Chapter Five. Endo’s Transformed Image Of Christ

Abstract

This chapter examines Endo Shusaku's last great work of pure literature, Deep River (1993). It also examines his christological analysis in the third literary stage against the global background, but also in relation to Japanese thought. The chapter explores his method of inculturation during the period. It begins with a brief summary of the novel. In the third stage, Endo's theological interpretation of the image of Christ is somewhat transformed. The chapter attempts to describe aspects of this transformed image of Christ, chiefly based on materials from Deep River. It presents Endo's transformed image of Christ-the kenotic Christ, the maternal Christ, and ever-present Christ as divine love. The chapter looks at the role of koshinto in Endo's new,spiritual and global approach. It examines what type of inculturation models Endo makes use of, with regard to those of Takeda and Bevans.Keywords: Bevans; Christ; Deep River; Endo Shusaku; inculturation models; koshinto; Takeda; transformed image