"A Crow" by Kyoji Okamoto
of the Meguro Illustration Club, Tokyo.
A: I too was baptized very recently. The answers I'll give you below are what I have learned in a short period of time, and are not something that I have grew up with as a Christian for a long time. I've made these answers, wishing someone else could have prepared them for my own reading. They are all my own opinions, and are not the formal replies from the Anglican/Episcopal Church. If you think you have other opinions, please contact me by phone at +81-62-226-9696 or by e-mail.
Q: Before we start, will you describe your own religious background?
A: I had a chance to go to a bible class during my senior high school days, upon recommendation from my English teacher in junior high school who had studied in U.S. As my college was Christian-funded (Protestant), I sometimes attended the "chapel hour" that was held every Wednesday at 11:00-12:00 am (all other classes stopped during this time), because I loved singing the hymns! I did not get baptism because I thought I was busy enough with my major (physics) and minor (language) classes. I since forgot all about religion as most Japanese do, but from time time found enough time to study Bahaism (conglomeration of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions) by reading Baha'i Ulah's books, and Kofuku-no-Kagaku (the Science of Happiness, agglomeration of all religions) by reading Ryuhoh Ohkawa's "New Law of the Sun" and other books that my colleague lend me. I went to the Yokohama Yamate Church (Anglican/Episcopal) five times or so in the past few years. As I came to Nagano City to work from January, 1997, I decided to get baptized at a local Anglican/Episcopal church.
In summary, I think and believe in what I'll tell you below, but I clearly lack the accompanying action. Anyway, I'll get to it sooner or later! My family backgound is Buddhist. Since my elder brother in Tokyo continues to invite the Soto sect Buddhist priest from Nagano for my parents' religious rites, I'm used to reading aloud the Prajnya Book and other Buddhist canons.
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Q: Is Seikokai (the Anglican/Episcopal Church) a Catholic or Protestant church?
Q: What is "the Confirmation"?
Q: Descibe the Holy Communion or Eucharsit to me.
Q: Tell me about the Bible.
Q: What is the Book of Common Prayers?
Q: And the book of Hymns?
Q: Where can I obtain the Bible, etc.?
Q: Which books would you recommend for the Anglican/Episcopal faith?
Q: What schooling do the priests have?
Q: How is the church managed?
Q: Are there monasteries that belong to the Seikokai Church?
Q: How much are you supposed to donate?
Q: I cannot find young people at my church that I would call my colleagues...
Q: What is the Taise Community and what is ecumenism?
Q: Will I be welcomed at the other Christian churches?
Q: Am I allowed to participate in Shintoist or Buddhist-sponsored activities?
Q: How is the Internet used by the Seikokai Christians?
Q: The Lambeth Conference?
Q: Tell me about the Anglican-Episcopal worship overseas?
Q: Have the Japanese Seikokai people contribute to spread the faith overseas?
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