Immanent power and empirical religiosity conversion of the Daimyo of Kyushu, 1560–1580

The baptisms of the lords of the Ōmura, Arima and Ōtomo families formed the breakthrough for Christianity in Kyushu. These conversions are analysed here in the light of the relevance of ‘empirical religiosity’: the tendency to alter religious commitments and ritual practices according to their perceived efficacy in bringing about this-worldly outcomes. This article arises out of a larger project of comparative global history, which establishes a three-fold model of ruler conversions. The revelation of ‘immanent power’ forms the second element of this model. Close analysis of the sources reveals that in Sengoku Japan, just as elsewhere, the daimyo in question were driven to experiment with and then commit to the new cult due to its capacity to bestow military success, healing, exorcism and fertility. In particular, this is shown through a detailed account of the changing religious affiliations of Ōtomo Sorin and his son Yoshimune. Since the bulk of the sources relating to these conversions are European, the article also considers how far these themes are simply missionary projections. Some Japanese evidence is brought in to assist the argument that both pro- and anti-Christian parties came to frame their arguments in terms of a shared empiricist epistemology