Au-delà de la manière douce. La stratégie missionnaire des frères philippins en Chine et au Japon (1575-v. 1639)

Towards the middle of the 17th century, the Chinese rites controversy broke out in Europe: for several decades the dispute pitted missionaries from the mendicant orders and the Society of Jesus as to how to spread the Gospel in Asia. The Jesuits were accused of acting like mandarins, and of accepting pagan beliefs and practices. These accusations had been aimed at them from the late 16th century, long before the Philippine friars had penetrated China. Why did the Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians criticize Jesuits’ methods, and how did they themselves approach Asia and its peoples? This paper provides an overview of the different missionary strategies adopted by the friars in their dealings with the Chinese and Japanese, from the first contacts to the outbreak of the Chinese rites controversy.