Tenrikyo Church Headquarters
Tenrikyo Church Headquarters (Jpn: Tenrikyo Kyokai Honbu 天理教教会本部) refers to
- the structures located at 271 Mishima-cho, Tenri-shi, Nara-ken, built around Jiba
- the organization representing the Tenrikyo faith that oversees the performance of the Service, rituals, dissemination of the doctrine, as well as the education of followers.[1]
Tenrikyo Church Headquarters is sometimes simply referred to as “Kyokai Honbu” (Church Headquarters) and “Honbu” (Headquarters).
Contents
Structures
The primary buildings Tenrikyo Church Headquarters consists of include the Main Sanctuary, Foundress’ Sanctuary, and Memorial Hall.
Religious paraphernalia and others supplied by Church Headquarters
Church Headquarters supplies the symbols of worship (medo) for Tenri-O-no-Mikoto and Oyasama to be used at regional churches, symbols of worship (kanzane) used in followers’ home altars, as well as offering the Grant of Safe Childbirth, Proof Amulet, and sacred gift to followers.
Organization
Tenrikyo Church Headquarters is led by the Shinbashira. The successor to the Shinbashira is chosen from a descendant of Oyasama at a meeting of Honbu-in (headquarters executive officials).
The primary duties of Church Headquarters are divided between the Director-in-Chief of Religious Affairs and the Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs. A pair of Honbu-in are assigned to these positions for three-year terms but there appears to be no set limit to how many terms an individual may serve.[2]
Duties of Honbu-in
Honbu-in are appointed by the Shinbashira and are in charge of performing rituals, overseeing the o-hakobi, delivering Besseki Lectures, deliberating over important church matters, among other duties.
Organization chart
Shinbashira
Director-in-Chief of Religious Affairs
- Religious Affairs Bureau
- Ritual Affairs Bureau
- Divine Gifts and Sanction Bureau
- Oyasato-yakata Management Bureau
- Shuyoka
- Finance Bureau
- Security Bureau
Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs
- Administrative Affairs Department
- Church Affairs Department
- Education and Nurturing Department
- Mission Department
- Overseas Department
- Doyusha
- Pilgrim Reception Department
- Transportation Department
- Finance Department
- Property Management Department
- Construction and Maintenance Department
- Publications Approval Office
- Committee for Promotion of Integration
- Students Advisory Committee
- Tenri Yamato Culture Congress
- Tenrikyo Archeological Research Group
- Tenri University Corporation
- Tenri Seminary Corporation
- Tenri Kyoko Gakuen Corporation
- Tenrikyo Ichiretsukai Foundation
- Tenri Yorozuyo-sodansho Foundation
- Social Welfare Corporation Tenri
References
- ↑ Unless noted, information on this page comes from Tenrikyo jiten, pp. 598–599, 600.
- ↑ Refer to the following link for an article covering the most recent appointments: Church Headquarters Announces New Personnel (November 2009)
- ↑ This chart is an updated version that appears on pp. 116–117 of the Translation Handbook.
