Confessions of "the Weak" in Endo Shusaku's Silence

What is it about?

The theme of Silence (1966), according to Endō, is how the main characters’ perspectives of Christ change. At the beginning of the novel, these characters Rodrigues and Kichijiro perceive God from a "father-religion" perspective: as judgmental, fearsome, and angry. By the end of the novel, God, from their newly acquired mother-religion perspective, becomes "to man what a mother is to a bad child." This article examines the five confessions depicted in this novel with reference to Endō's literary ouvre and his comments on it in order to address some controversies in Endō scholarship about betrayal, the counterproductivity of determinism on human relationships, and the bearing that culture has upon theology.

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Why is it important?

This article makes a case for how "betrayal" is to be understood in Silence. Endō scholar Kevin Doak argues that Rodrigues becomes an apostate because of his unrepentant denial that resembles yet exceeds in brazenness that of the Apostle Peter. In light of Endō's reading of Scripture and his aforementioned comments on Silence, I make a case not only for Rodrigues' forgiveness and continued faith, but also for what Endō's mother-religion Christianity looks like in Silence. Primarily, it is influenced by the religio-cultural background of Japan in renouncing labels such as "strong," "weak," and "filthy" in favor of acknowledging the suffering of all humanity.