The National Cathedral in Washington is known for its numerous stone sculptures that adorn its buildings and spacious grounds. Statues of Jesus, Moses, and Peter are given central prominence. The same is true of famous Americans like George Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr. I doubt many of the 400,000 visitors who annually visit the cathedral recognize the stone statue of Toyohiko Kagawa (1888-1960), a Japanese Christian depicted in traditional kimono-like attire. His parents died when he was young, and Kagawa was sent to a school run by Presbyterian missionaries. He was baptized at 16 and summarily disowned by his extended family. He became a missionary and social worker in the slums of Kobe. He attended Princeton Theological Seminary, motivated by his desire to understand the root causes of poverty. Upon his return to Japan, he worked as a labor activist to improve the lives of farmers. He organized the “Friends of Jesus,” a Franciscan-like band of young people committed to prayer, compassion for the poor, and an evangelical life of witness. He had an ambiguous relationship with Japanese imperialism. He was imprisoned for criticizing Japan’s militarism yet later participated in Japan’s propaganda broadcasts during WWII. His relationship with Americans improved after the war when he lobbied for Japan to become a peaceful, pacifist nation based on Jesus’ teachings. I resonate with a quote attributed to him, “I read in a book that a man called Christ went about doing good. It is very disheartening that I am so easily satisfied with going about.” Two brief prayers from Kagawa follow here:
Toyohiko Kagawa
O God, teach me how to dispense with unnecessary things.
We are mindful, O God, that You dwell among the lowliest people of the earth, that You sit on the dust-heap among those in the slums and those in prison, that you are present with juvenile delinquents and the homeless, that you throng with beggars seeking bread, that You suffer with the sick, and that You stand in line with the unemployed. May we be mindful that when we forget the unemployed, we forget You.
Shatrunjay Mall “Toyohiko Kagawa Gandhi of Japan?”
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.