August 12, 2008

• Book Review: Samurai

  If you plan to read this book, you may want to read my ramblings later, as they contain plot spoilers.

  This book is based on a voyage by a historical figure, Hasekura Rokuemon (1571-1622).  In the story, Hasekura is appointed by his local Lord to make a voyage to arrange a trading rights for Japan in Mexico in exchange for rights for the Franciscans, represented by a Padre Velasco, to do missionary work in Japan.  This was during a period in history when Japan was closing off its borders to prevent colonization by European nations.  A common technique would be to send missionaries to "preach the Gospel," capture the loyalty of the people and topple the existing domestic government.  Some missionaries even had knowledge of how to build cannons.

  Hasekura and three other envoys (along with Japanese merchants and Velasco as interpreter and manipulator) are sent on an ocean voyage.  They are told to do whatever is necessary to complete their mission successfully, and to be ready to say that black is white if need be.  They travel to Mexico, where most of the merchants convert to Christianity so that they will be able to conduct business. 

  The envoys then travel to Spain and finally to see the Pope himself to present their proposition for trade in exchange for proselytization rights, but at no stage in their journey are they actually recognized as representatives of Japan as a whole.  Along the way all four envoys convert to Christianity in hopes that it will help them complete their task and return home to Japan.  None of them really believe in the man hanging on the cross, but are willing to use him to get the job done.  Reports are also coming in about the increase in efforts to stamp out Christianity in Japan, and Rome realizes that the envoys' promise of proselytization rights are worthless.  The mission ends in failure and one of the envoys commits ritual suicide rather than to return home in shame.

  Padre Velasco is also extremely disappointed.  He seems to have a true love for Japan, but also harbors ambitions to be appointed Bishop over the entire country.  With his command of the Japanese language, he knows that both God and Japan must have a great need of his services.  Although he knows that the conversions of the Japanese are not sincere in motive, he condones them because he believes that whatever circumstances brings one to God, that God will never forsake the one who has come.

  The three envoys return home to find the reports of increased persecution true.  All of the merchants converted in Mexico have recanted, and not Hasekura and the remaining two envoys are called on the carpet.  They insist that their conversion was not sincere.  They did not even like Christianity and had no desire to go to a heaven different from that of their ancestors.  Hasekura is confined to his home and is finally executed as a Christian.

  Velasco tries to settle down to missionary work in the Philippines, but as Christ returned to Jerusalem to be crucified, Velasco must return to Japan knowing that he may be martyred.  Indeed, he is soon captured, burned at the stake and his bones are tossed into the sea.

  Really uplifting stuff....  First, this book is not boring.  As I finished the last page, I turned back to page one to start again.  Velasco's love for Japan is admirable even if he does seem to struggle against manipulative ambition.  Hasakura's luck is unbearably horrible.  He does all that he can to obey orders and fulfill his mission, yet ends up executed as a traitor.  As in another book by Endo Shusaku, "Silence," God does not seem to have much to say about the events that unfold.

  I do have a problem with Endo's theology.  Velasco admits that all of his converts may not be sincere at first, but that God will never abandon them.  In Hasekura's case, as his situation becomes increasingly miserable,  he begins to understand that the emaciated man looking down at him from the cross has suffered as well, and understands his own suffering.  Hasekura is gradually overcome with a feeling that this suffering Jesus would never desert him in his own time of suffering no matter how dark, and embraces Christ in his own way. 

  My problem is this.  The Christ in this book is a suffering Christ who knows our misery and our sorrows, and bids us to be unafraid because He is with us.  Jesus is presented as the One who will become like a sick, miserable dog for our sakes, the One who will never desert us no matter how far down we may fall.  This may be true, but the issue of sin and the need for repentance and forgiveness is never mentioned.  The fact that much of human misery is the result of sin and man's fallen condition is never taken into consideration.  Can one have salvation without forgiveness?  Is one who has not repented of sin not still under God's wrath and judgement?  There is heaven in Endo's world, but there is no hell mentioned.  Of course Christ understands our miseries and our sorrows, but that is not all that He came to do.  Jesus Christ came to be the final sacrifice for our sins, and this cannot be neatly sidestepped.

  Hasekura "wanted an image of 'that man' which was all his own.  He had wanted not the Christ whom the affluent priests preached in the cathedrals... but a man who would be at his side..."   Endo never says where each one's image of Christ originates.  God does reveal Himself individually, but our image must first come as presented in the Bible, or we risk creating for ourselves an idol which may not be Christ at all.

  Endo's observations on why Christianity did not take root in Japan are interesting.  He says that the Japanese are interested in this life, and that their interest stops there; they have no real concept of eternity.  They like gods that will help them get what they want in this life, health, fame, love, prosperity and so on.  The God of the Bible promises to provide all of our needs, but He also says that we must turn from sin, and promises trials that will conform us to the image of Christ.  That may not be so attractive upon first hearing.

  

  This is a "fumie," a picture of Christ that those who apostosized to escape torture and death for themselves and family members were required to step upon.  In his book "Silence,"  Endo supposes that Jesus himself would have stepped on it, and that it was alright if one had no other choice to survive, because God would understand the excruciating suffering and look the other way.  It is a difficult question - step on what belongs to Ceasar and then continue to believe as you want?  There were Christian members of the Dutch Underground who stole ration cards from Nazi offices.  If one was asked by the Nazis if one were hiding Jews, would God require one to tell the truth if it were so?  I am afraid that I have more questions than answers.  If one were executed for refusing to step on the fumie, then I am sure God would make the trouble more than worth it for suffering in His name. 

  • 07:26
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