Russian orthodoxy and the Russo-Japanese War
By: Betsy C. Perabo
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 219
ISBN-13: 9781474253758
Subjects: Moral and ethical aspects; Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905; Religious aspects; Relations; Political and social views; Russkai︠a︡ pravoslavnai︠a︡ t︠s︡erkovʹ; Buddhism; Christianity; War; Christianity and other religions; History
Description: "Analyses Russian Orthodox perspectives on the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, focusing on the writings of the Russian priest Nikolai of Japan"--

"How should Christians think about the relationship between the exercise of military power and the spread of Christianity? In Russian Orthodoxy and the Russo-Japanese War, Betsy Perabo looks at the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 through the unique concept of an 'interreligious war' between Christian and Buddhist nations, focusing on the figure of Nikolai of Japan, the Russian leader of the Orthodox Church in Japan. Drawing extensively on Nikolai's writings alongside other Russian-language sources, the book provides a window into the diverse Orthodox Christian perspectives on the Russo-Japanese War--from the officials who saw the war as a crusade for Christian domination of Asia to Nikolai, who remained with his congregation in Tokyo during the war. Writings by Russian soldiers, field chaplains, military psychologists, and leaders in the missionary community contribute to a rich portrait of a Christian nation at war. By grounding its discussion of 'interreligious war' in the historical example of the Russo-Japanese War, and by looking at the war using the sympathetic and compelling figure of Nikolai of Japan, this book provides a unique perspective which will be of value to students and scholars of both Russian history, the history of war and religion and religious ethics"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: A Wartime Funeral; title: 1. War as Christian Mission? : The Russo-Japanese War as a Case Study; title: 2. Russia as a Christian Nation : The Orthodox Empire's Religious Minorities and Missions; title: 3. The Bountiful Harvest : The Return of Christianity to Japan; title: 4. Orthodoxy, the State, and War in the Meiji Era; title: 5. The Christ-Loving Military : War in the Russian Orthodox Tradition; title: 6. "The Army of God and the Army of the Buddha" : The War's Western Audience; title: 7. The View from Russia : The Missionary, the Chaplain, the Soldier, and the Pacifist; title: 8. "The Two Story House" : Nikolai's writings in 1904-1905; title: Conclusion: 1905-1917.