Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Human Sciences, and School of Humanities and Human Sciences, Hokkaido University

Profile

Research Subject

I am trying to analyze and interpret the New Testament of Christianity, especially the Gospel of John, using a relatively new method. In the field of religion, I am exploring what religion is and what kind of study the science of religion is through the review of the achievements of the Romanian religious scholar Ioan Petru Culianu, who was tragically killed at a young age.

Research Fields

John's Gospel, New Testament, Christianity, Religion

Faculty - Division / Research Group / Laboratory

Division of Humanities / Research Group of Philosophy and Religious Studies / Laboratory of Religious Studies and Indian Philosophy

Graduate School - Division / Department / Laboratory

Division of Humanities / Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies / Laboratory of Religious Studies and Indian Philosophy

School - Course / Laboratory

Division of Humanities and Human Sciences / Course of Philosophy and Cultural Studies / Laboratory of Religious Studies and Indian Philosophy

Contact

Office/Lab: 612
TEL: +81-11-706-4021
FAX: +81-11-706-4021
Email: ksasaki(at)let.hokudai.ac.jp
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Related Links

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Lab.letters

Laboratory of Religious Studies and Indian Philosophy／SASAKI Kei Specially Appointed Professor

The chaotic period of Christianity’s establishment and Gnosticism

The starting point of my research on the New Testament was the Gospel According to John, which opens with the sentence, “In the beginning was the Word…” Of the four Gospels, which record the sayings of Jesus Christ, I was attracted to the Gospel According to John, as it contains a host of abstract expressions and suggestive remarks. It’s Gnosticism that’s believed to have had a profound connection with this Gospel. Gnosticism, a school of religious thought that thrived during the chaotic period of Christianity’s establishment, was later viewed as heretical by the Catholic Church, and still remains to be unraveled. My graduate students and I have completed a Japanese translation of The Tree of Gnosis by the religious scholar Ioan Petru Culianu. I’m convinced that this translation will play a vital role in research on Culianu.

Christians account for a third of the world’s population: Acquire knowledge to survive in the global age.

Language acquisition is a basic part of various studies involving countries overseas. Those who major in biblical studies are required to learn English and Greek as undergraduates, and in graduate school, students need to master the original language of the materials that are being studied, such as Hebrew or Coptic. In-depth interpretation of literature requires an understanding of the original language. Both undergraduate and graduate students are highly advised to tackle language acquisition.

Currently, Christians account for a third of the world’s population. Understanding these Christians, whom ambitious students from Hokkaido University are sure to meet in any country, is necessary for survival in the global age, and it contributes to mutual understanding. I’m sure you can have a unique perspective precisely by being a Japanese who loves Christmas but who is outside of the Christian tradition itself. If you’re interested in this field, regardless of the course, let’s study together!