The Role of Christianity and Foreign Missionaries in an Era of Declining Population

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00084
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01030:Religious studies-related
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: LEE HYUNKYUNG 東海大学, 文学部, 准教授 (80584333)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 人口減少 / キリスト教 / 外国人宣教師 / 地域社会 / 宗教者 / 宗教施設 / 信仰継承 / 動く教会

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on Christian churches in depopulated areas, this study focuses on the role of foreign missionaries in maintaining local communities and collaborating with local residents. We conducted a field survey to understand the current situation and examined changes in the social structure and religiosity in Japan. Although we were unable to carry out comparative research among different denominations and regions as originally planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to identify several key points: (1) the development of activities tailored to the challenges of depopulated areas; (2) the maintenance of religious facilities and solutions to the shortage of religious personnel; and (3) the spread of a multicultural lifestyle within local communities, with foreign missionaries serving as role models. Additionally, by incorporating online activities during the pandemic, new ideas for collaboration among "churches on the move" were proposed.

Free Research Field

宗教学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は人口減少地域において仏教宗派を中心に実施されてきた先行研究に、キリスト教の事例を加え、人口減少地域維持に宗教団体・宗教者の果たす役割についての統合的理解の提供に努めた。外国人宣教師の地域住民との連携、協働関係の構築を検討し、多文化共生の糸口として、宗教が地域社会に貢献し得る視点を見出した。以上から、本研究は従来の国内外での移民宗教研究や宣教師研究を大いに補完すると同時に、宗教の公共性が求められる現代日本社会の宗教者の役割について統合的視点を提供できると考える。