Community formation in Japanese religiosity has played a central role in providing social organization and relational meaning. The stability it once lent to society has been largely undone by rapid modernization. This fragmentation drives many Japanese to seek meaning for their lives in “new” and “new-new” religions. This article examines several contemporary religious groups, with special attention to relational formation. The role of popular culture and manga is also considered. Insights gained from this examination are applied to the Christian context in Japan, with suggestions for how the church might pursue being missional in the contemporary Japanese context.
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