عنوان

Japanese Buddhism and the Public Sphere:

Number

LA116686

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Japanese Buddhism and the Public Sphere:

General Material Designation

[Article]

Other Title Information

From the End of World War II to the Post-Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Power Plant Accident

First Statement of Responsibility

Shimazono Susumu 島薗進

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill

Text of Note

Until the 1990s, a commonly held view in Japan was that Buddhism had withdrawn from public space, or that Buddhism had become a private concern. Although Buddhist organizations conducted relief and support activities for the people affected at the time of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, they were often seen to be out of place, and little attention was given to them by the media. However recently there are areas in which Buddhism can be seen as playing new roles in the public sphere. Religious organizations seem to be expected to perform functions in fields that lie outside the narrow definition of religion. These expectations are becoming stronger among Buddhist organizations as well. In this paper, I describe some areas in the public sphere in which Buddhist groups are starting to play important roles including disaster relief, support of the poor and people without relatives, provision of palliative care and spiritual care, and involvement in environmental and nuclear plant issues. Until the 1990s, a commonly held view in Japan was that Buddhism had withdrawn from public space, or that Buddhism had become a private concern. Although Buddhist organizations conducted relief and support activities for the people affected at the time of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, they were often seen to be out of place, and little attention was given to them by the media. However recently there are areas in which Buddhism can be seen as playing new roles in the public sphere. Religious organizations seem to be expected to perform functions in fields that lie outside the narrow definition of religion. These expectations are becoming stronger among Buddhist organizations as well. In this paper, I describe some areas in the public sphere in which Buddhist groups are starting to play important roles including disaster relief, support of the poor and people without relatives, provision of palliative care and spiritual care, and involvement in environmental and nuclear plant issues.

Date of Publication

2012

Physical description

203-225

Title

Journal of Religion in Japan

Volume Number

1/3

International Standard Serial Number

2211-8349

Subject Term

Buddhist new religions

Subject Term

disaster relief

Subject Term

environmental issues

Subject Term

new spirituality

Subject Term

spiritual care

Subject Term

traditional Buddhist groups

Shimazono Susumu 島薗進

Call Number

10.1163/22118349-12341237

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y