Description
Book SynopsisStepping Up to the Cold War Challenge: The Norwegian-American Lutheran Experience in 1950s Japan describes the events that led to the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC), an American Christian denomination, to respond to General MacArthur's call for missionaries. This Church did not initially respond, but did so in 1949 only after their missionaries had been expelled from China due to the victory of communist forces on the mainland. Because they feared Japan would also succumb to communism in less than ten years, the missionaries evaded ecumenical cooperation and social welfare projects to focus on evangelism and establishing congregations. Many of the ELC missionaries were children and grandchildren of Norwegian immigrants who had settled as farmers on the North American Great Plains. Based on interview transcripts and other primary sources, this book intimately describes the personal struggles of individuals responding to the call to be a missionary, adjusting to life in Japan, learnin
Trade ReviewFor missiologists, missionaries, church historians, seminarians, pastors, and lay people who want to learn more about the calling of being a missionary, the life and livelihood of a missionary and his wife and family, the specific history of Norwegian-Americans and the missionaries that the Evangelical Lutheran Church sent to Japan in the early 1950s, this book is a must read. * Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly *
The Norwegian-American Lutheran Experience in 1950s Japan: Stepping up to the Cold War Challenge presents a long view of Christian mission, the history of Norwegian Lutheranism in the United States, and the personal story of men and women who answered calls to carry the Christian gospel to Japan. Linguists Kate Allen and John E. Ingulsrud place the missionaries’ experience in its political and religious context, suggesting the interaction of spiritual, national, and personal forces. Drawing upon first person accounts, their examination of missionaries’ early encounters with Japanese people, language, and culture offers valuable insight into the challenges of cross-cultural exchange. -- L. DeAne Lagerquist, St. Olaf College
Table of ContentsChapter 1: A New Mission in Japan Chapter 2: Becoming a Norwegian-American Lutheran Chapter 3: Discerning a Missionary Call Chapter 4: Encountering Japan Chapter 5: Working as a Full-Time Missionary Chapter 6: Working as a Missionary Wife Chapter 7: Interpreting the Experience
