ENI — A Japanese theologian has made an unlikely connection between the Bible and the classical Japanese drama form called Noh. In Noh Drama And The Bible — Stories Of Women That Resonate With Each Other, Yuko Yuasa identifies five heroines of Noh drama who, she says, are related to female characters in the Bible.
The Biblical figures range from Miriam in the Old Testament to Mary Magdalene in the New Testament. “The five pairs resonate in the hope brought by the power to change negativeness into positiveness,” says Yuasa.
Noh is a classical Japanese form of performance that dates from the 14th century. It combines elements of dance, drama, music and poetry. It features, with slow movements and distinctive masks, gods, warriors, beautiful women, contemporary figures and supernatural beings.
Yuasa is a member of the United Church of Christ in Japan, and a graduate of the International Christian University in Tokyo. She has also studied theology at Edinburgh University in Scotland and San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Yuasa describes parallels between the Old Testament character Miriam, who is sometimes thought to be the sister of Moses, and Ameno Uzume, the legendary Japanese singer, dancer and goddess, who is found in the nation's earliest literary works. “Miriam, like Ameno Uzume, led her people by song and dance. The effectiveness of her leadership is as great as her Japanese counterpart.”
