Citation

Imaoka, Shin’ichirō. My Position on Jiyū Shūkyō. Translated by Andrew James Brown, 1952, https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTgvwLgEa8a258r6GYosYiGzEHL0i-GP5JkDRDylt9cvd86eQtzE6G5Kco8f1AuuhrgLgbydOBYX356/pub#h.7148lknpzd68.

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Prompts

Year Shin'ichirō Imaoka was baptized as a Christian :: 1897

Japanese derogatory term for Christians. :: Yaso

Per Imaoka, his parents suffered greater humiliation for having a Christian son than having a son who is a traitor to the nation.

After graduating from university, Shin'ichirō Imaoka immediately became a pastor.

What kind of church did Shin'ichirō Imaoka served as a pastor immediately after university? :: Congregational

The church where Shin'ichirō Imaoka served as a pastor immediately after university was located in Kobe.

What made Shin'ichirō Imaoka give up being a Christian pastor? :: He realized that true missionary work toward Buddhist and Shintoists was not about converting them but encouraging them to be true Buddhists and Shintoists.

After resigning as a pastor, Shin'ichirō Imaoka became what? :: Assistant researcher

After resigning as a pastor, Shin'ichirō Imaoka worked in what school? :: Tokyo Imperial University

After resigning as a pastor, Shin'ichirō Imaoka worked in what department of a school? :: Religious Studies Department

After working as an assistant researcher in Tokyo Imperial University, what did Shin'ichirō Imaoka do next? :: Studied at Harvard Divinity School for two years.

After studying in Harvard, what did Shin'ichirō Imaoka do upon returning to Japan? :: Teach

Two subjects Shin'ichirō Imaoka taught upon returning to Japan after studying in Harvard. :: Religious studies and Christian history

School where Shin'ichirō Imaoka taught after returning to Japan from Harvard. :: Nihon University

Researcher who Shin'ichirō Imaoka accompanied throughout Japan to study shinto. :: J. W. T. Mason

Years Shin'ichirō Imaoka accompanied Mason to study Shinto throughout Japan. :: (1932–1940)

Throughout his 50-year religious pilgrimage, how did Shin'ichirō Imaoka identify himself religiously? :: None. He felt uncomfortable calling himself a Christian, Buddhist, or Shintoist.

Per Shin'ichirō Imaoka, jiyū shūkyō two central principles are:

1. Freedom or respect for individuality

What is Shin'ichirō Imaoka's views on doctrinal tenets of faith? :: Historically significant but not immutable.

What is Shin'ichirō Imaoka's position on founders of religion? :: Jiyū shūkyō has no founder. It seeks liberation from founders.

Shin'ichirō Imaoka's thesis is that when individuals have a genuine, personal religion, what do they do when they come together? :: Unite and cooperate.

Why does Shin'ichirō Imaoka think democracy fits well with jiyū shūkyō? :: Both value freedom and cooperation.

18th vow of Hōzō Bosatsu ::: Unless all beings in the ten directions are saved, he will not attain salvation

Catholic claim similar to the 18th vow of Hōzō Bosatsu :: There is no salvation outside the church.

Who is Hōzō Bosatsu? :: King that later became Amida Buddha.

Sanskrit name of Hōzō Bosatsu. :: Dharmakara Bodhisattva

What is Shin'ichirō Imaoka's position on disciples or followers? :: Teachers shouldn't aspire to have them. Instead they should aspire to cultivate people who will surpass them.

Shin'ichirō Imaoka suggests that both salvation and enlightenment could only be found where? :: In love that struggles together with the people.

Per Shin'ichirō Imaoka, because jiyū shūkyō considers individual and collective salvation to be inseparable, the church/kyokai is absolutely necessary.

Per Shin'ichirō Imaoka, what should be the relationship between religious life and social life? :: Religious life should exist within social life, not separate from it.

From the standpoint of jiyū shūkyō, where is Paradise, Heaven, or the Western Pure Land? :: within society in this life

Per Shin'ichirō Imaoka, what portion of free-religionists will not be fully satisfied being part with established religion? :: Vast majority.

Per Shin'ichirō Imaoka, free religion, rather than being a new denomination, is more accurately a universal religion.