The Encyclopedia of World Religions

230 S Japan, new religions in

The book contains much moral advice. It par ticularly encourages people to be careful about what they say. It gives even more attention to questions of wealth and poverty. It warns Chris tians not to favor the rich over the poor. It also tells the wealthy to act properly in their business dealings and to use their wealth to take care of those in need. James is probably best known for its obser vations about faith and works. The Apostle Paul wrote that Christians are saved by faith apart from works of Torah. James urges Christians not to abandon what he calls the “royal Torah”: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Unlike Paul this book teaches that “a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Many of its teach ings echo the teachings of Jesus in the synoptic gospels, for example, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Further reading: Bruce Chilton and Jacob Neusner, eds., The Brother of Jesus: James the Just and His Mission (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001); Robert Eisenman, James, the Brother of Jesus (London: Faber and Faber, 1997); John Painter, Just James: The Brother of Jesus in History and Tradition, 2d ed. (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2004). Japan, new religions in New religious move ments that have emerged in Japan since the early 19th century. These are among the most interesting and most studied of new religions worldwide. They have obviously grown up in tandem with Japan’s phenomenal moderniza tion and the traumas of Japan’s modern history, but they have features that compare with those of new religions everywhere. These are a few characteristics: 1. Founding by a charismatic prophet. Generally the founder, often a woman, like the majority of the shamans of ancient Japan, has had a power ful VISION or religious experience communicat ing a new revelation, and has the personality to draw other people into it.

further details. According to Spanish legend, James’ bones were taken to Spain. There, in 813 C . E ., his tomb was discovered. This place, Santiago (Saint James) de Compostela, served as an inspiration to Christian forces seeking to reconquer Spain. It has also been a major destination for Christian pil grims. Indeed, during the Middle Ages pilgrimage to Compostela stood in rank only behind pilgrim ages to J ERUSALEM and Rome. The Christian church remembers this James on July 25. A second disciple of Jesus was named James, James the son of Alphaeus. Although his name appears in the list of Jesus’ disciples, no stories are told about him. The Catholic Church remem bers him on May 1, the Orthodox churches on October 9. Much more important for the establishment of Christianity was a third James, referred to as the brother of Jesus. Many scholars consider him actually to have been Jesus’ brother. According to some traditions, however, M ARY , Jesus’ mother, always remained a virgin. Indeed, some ancient Christian teachers suggested that this James was either Jesus’ stepbrother or his cousin. James was the leader of the early Christians in Jerusalem. He came to be considered an Apostle. The B IBLE gives him a key role in discussions with the apos tle P AUL about converted Gentiles. James agreed that although Jewish Christians should continue to observe T ORAH , Gentile converts did not need to. Later, this James became known as James the Just because of his devotion to Torah. The Jewish historian Josephus (37 c. –100 C . E .) records that he was stoned to death. The Christian church remem bers him on May 1. THE BOOK OF JAMES Besides being the name of three apostles, James is also the name of an EPISTLE , or letter, in the New Testament. It presents itself as written by James to the “Twelve Tribes in the Dispersion.” Christians usually interpret this phrase as mean ing the whole Christian church. Much of what James teaches, however, is compatible with Juda ism. Many modern scholars doubt that an apostle wrote James.