# Early Christian missionary influence upon Buddhism and the Far East



## Pergamum (May 29, 2012)

I am studying and looking for any info on early missionary influence upon Buddhism, the Mongols and the Japanese. 

It seems that there was a shift in Buddhist belief where a concept akin to grace emerged, possibly due to the influence of Nestorian missionaries along the Silk Road. Also, Christianity might have entered Japan at the same time as Buddhism.

Any links, info to help me dig deeper?

Here is a link to the RTS newsletter featuring news of a paper by missions professor Sam Larson. In his history of Missions course through RTS he makes claims of Christian influence upon Buddhism in such a way that Buddhism morphed radically afterwards in reponse to the possible teachings by these early missionaries to the East:

RTS E-Newsletter



> PROFESSORS TO PRESENT PAPERS AT ANNUAL MEETING OF EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
> 
> Dr. Sam Larsen, professor of missions emeritus, will present a paper titled: Echoes of the Gospel from the First Century: The Mystery of Christ and the Origins of Amida Buddhism at the 2010 annual meeting of ETS which will be held November 17-19 in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Larsen says, “The paper bears upon the current ‘New Perspective’ controversy, because it presents salient but circumstantial historical evidence that ‘salvation by grace alone through faith alone in the substitutionary atonement of Christ alone’ was clear enough by the middle of the first century that it forever influenced the development of one strand of Buddhism.



I can looking for the full paper.

It makes for an interesting and ambitious paper, disproving the New Perspective by seeking to show that early Nestorian missionary bishops (who weren't probably all really Nestorian at all) taught a doctrine of salvation by grace in such a way that it altered the teaching of even Buddhist rivals, thus proving the antiquity of justification by grace alone through faith alone from even the first and second century.


When Jesus met Buddha - The Boston Globe

Religious sites, relics indicate Christ beat Buddha to Japan


The Concept of Grace in Both Christianity and Pure Land Buddhism Examined

The Concept of Grace in Both Christianity and Pure Land Buddhism Examined


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## yeutter (May 29, 2012)

Pergamum said:


> I am studying and looking for any info on early missionary influence upon Buddhism, the Mongols and the Japanese.
> 
> It seems that there was a shift in Buddhist belief where a concept akin to grace emerged, possibly due to the influence of Nestorian missionaries along the Silk Road. Also, Christianity might have entered Japan at the same time as Buddhism.
> 
> ...


Amitabha Buddhism dates from at least the latter half of the second century AD according to epigraphic evidence. It is doubtful that Buddhist contact with Christians caused this developement.


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## Wayne (May 29, 2012)

On a related note, Pergie, are you familiar with the work of John M.L. Young? Specifically, his book, _By Foot to China_.

It appears to be online (surprise to me) : By Foot To China: Mission of The Church of the East, to 1400


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## yeutter (May 29, 2012)

On a related note, Pergie, Samuel Moffett treats, in a very readable format, the early history of Christianity in Asia in his book *A History of Christianity in Asia, Beginnings to 1500*.


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## Pergamum (May 29, 2012)

yeutter said:


> Pergamum said:
> 
> 
> > I am studying and looking for any info on early missionary influence upon Buddhism, the Mongols and the Japanese.
> ...



Christian missionaries were already in the East by that point.


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