J-CATS Japanese Contextual and Theological Studies

Jan 15 2025 28 ep. 41 mins 2
J-CATS Japanese Contextual and Theological Studies Podcast artwork

J-CATS is a podcast that introduces Japanese contextualized literature and ideas for integrated use by missionaries and non-Japanese Christians.

  Religion & Spirituality
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From Embers to Flames, 2024 Evangelism Conference in Tokyo

Jan 15 2025 32 mins  
Today we talk with Kohei, who helped out at Asian Access Japan's 2024 conference 'From Embers to Flames'. Did you know that, although Japan's Christian population is only about 1% of Japan, 99% of Christians are laypeople? That' means that, if there are 1,000,000 Japanese Christians, 990,000 of them are not clergy. How can these Japanese Christian laypeople, th

Zero to JLPT N1 in under 3 years of part-time study

Dec 25 2024 46 mins  
Today I chat with Noah, a missionary who began self-studying Japanese two years before landing in Japan in early '24. He promptly passed the JLPT N2, and is awaiting his results from taking N1 in December. Noah shares what worked for him, a surprisingly cheap and time efficient system that most missionaries (or any Japanese learners) could benefit from! Noah's suggested resources

What books about Japan do missionaries read?

Dec 11 2024 57 mins  
At the biennial Renown (formerly CPI) Conference hundreds of Japan-based missionaries gathered for networking, encouragement, and strategizing. While there JCATS held a survey asking 'what are your favorite books about Japan by Japanese authors?' and 'what are your favorite Christian podcasts?' Jon's friend and fellow Japan missionary Joe comes on to discuss results.

Challenges for Japanese Churches with Pastor Takuma Kobayashi

Oct 30 2024 37 mins  
Takuma Kobayashi is the pastor of Cloud Church, a fully online Japanese church, and in addition to two Cloud Church youtube channels, runs the Mattari Seisho Labo Youtube channel and podcast which deals with Japanese Christianity. We chat about challenges for Christianity in Japan, online church, relational evangelism, further reading to understand Japanese society, church dropout

What do Japanese Christains think is attractive about Christianity?

Oct 14 2024 30 mins  
at a denominational anniversary celebration in Sendai, I surveyed 34 attendees to ask what they find is attractive about Christianity. The results are in the video.

Rethinking Japanese church trappings and talking with Kentaro Matsuda

Sep 04 2024 42 mins  
Today I have a conversation with pastor Kentaro Matsuda about how he reaches people who haven't lost their faith, but have stepped away from church. He recently translated Frank Viola's 'Pagan Christianity' into Japanese, and we talk about that too.

Evangelism in the context of Japanese Animism

Aug 22 2024 100 mins  
Seminar presented by Dr. Martin Heisswolf at Ochanomizu Christian Center on August 17, 2024, for Kyuu Juu Kyuu -- talks on evangelizing the rest of the Japanese, sponsored by JCATS (Japanese Contextual and Theological Studies). Dr. Heisswolf is the author of Japanese Understanding of Salvation: Soteriology in the context of Japanese Animism, published by Langham, and available here

5 Pillars of Shinto

Aug 14 2024 20 mins  
In 1999 the Association of Shinto Shrines printed a pamphlet in English entitled Shinto Beliefs, I go over the 5 pillars, and talk a little bit more about Nishitani's Understanding Japaneseness, which discusses Shinto in the Epilogue.

Trying to Understand Japaneseness - Looking at Kosuke Nishitani's Nipponjinron

Jul 24 2024 59 mins  
Today we look at Kosuke Nishitani's 'Understanding Japaneseness' (link below). Nishitani argues that Maternal-Filial Affection is THE key point of a framework of Nipponjinron (think 'Japanology'). As a pastor as well as a scholar, he also gives his thought on the problem of Japaneseness. Might it lead to a 'Japanese' apologetic? Understanding Japanesen

Japanism

Jul 10 2024 41 mins  
In today's video I examine and condense Mattari Seisho Labo's four-part series on Shichihei Yamamoto's Nihonkyo (Japanism). Nihonkyo is the idea that all Japanese adhere to an under the surface 'religion', even Japanese who are members of religions such as Buddhism, Shinto and even Christianity. Mattari Seisho Labo's Nihonkyo videos are listed below: 1 - h