Good World, Evil World — and a Japanese Woodcut

The June 4-10th issue of The Economist has an interesting article on the Japanese view of the sea—historically and in wake of their devastating tsunami of last March. They cite Neil MacGegor’s discussion (in A History of the World in 100 Objects) of a famous early 19th-century Japanese woodcut depicting a huge wave with a fishing boat riding its crest and a dwarfed Mt Fuji in the background.

McGregor, like most westerners, reportedly sees in the image danger and fear. But The Economistpoints out that Japanese art critics, in contrast, see in the image brave and serene fishermen working at one with nature to reap what the provider sea has to offer for the needs of the people, dangers notwithstanding.

I would like to apply this to how Christians view the world in which we live. The prevailing view in my circles (now and perhaps for centuries) has been to see the world as evil, threatening, morally bankrupt, and antagonistic to all that we value most. Christians “fight” against this world, often with a kind of angry fatalism.

I prefer the Japanese view of this woodcut. The sea/world IS a dangerous place, but it is also a gift, given as a blessing by a good God, and has in it all we need to flourish (including God, who inhabits his world). We work with the creation, not against it.

There is plenty of biblical imagery to support both views. I would not ignore the imagery of decay and struggle, but I would also not give it precedence over images of blessing and shalom. There is more good news than bad even in a fallen world, and we can be serene rather than combative as we explore it.