A revised translation of “Unitarian Teachings” (ユニテリアン之教義) as stated by Arthur May Knapp in Tokyo, May 1889

Arthur May Knapp (1841-1921)

The Rev. Arthur May Knapp (1841-1921), the first representative of the American Unitarians to go to Japan, went as a fieldworker, not as a missionary. As George M. Williams writes in his important book “Cosmic Sage: Imaoka Shin’ichirō, Prophet of Free Religion”, in 1887, Knapp: 

“. . . went to work with Japanese liberals, the progressives who were inclusive in religion, culture and society. He was anti-missionary and worked with an almost indefinable movement of thinkers, visionaries, reformers and activists who were not afraid of innovation and change. They sought new knowledge not only in science, business, industry, education but also in religion, politics and social structure. Knapp served as the Japan Unitarian Mission’s fieldworker-director from 1887-1890. All the later Unitarian ministers who came to Japan, including Clay MacCauley (1843-1925), were conflicted about their role. They spoke of being fieldworkers (‘not in Japan to convert, but to confer, to assist’), but [instead] they formed churches, converted leaders of other Christian missions to Unitarianism, and generally measured their success by church membership. They made Japanese into Unitarians. The tension between fieldworker and missionary would set in motion a fundamental contradiction that would lead to the mission’s eventual demise.” 

As Williams’ book goes on to show, the failure to follow Knapp’s wise and respectful way of working, was a disaster, eventually leading to the near total collapse and disappearance of the Japanese Unitarian movement after 1922 following yet another series of catastrophic missteps by the American Unitarians. It was only in 1948 when Imaoka Shin'ichirō (今岡信一良) was able to found his own small community in Tokyo, the Kiitsu Kyōkai, that the Japanese Unitarian movement began to emerge, once more, into the light, but now transformed into something beyond Unitarianism, namely a genuinely free-religion.

If you want to learn more about these major missteps, and Imaoka Shin'ichirō’s revival of what should now be called the Yuniterian (sic) movement between 1948 and 1988 (a distinct take on, and creative development of the Unitarian tradition), then I highly recommend people to read Williams’ excellently informative book, and that by Michel Mohr. 

Anyway. One extremely important text from that early period has remained wholly inaccessible to English readers since it was written in 1889, and then transcribed (by Kanda Saichirō 神田佐一郞), namely Arthur May Knapp’s “Unitarian Teachings.” This was an introductory talk he gave to the Kōjunsha (交詢社), which was established in Meiji 13 (1880) by Fukuzawa Yukichi (福澤諭吉) and was Japan’s first social club for business people. 

Now, despite Williams’ best efforts over many decades, no one has ever been found who was willing to have a go at translating the whole text so we can at least catch a glimpse of Knapp’s fieldworker approach when he was introducing the basic outlook and principles of the Unitarian movement to the Japanese. So, in desperation to find out what was in the text, I decided to risk giving it a go. I have to say it was a real nightmare to extract from the pdf available to me a text that I, as a non-Japanese reader, could then work with using the powerful language tools now available to us. Well, in August 2025, I did the best I could and produced a translation that I posted to this blog. Since then, however, I have rechecked and revised the Japanese transcription of the text and offer here a revised, and I think uselfully improved, translation. As before, if someone reading this with good Japanese (and easily able to read Meiji-era texts) is now interested enough go back to the original Japanese and help me to produce a more accurate translation I’d be delighted to hear from them.  

But, before we get to the Knapp’s text itself, a quick, speculative, note on a piece of terminology.  As someone who has come to value highly the kind of other-power (他力 tariki) philosophy as it has been presented in the Shinshū Ōtani-ha tradition,  I should like to have had the opportunity to converse with Knapp to explore whether, in fact, other-power/tariki contradicts his eighth Unitarian principle in the manner he suggests. That said, it is possible that Knapp—coming from a liberal, Unitarian Christian background—was simply attempting to argue that one must not rely upon a doctrine of external salvation which insists that faith always trumps works. In other words, he may not have been directing his remarks specifically at the Jōdo Shinshū conception of other-power/tariki. It may, therefore, have been the transcriber of Knapp’s talk, Kanda Saichirō, who chose to translate this general liberal, Unitarian Christian point into Japanese by employing the technical term tariki, thereby—to my mind—transforming Knapp’s words into an apparent rejection of the concept. Ultimately, however, it is beyond my competence to judge which reading is the more likely to be accurate.

And so now, with this point, made here’s my revised translation of Knapp’s fascinating talk.   

Unitarian Teachings (ユニテリアン之教義) 

As stated by Arthur May Knapp (アーザーメーナップ述)

Preface (緒言)

The original Japanese text can be accessed at this link

This volume [此篇] contains the address on the doctrines [教義] of Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] which I delivered at the Grand Assembly of the Kōjunsha [交詢社] on the 15th of April, in response to the request [需め] of its members [社員]. Having now compiled the translated notes [反譯筆記] of that speech [演説], I distribute [頒つ] them widely [普く] to all like-minded friends [同好の士].

16th May, Meiji 21 [明治二十一年五月十六日] Arthur May Knapp [アーサー、メイ、ナップ]

“Unitarian Teachings” [ユニテリアン之教義]

To the Managers [幹事] and Members [社員諸君] of the Kōjunsha [交詢社]: Gentlemen [諸君], that you have invited me to deliver a speech [一場の演説] regarding the tenets [教義] of Unitarianism [ユニテリアン教] here today is a matter of the highest honour [最も榮譽] for me. What brings me a joy [歡喜] I can scarcely contain [措く能はざる], however, is the special opportunity [好機] this provides to declare publicly [公然に告ぐる], for the first time, the primary purpose [主意] for which I have travelled to your honourable country [貴國]. For I have come from afar as a representative [名代] of an influential faith [有力なる宗旨], the principles [主義] of which—the religion of Jesus [耶蘇宗教]—stand upon a religious history [教法歴史] that spans all ages [古今] and unites East and West [東西].

Though I come as the representative [名代] of an influential faith [有力なる宗旨], I am not a “missionary” [宣教師] in the common sense. If [I], Knapp-shi [ナップ氏], am to be called a missionary [宣教師], it is only by borrowing the title [其名を假る], for the English language [英語] possesses no other word quite appropriate [妥當の語] to the role. What, then, is a “missionary” [宣教師]? Traditionally, it refers to one who proclaims their own sect [自己の宗旨] to the world [天下に宣布] as the only path [斯道], asserting that without it, salvation [濟度] is unattainable. Such a person is dispatched [派遣せらるゝ] to convert others [他門の人] and bring them to take refuge [歸依] in their own creed.

Unitarianism [ユニテリアン教], however, finds such a role difficult to sustain [出来難き事]. Indeed, the phrase “difficult to sustain” perfectly illustrates the nature of our principles [主義]. Unitarianism [ユニテリアン教] believes that every religion [有るとあらゆる宗教] in existence is “truth” [皆是なり]. We view them as the natural results [結果] and phenomena [現象] of the human religious impulse [情性]. If a religion fits [適ふ] the character [情性] of its people [人民] through whatever laws [法] it may possess, we never look upon it with contempt [蔑視することなく]. Even as a zealous believer [熱心の信者] in the teachings of Jesus [耶蘇教], I would never employ insulting terms [侮慢の語] such as “heathen” [ヒーゼン]—a word implying ignorance [無知]—when speaking of those of other faiths [他宗異教の人], as you gentlemen [諸君] well know. Each nation [人民] possesses its own distinct race [人種の別], as well as the unique circumstances and customs [境遇習慣] of its land [國土]. That religions differ [宗教を異にする] is as natural as the variation in food [食物] from land [國土] to land. Just as food [食物] sustains the physical body [肉體], so religion [宗教] sustains the spirit [精神]. When the spirit to be nourished [養はるゝもの] differs, it is not at all surprising [敢て怪しむに足らず] that the source of nourishment [養ふもの] is not identical [同一ならざる].

Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] therefore examines the world’s religions [宗教] to see if they truly keep the spirit [精神] of a people healthy [健全], if they possess the power [力] to advance their intellectual and moral character [智能徳性], and if they lead them to become pure and upright men and women [善男善女]. Wherever such efficacy [効力] is found, we explore [探究] the source of that moral character [智能徳性] and either adopt those doctrines [其教義] into our own teaching [我教] or offer something of our own in return. Our aim [企望] is mutual comparison [自他相比較] for the benefit of both parties [雙方益]. In our work [事業] of mission [傳道宣敎], Unitarians [ユニテリアン] carry the truth [真理] but never force [強ひる] others into our fold [我門]. We never compel, but rather seek mutual respect and love [敬愛]. Just as nations trade in the presence or absence of goods [物品の有無を通ずる], we believe that in matters of spirit [精神], whether in teaching [教] or learning [学], there should be a mutual exchange [彼此相換ふる] and a religious friendship [相親しむ]. As the representative [名代] of the Unitarians [ユニテリアン], I ask that you, gentlemen [諸君], grant us your affection [親愛] and respect [尊重] as comrades of the same faith and feeling [同教同感]. It is my earnest desire [懇望] that you gentlemen [諸君] might also study [研究] our doctrines [我教義]. Every religion [宗教] passes through a period of absurdity [妄誕の時期]. As the world becomes enlightened [開明], some faiths have left this period behind, while others are in the process of doing so [過去らんとする]. I stand before you not to press [強むる] the people of your honourable country [貴國の人] toward conversion [勧化改宗], but simply to state our purpose [主意]. Now, at your request [需め], I shall clarify [明らかにする] the doctrines [教義] of Unitarianism [ユニテリアン], though I must ask for your particular attention [注意] to one point [一事].

This point [事] is that Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] is not a mere sect [一箇の宗派] but is more properly described as a movement of the human heart [人心の運動]. What is a “sect” [宗派]? It is a branch [一分派] that separates itself from the rest of the religious world [宗教界]. Unitarianism [ユニテリアン], however, is a great movement [一大運動] for the reform [改進] of the whole of Christianity [耶蘇教]. As human intelligence [人智] continues to progress [進歩], Christians [耶蘇教] everywhere are casting off the defiled absurdities [汚されたる妄誕] of the past and embracing the spirit of reform [改進]. Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] is the vanguard [先鋒] of this reforming army [改進軍].

Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] first arose at the beginning of this century in the United States [米國] as a resistance [抗抵] against the rigid creeds [信條] of established Christianity [既成耶蘇教]. Since its root-origin [其根源] was first planted, many great men and geniuses [人傑俊才] have embraced this theory [此説に歸依], until it has come to possess supreme influence [無上の勢力] over the religion [宗教] and destiny [運命] of the United States [米國]. To prove this [之を證せんに], three Presidents of the United States [米國大統領] have been followers of this faith [信奉したる]: John Adams [ジョン、アダムス], John Quincy Adams [ジョン、クインシー、アダムス], and Millard Fillmore [ミラー・フィルモーア].

Furthermore [加之], famous men such as Washington [ワシントン], Jefferson [ゼファーソン], and Lincoln [リンコルン] actually supported [左袒] this movement [運動]. To list others [名を列擧すれば] who have embraced this theory [歸依したる]: among politicians [政事家], Benjamin Franklin [ベンジャミン、フランクリン], Daniel Webster [ダニエル、ウェブスター], Everett [エヴェレット], Cass [カッス], and Andrew [アンドルー]. Among Chief Justices [大法官], Marshall [マーシャル], Parsons [パーソンス], and Parker [パーカー].

Among poets [詩家], Bryant [ブライアント], Longfellow [ロングフェロー], Lowell [ローウェル], and Holmes [ホームス]. Among historians [史家], Bancroft [バンクロフト], Motley [モトレー], Prescott [プレスカット], Hildreth [ヒルドレッス], Parkman [パークマン], and Sparks [スパークス]. Among authors [著者], Emerson [エマーソン], Hawthorne [ホーソン], and Theodore Parker [セオドル、パーカー]. Among philanthropists [博愛家], Florence Nightingale [フロレンス、ナイチンゲール], Peter Cooper [ピーター、クーバー], and Edward Everett Hale [エドワード、エヴェレット、ヘール]. Among scientists [科學者], Clark [クラーク], Priestley [プリーストレー], Lardner [ラードナー], and Field [フィエル].

Additionally, seven successive modern Presidents [總長七名] of Harvard University [ハーバード大學校], America’s premier institution [第一等の大學校], have been men of this faith [此説の人]. From this, one can clearly infer [推知するに足るべし] how far this reform movement [改進の運動] has spread. In the present day [現今], those who hold the most influence and public trust [人望] are those whose words and deeds [言行] naturally align with the spirit of reform [改進]. Even those who outwardly maintain old traditions [古格] or decorate [粧飾] their faith in other ways find that religious newspapers [宗教の新聞紙] cannot gain influence unless they adopt these views. Though they may speak circuitously [婉曲], the literature [文學] of the United States [米國] predicts the future [將來] of this theory, and its newspapers [新聞紙] are the brave pioneers [先驅] of the cause.

In summary [之を概言すれば], the Unitarian movement [ユニテリアンの運動] is the very engine [機底] of modern religious and political reform [教政改革]. Its current prosperity [隆盛] is as I have described. To show its direction [方向]: its path [進路] lies in the abandonment of absurdity [妄誕を去る]. We take the power of reasoning [推理の力]—that most precious ability [最も貴重の能力] bestowed [附與されたる] upon us for the discovery of truth [眞理發見]—as our basis for explaining all things [萬事を説き]. We test these against the facts of the universe [宇宙萬有の事実] as discovered by science [理學]. Anything that does not fit [合はぬもの] this standard, no matter what religion [宗教] or scripture [經典] it comes from, is never tolerated [毫しも之を寛假せず] and is resolutely cast aside [断然之を棄擲するものなり]. Yet, while this movement [運動] leaves absurdity [妄誕] behind, it does not abandon religion [宗教], on the contrary, it makes religion authentic [真実にするものなり]. In matters of religion [宗教上の事], nothing should ever contradict [協はぬもの] the progress of human intelligence [人智の進歩]. This movement [運動] seeks to discover the boundless and infinite [広大無辺] mysteries [不可思議] of the universe [宇宙]. From the standpoint of science [理学の見地], the mysteries [不可思議] proclaimed by ancient religions [宗教] are merely narrow views [小見] that can no longer be believed. However, because science [理学] reveals even more profound [深遠] mysteries, those with a truly deep religious heart [宗教心] welcome these discoveries [歓迎].

Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] does not rely on ancient imagination [古人の想像]. It is a movement [運動] that builds its religious thought [思想] and judges conduct [行為を裁する] based on the facts discovered in modern times [近時發明の事実]. Being a movement [運動], we naturally [勿論] have no fixed creed [一定の信条 (ドグマ)] that one must believe to be a member [我党]. Even if certain articles [箇条] of faith [信仰] are temporarily established [假りに定めたる] today, they may be changed [變更する] tomorrow as human intelligence [人智の發達] continues to evolve. Unitarianism [ユニテリアン], then, is a movement [運動] to cast off absurdity [妄誕] and reveal a truthful religion [真実なる宗教].

And so it is [し然り]. This is not to say we have no core principles [一定の信条 (ドグマ)] or articles of faith [数条の信文] arising from a single fundamental concept [一個の観念]. That concept [観念] is that religion [宗教] and reason [道理] must mutually harmonise [相適ふ], and the discovery of religious truth [宗教の真理] must rely on the power of reasoning [推理の力]. From this foundation [根本の主義], we have derived several essential [緊要なる] beliefs [信仰], as follows:

First, we believe in God [神を信する]. There is a single Power [唯一の勢力] and a single Life [唯一の生命] that pervades [磅礴] the universe [宇宙]. There is no place in all creation [万物] or within the spirit [霊魂] where this life and power do not reach. Since this life and power are the wondrous utility [妙用] of the Divine Spirit [神霊], we believe in its existence. However, explaining exactly what the Divine Spirit [神霊] is lies beyond human reach [人力の及ぶ所]. We do not presume to pry into divine secrets [天機を窺はんとせず]. We simply say that the Divine Spirit [神霊] is All-Wise [大智], Pure [純正], and Supremely Good [至善], beyond the reach of human imagination [想像の及ぶ所]. When we speak of the Divine Spirit [神霊] as “Heavenly Father” [天父] it is because “Heavenly Father” is the most respectful term [無上の詞] we possess. We use it as a metaphor [借て] to represent the Divine Spirit [神霊], not as a literal scientific explanation [説明]. We are by no means atheists [無神の説].

Second, we perceive [覚ゆ] the manifestation [顕現] of the Divine Spirit [神霊] through the study [研究] of the facts [事実] and laws [法則] of heaven and earth [天地の間]. The God [神] we believe in did not merely create the world in the ancient past [往昔] and then abandon it [放擲]. He is the eternal foundation of all creation [萬物生成の根底]. Working through the hands of humanity [人類の手を借り], He seeks to improve [改良せん] our incomplete and disordered society [不完全にして不整頓なる社会]. His mysterious and beautiful light [玄妙美麗の光明] has shone upon [照鑑せり] the three thousand worlds [三千世界] throughout all ages [萬古絶えず], even unto this day.

Third, the world must continue to evolve [進化]; it is not a thing of stagnation [停滞不流]. It has evolved [進化] as far as possible through the natural order [進化の順序] until today, and we must now work together [力を協せて] with God [神] to further that progress [進化を助け].

Fourth, human ability [人類の能力] is leaving behind old delusions [古き迷妄] and trending [趨る] toward enlightenment [開明]. The old theory that humanity fell [徳義の上、天より墜落] from a state of perfection is contrary to reason [理に悖り] and fact [事実と違ふ]. We believe that humanity arose from an inferior state [劣等の地位] through the principle of evolution [進化の原則] and has progressed toward intelligence [智識], freedom [自由], and moral character [徳義]. By looking at the past, we can expect [期す可き] even greater progress [進歩] in the future.

Fifth, we reverently believe in [敬信して] Jesus [耶蘇]. He taught us that our own nature [天性] is sacred [神聖] and can reach a divine realm [域]. We do not worship Jesus [耶蘇] as God [神]; he is the “Son of Man” [人子] who stood closest to the Divine. He is the Great Teacher [大教師] who showed us the sacred way of life [神聖の生路]. Jesus [耶蘇] was human, as we are; he was of the same human race [同類同様の人種]. Though abilities [能力] vary, our nature [性質] is the same. He began in a lowly [賤劣] state and, through the same process [同じき方法] as ourselves, developed into an adult [成人] of firm moral character [道德堅固]. His mission [使命 (ミッション)] was to show humanity how to break the bonds [羈絆] of ego and sin [我慾罪障] and reach a state of holy freedom [自由神聖].

Sixth, we value the Bible [聖書 (バイブル)] as the most influential [有力] and high-minded [高尚] of the world’s scriptures [經典]. Yet we do not believe in it blindly [妄信]. We test everything within it against the mirror of reason [道理の明鏡]. Where it is clear [明らか], we accept it; where it is dark [暗ければ], we reject it [排する]. The Bible [聖書] is a valuable record of past human thought [過去人類の思想], but it is not necessarily a literal record of facts [事実の記録].

Seventh, as previously stated [上段], the world is on a path of evolution [進化の途], and its progress is infinite and endless [無限無窮なり].

Eighth, in this life and the next [来世], we are subject to the fortune of reward and punishment [賞罰の運]. We do not believe in salvation through the power of another [他力濟度]. Evil leads to a fall [墜落], and good leads to an ascent [昇天]. No amount of prayer [祈る] can change the fact that our destiny depends on our own conduct [品行]. One must follow the law [法] oneself [自ら] and not rely on others [他] for salvation [救済].

Ninth, we believe in the Law of Cause and Effect [因果の理]. “As a man sows, so shall he reap” [蒔く者は必ず刈るべし]. Neither prayer nor the help of others can allow one to escape [脱る能はず] this Great Law [大法]. It is the most manifest law [至現の法則] of the universe [宇宙]. Throughout all time, good creates beauty [美] and evil creates ugliness [醜].

Tenth, we believe in Heaven [天堂] and Hades [陰府]. Heaven [天堂] is a state of peace, peace of mind, and clarity [平和安心晴明], reached by following natural principles [原理] and rules [原則]. Hades [陰府] is a state of darkness, ignorance, and sorrow [晦黑無智悲哀], reached by committing sin [罪] and violating the law [法].

As I have declared [陳述], the doctrines [教義] of Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] are simple [簡單]. They emerge naturally from the human heart [人の心の自然に出で], cast off blind superstition [妄信虚誕を脱して], and return to reason [理に歸し]. These are the fundamental elements [元素] found at the base [基礎] of every great religion [宗教]. Unitarians [ユニテリアン] embrace [懐抱] all faiths and love [敬愛] them as comrades of the same feeling [同教同感]. Our simple creed [簡明なる教義]—that the world is evolving [進化] toward a perfect and infinite state [圓滿無量の上界]—ignores sectarian lines [宗派] and religious enemies [教敵]. We see no distinction [異同の別] between us. This spirit [心] will eventually lead to the unification of all religions [宗教統一].

We do not say, “My religion [我宗教] alone is supreme [唯我獨尊], and there is no truth outside it.” We do not claim that without this path [此道], there is no salvation [衆生済度]. Unitarianism [ユニテリアン] is a religion of human commonality [人間共同]. It rests upon the natural reason of human affairs [人事自然の道理] and the universal human heart [人心].

Our goal is to bind the world in brotherhood [兄弟], acknowledging God [神] as our only Father [宇宙唯一の父] and ourselves as His children. This is the true character [本色] of Unitarianism [ユニテリアン]. I feel it is my divine destiny [冥加此の上なき天命] to have met [会し] with you, my brothers [兄弟] of other faiths [異教他宗], to speak of this universal religion [人間共同の宗教].

I give thanks to God [神] for His protection [加護] and look forward [相見んとす] to greeting you all with the utmost respect [孝敬]. It has been a most delightful occasion [愉快なる事共なり].