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Faculty of Letters Department of General Humanities

Faculty Introduction

HARADA, Koji Professor
(Practical Theology, History of Christianity, Thanatology)

The thoughts of great figures and their interactions with different cultures
Encounters can lead to personal growth

I have been diligently researching the Scottish Reformation since my student days. My experience working as a pastor has also led me to research clinical and practical issues in Christianity, such as bereavement and funerals. A distinctive feature of this department is that students can learn about various humanities issues from multiple perspectives while engaging with the Christian worldview.

  • Main research areas: Christian history (Reformation), practical theology, thanatology
  • Courses taught: Practical Theology I & II, Christian History (Modern), Thanatology, etc.
Research topic

My research focuses primarily on a historical overview of the 16th-century Scottish Reformation and the resulting church system, "Presbyterianism," while also examining the practical challenges that arose within the context of Protestant churches. Furthermore, I also explore "thanatology" as a field of practical theology.

Research Topics

We translated and published in April 2025 five sermons on the Lord's Supper delivered by Reverend Robert Bruce at St. Giles' Church (pictured), a major church in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the end of the 6th century. These sermons re-examine 21st-century practical theological issues such as sermons, the Lord's Supper, prayer, and church ministry within the context of the 16th-century Reformation.

Furthermore, from a Christian practical theological perspective, this work examines various issues surrounding "bereavement," such as funerals and grief care.

St. Giles Church

Examples of graduation thesis titles for seminars
  • "A Reflection on the Scottish Independence Issue: A Search for Scottish Identity"
  • "The Transformation of Grief Work: Using the 'Enduring Bond' as a Clue"
  • "A Consideration of How to Achieve a 'Happy Death' in End-of-Life Care in Japan"
  • "Self-determination in life and death: Exploring the relationship between self and others to overcome the dilemma of end-of-life care"
Recent works
  • [Book] "An Introduction to Faith Through the Scottish Confession: History, Text, and Commentary" (Ichibaku Publishing, 2021)
  • [Article] "John Knox's 'Another Confession of Faith': Commemorating the 450th Anniversary of Knox's Death" (Humanities and Theology, No. 19, 2022)
  • [Article] "Suffering and Salvation in the Late Covenanters of the 'Age of Slaughter': The Struggle for Spiritual Independence in the 'Covenant' of 17th Century Scotland" (Chapter 2, Part IV, of the Essay Collection "Suffering and Salvation: Light After Darkness," Kyobunkan, 2020)
  • [Translation] Thomas F. Torrance (ed.), *The Mystery of the Lord's Supper: Sermons of Robert Bruce* (Ichibaku Publishing, 2025)
  • [Translation] Donald K. McKim, "Days of Praying with Calvin" (Ichibaku Publishing, 2020)

For more details, please see researchmap.

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