Squabbles between the Jesuits and the Franciscans: a historical review of policies of two christian orders in Japan

Abstract

Throughout the history of Christianity in Japan, tension and conflict have persisted between the Jesuits and Franciscans. At face value, this appears to be due to their different readings of the policies of Rome and varied approaches to apostolic work. However, upon closer examination, politics also played an important role. Behind the two orders were two rival maritime powers - Portugal and Spain, whose fellow countrymen’s feelings of national sentiment may occasionally have outweighed their interests in the mission in Japan. In an attempt to keep the peace, Rome had issued the Patronatus missionum. However, it intensified the conflict and rendered the situation into an irreparable state of disarray. This eventually caused heavy losses to the whole mission. For a better understanding, in this thesis I summarize the following arguments between the Jesuits and Franciscans. The first, and most salient, argument pertains to commerce; the second pertains to the separation of parishes; the third to their apostolic approaches, and the final argument is on their practical policies. It is also worth mentioning that the relationship between the Jesuits and the Franciscans was not eased by the 26-person Nagasaki martyrdom incident. Indeed, this was a heavy loss.