as the Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary since 1996.
- Established in 1911 for the training of pastors and the education of young men. Became co-educational in 1991
Many local congregations in all districts serve their communities through Christian kindergartens and nursery schools.
Social welfare
Social welfare has long been an important part of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church. Two institutions, Jiai-en (House of Mercy) in Kumamoto and The Tokyo Home for the Elderly in Tokyo, have been leading pioneers in the field of social work in Japan. The Kamagasaki Diaconia Center in the slums of Osaka includes child care, mutual learning, problem study, and community projects.Ecumenism
The JELC participates in ecumenical relationships through:- National Christian Council in Japan
- Christian Conference of AsiaChristian Conference of AsiaThe Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 17 National Councils and 100 denominations in 21 countries:- Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,...
- World Council of ChurchesWorld Council of ChurchesThe World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
- Lutheran World FederationLutheran World FederationThe Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
- Asian Lutheran Communion
The JELC also works in partnership with:
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaEvangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
- South Carolina SynodSouth Carolina SynodThe South Carolina Synod is one of 65 geographical administrative districts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, comprising the entire state of South Carolina. The current bishop of the Synod is The Rev. Dr. Herman R. Yoos III, who was elected by the 2008 Synod Assembly at the...
Relationship with other Lutheran churches
The work of Lutheran missionaries resulted in the establishment of five major Lutheran church bodies and a number of smaller ones, with a total membership of approximately 30,000. The largest of these, with about 20,000 members, is the JELC. Other Lutheran churches include the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran ChurchKinki Evangelical Lutheran Church
The or KELC is a Lutheran church in Japan. It currently has approximately 2,759 baptized members in 29 congregations nationwide .The current president is the Rev Shigeo Sueoka.-History:...
, the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Japan Lutheran Brethren Church, the Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church and the Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church (Marburger Mission).
Cooperation among the various Lutheran churches in Japan is common, particularly with respect to outreach ministries. Church planting plans are mutually shared in order to avoid duplications. Most of the Lutheran churches have also joined together to form the , which publishes Christian books and materials; one notable endeavor being in the publication of a common Lutheran hymnal.
The NRK and the JELC sponsor a joint seminary in Tokyo, the Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
whilst the other Lutheran seminary in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
is sponsored by the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church and the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church.