Week 3: Rituals, Religion: Omiai, Soshiki, Kisetsu, Itoko Dori, Otogibanashi, Japanese Funerals April 18-24

Reading:

Interviewing:

  • Interview a Japanese person and ask them about one or two of the topics that we’ve covered so far in the book. Ask their perspective on the topics.
  • Discuss if their viewpoint/experiences align with what we’ve read in the book.

Writing: Weekly Paper: “Impressions and Points from Your Reading”

  • Japanese Funerals: 
    1. What do you think that our Christian perspective should be of Japanese Buddhist Funerals? 
    2. What position do believers and churches currently hold in Japanese funerals?
    3. What do you think that our position/role should be or could be? How could that be achieved? 
  • Itoko-Dori
    1. How does Itoko-Dori potentially impact people’s acceptance and expression of Christianity? How does Syncretism relate to Itoko-Dori? 
    2. How do we approach/teach Japanese believers on Itoko-Dori and syncretism?
  • How do we disciple people to fall in love with the person of Jesus Christ and the father’s heart and priorities and not just teach a religion of allowable and disallowable actions?

Optional:

  • Read the discussion questions at the end of the chapter. Are there any that you think highlight a key point that merits further discussion by the class, specifically as it relates to how we think about and approach ministry to the Japanese?
  • Read as many of the other students’ writings and comment on at least two of them.

Pray:

  • Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan.
  • Topic related to this week’s learning:
    • Family Ministries – Prayer for Family Ministries (May 3-5)

Extra Suggestions:

Questions