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Professor Levi McLaughlin, a scholar of religious studies, gave an online lecture via Zoom titled “Religion in Japan” for students in “Japanese Culture” class. 

Professor McLaughlin began the lecture with an interactive virtual tour of a temple and shrine in Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture. Students stood up in the classroom and imaginatively “walked” through the temple and shrine, observing key features. Professor McLaughlin explained the temple and shrine, and encouraged students to think about the questions he posed. 

Professor McLaughlin then discussed the expression, “Born Shinto, [marry Christian], and die Buddhist” claim, using it as a starting point to explain how “shūkyo” is a relatively new category in Japan from the 1850s, as a translation of Western concept of “religion.” He explained that religion in Japan is more about everyday practices and rituals, which many people engage in despite identifying as “non-religious.” 

The lecture further demonstrated how the category of “religion” has been historically and politically shaped. While religion has been stigmatized in Japan since the Aum Shinrikyō affair in the 1990s, it continues to exert significant influence in the political sphere. Recent developments such as the assassination of former prime minister Abe Shinzō and revelations concerning the Liberal Democratic Party’s ties to the Unification Church, as well as the activities of Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference), have brought renewed attention to the enduring connections between religious organizations and political power.

Professor McLaughlin’s lecture was highly engaging and closely connected to students’ everyday experiences living in Kyoto, as well as to contemporary political and social issues. Following the lecture, students were asked to visit a local shrine or temple for a close observation exercise. Their written reports demonstrated clear engagement with the lecture and an ability to connect their field observations to Professor McLaughlin’s discussion.