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Shinto or Shintoism, which can be indirectly translated to ‘the way of the gods’ is a faith indigenous to the Japanese. Shinto does not possess a founder or even sacred scripture, unlike the Bible. Preaching or propaganda is also uncommon as the inherent nature of Shinto is embedded in Japanese traditions, culture, and people. Shinto is able to encompass both community practices as well as strictly structured ceremonial rituals that were once common in earlier historical periods. The faith has taken notable influence from Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism though it would divert through alterations in the divinities that are worshipped, ritual practices, and reorganization in hierarchy. Currently, no central authority exists in Shinto, and practitioners employ a diverse number of ways to practice their faith
Though the exact date of the creation of Shinto is not known, the variation of the faith from Buddhism with the introduction of divinity worship occurred around 300 BCE to 300 CE. Beyond the Meiji period much later, in 1868, Shinto rituals would become centralized, and all shrines would move within the jurisdiction of state administration (Japan Guide, 2021). Despite this, fundamental beliefs of the faith remained unchanged and even continue to exist in their original form to this day.
The gods of Shinto are known as ‘kami’ and are closer to spirits than deities in nature. Kami are sacred spirits that can attain physical forms of concepts that are vital to life, such as the wind, rain, mountains, fertility, rivers, and trees. Humans are able to become kami after their passing and are then revered by families as ancestral kami. Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, is considered to be the most important of all the kami (Bernard, 2021). Humans that are considered extraordinary may even be enshrined within Shinto shrines.
Some of the major teachings of Shinto dictate that human beings are not inherently evil and are, in fact, fundamentally good. However, due to the influence of bad spirits, they can be swayed to commit adverse or evil acts. The kami are these spirits and because they exist in everything from natural elements such as trees, mountains, rivers, and animals to human-made creations such as cups or musical instruments. However, kami of good nature harmonize with all things, and devoted followers of Shinto are able to perceive the elusive and transcendent kami through their faith.
Shinto places emphasis on a concept known as ‘makoto no kokoro’, or the heart of truth. It is an attitude that acknowledges the revelation of the truthfulness of kami presence in the lives of humans. Within more modern iterations of the faith, this belief can manifest as people doing their best in the work they have chosen or in improving and maintaining their relationships with others. Essentially, the ultimate source of the ‘makoto no kokoro’ attitude can be found in being aware of the divine. While this process cannot be summarized as finding salvation as it would be in more European-centric religions, truth and understanding are essential to the Shinto doctrine in a similar manner. As such, the adherence that all living things have the presence of kami and their ability to create harmony is essential in attaining such a truth.
The introduction of a Christian belief to an individual who follows Shinto may be contradictory on a number of levels. Primarily, a Christian may emphasize the source and human predicament of sin, which does not reflect the Shinto belief that evil emerges from sources exterior to a person. Additionally, a Christian may explain atonement as the only route to salvation which contradicts not only Shinto teachings that prioritize awareness but also aspects of modern Japanese social norms. As such, the fundamental differences are important to keep in mind in the case of a Christian witnessing to a follower of Shinto.
Bibliography
Bernard, Rosemarie. “Shinto and Ecology: Practice and Orientations to Nature.”Yale, 2021.
Japan Guide. “Shinto.”Japan Guide, 2021.
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