Science for Ministry in Japan: The Theory and Practice of Christian Ministry in the Face of Natural Disasters

This project will construct a new field at Tokyo Christian University called “Care Studies,” integrating dimensions of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual knowledge, and testing our findings in practice. It will accomplish this by investigating three questions: A.) Natural Theology: How does God care for humanity through nature? How are we to understand trials like the one visited upon Japan in the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011? How might theology respond to the predictions of natural science? B.) Positive Ethic of Care: Is there something distinctive about the ethic of care seen in the actions of Japanese people when facing natural disasters? How are physical and psychological rehabilitation and healing related? What light may positive psychology shed on such questions? C.) Christianity and Community: What is the public role of religion following disasters that require emergency community planning? Specific activities include: 1.) Study groups focusing on relevant natural sciences, medicine, nursing, and the relation of social care and Japanese Omoiyaru Ethics, 2.) Study groups, seminars, and workshops focusing on the ministerial training of local care workers, and 3.) Symposia on themes emerging from activities 1.) and 2.). Concrete outputs will include 18 study groups, 9 seminars, 6 workshops, 3 symposia, 12 website postings, 6 articles, curricula that emerges from leader and participant feedback in 1.) and 2.), and 1 monograph and eBook after completion of the project.