Paper short abstract:

This paper will propose a new idea, which I call the 'dynamic process of collaborative interpretation', to understand the historical characteristics of Japanese new religious movements during the era of nationalism and imperialism of modern Japan.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper, I will propose a new idea, which I call the 'dynamic process of collaborative interpretation', to understand the historical characteristics of Japanese new religious movements during the era of nationalism and imperialism of modern Japan.

Preceding historical studies on Japanese new religions have focused on the uniqueness of the founders as well as emphasised the novelty and creativity of their thoughts. The dominant narratives on new religions have, however, failed to consider the impact of the institutionalisation undertaken by successors of the founders, who negotiated with the idea of national polity (kokutairon) and colonialism, as well as of the wartime social structure that transformed their doctrine and faith accordingly. It has been often presupposed by the scholars of new religions that the essence of new religions is fundamentally different from the orthodox doctrine of kokutai and therefore remained distinct from the latter even when these new religious denominations became subordinate to the government. This presupposition, which I call the 'narrative of two-tier structure', has prevented the scholars from focusing on the multidirectional processes of new religious movements in modern Japan.

In the narrative of two-tier structure, it is viewed that religious body's political involvement such as supporting colonialism and adapting to the war-time structure were not genuine expressions of their religious teachings and had only superficial and transitory effects on the fundamental faith of these groups. In reality, however, the successors' efforts of re-interpreting the founders' legacies and of continuing religious practices thereof have constantly reconstructed the movements at both ideological and practical levels. For an effective evaluation of the history of these religious movements, these practices must be taken as an important religious experience that has brought persistent changes to the realm of meaning and 'internal' faith of new religions. Reframing the history of Japanese new religions from the perspective of the dynamic process of collaborative interpretation will allow us to re-examine the Japanese modern history at large.