All That Remains - Special extended preview
「長崎の鐘」や「この子等を残して」など永井隆博士の著書は英訳されていますが、それをもとにしてイギリスで制作された映画です。
永井博士を主人公とする映画は、すでに日本でも制作されていますが、英国で制作されたこの映画は、浦上天主堂のうえに投下された原爆、その廃墟に佇むマリア像など、原作にあるキリスト教的メッセージが明確に表現されているように思いました。
Here is the text of Funeral Address delivered by Dr. Takashi Nagai at the totally ruined site of St. Mary's Cathedral in 1945.
Funeral Address for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb (from the Bells of Nagasaki, translated by William Johnston)
On August 9, 1945, at 10:30 A.M. a meeting of the Supreme Council of War was held at the Imperial Headquarters to decide whether Japan should capitulate or continue to wage war. At that moment the world was at a crossroad. A decision was being made that would either bring about a new and lasting peace or throw the human family into further cruel bloodshed and carnage.
And just at that same time, at two minutes past eleven in the morning, an atomic bomb exploded over our district of Urakami in Nagasaki. In an instant, eight thousand Christians were called into the hands of God, while in a few hours the fierce flames reduced to ashes this sacred territory og the East. At midnight of that same night the cathedral suddenly bursd into flames and was burned to the ground. And exactly at that time in the Imperial Palace, His Majesty the Emperor made known his sacred decision to bring the war to an end.
On August 15, the Imperial Rescript which put an end to the fighting was formally promulgated, and the whole world welcomed a day of peace. This day was also the great feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is significant to reflect that Urakami Cathedral was dedicated to her. And we must ask if this convergence of events—the ending of the war and the celebration of her feast—was merely coincidental or if there was here some mysterious providence of God.
I have heard that the second atomic bomb, calculated to deal a deadly blow to the war potential of Japan, was originally destined for another city. But since the sky over that city was covered with clouds, the American pilots found it impossible to aim at their target. Consequently, they suddenly changed their plans and decided to drop the bomb on Nagasaki, the secondary target. However, yet another hitch occurred. As the bomb fell, cloud and wind carried it slightly north of the munitions factories over which it was supposed to explode and it exploded above the cathedral.
This is what I have heard. If it is true, the American pilots did not aim at Urakami. It was the providence of God that carried the bomb to that destination.
Is there not a profound relationship between the destruction of Nagasaki and the end of the war? Nagasaki, the only holy place in all Japan—was it not chosen as a victim, a pure lamb, to be slaughtered and burned on the altar of sacrifice to expiate the sins committed by humanity in the Second World War?
The human family has inherited the sin of Adam who ate the fruit of the forbidden tree; we have inherited the sin of Cain who killed his younger brother; we have forgotten that we are children of God; we have believed in idols; we have disobeyed the law of love. Joyfully we have hated one another; joyfully we have killed one another. And now at last we have brought this great and evil war to an end. But in order to restore peace to the world it was not sufficient to repent. We had to obtain God’s pardon through the offering of a great sacrifice.
Before this moment there were many opportunities to end the war. Not a few cities were totally destroyed. But these were not suitable sacrifices; nor did God accept them. Only when Nagasaki was destroyed did God accept the sacrifice. Hearing the cry of the human family, He inspired the emperor to issue the sacred decree by which the war was brought to an end.
Our church of Nagasaki kept the faith during four hundred years of persecution when religion was proscribed and the blood of martyrs flowed freely. During the war this same church never ceased to pray day and night for a lasting peace. Was it not, then, the one unblemished lamb that had to be offered on the altar of God? Thanks to the sacrifice of this lamb many millions who would otherwise have fallen victim to the ravages of war have been saved.
How noble, how splendid was that holocaust of August 9, when flames soared up from the cathedral, dispelling the darkness of war and bringing the light of peace! In the very depth of our grief we reverently saw here something beautiful, something pure, something sublime. Eight thousand people, together with their priests, burning with pure smoke, entered into eternal life. All without exception were good people whom we deeply mourn.
How happy are those people who left this world without knowing the defeat of their country! How happy are the pure lambs who rest in the bosom of God! Compared with them how miserable is the fate of us who have survived! Japan is conquered. Urakami is totally destroyed. A waste of ash and rubble lies before our eyes. We have no houses, no food, no clothes. Our fields are devastated. Only a remnant has survived. In the midst of the ruins we stand in groups of two or three looking blankly at the sky.
Why did we not die with them on that day, at that time, in this house of God? Why must we alone continue this miserable existence?
It is because we are sinners. Ah! Now indeed we are forced to see the enormity of our sins! It is because I have not made expiation for my sins that I am left behind. Those are left who were so deeply rooted in sin that they were not worthy to be offered to God.
We Japanese, a vanquished people, must now walk along a path that is full of pain and suffering. The reparations imposed by the Potsdam Declaration are a heavy burden. But this painful path along which we walk carrying our burden, is it not also the path of hope, which gives to us sinners an opportunity to expiate our sins?
“Blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted.” We must walk this way of expiation faithfully and sincerely. And as we walk in hunger and thirst, ridiculed, penalized, scourged, pouring with sweat and covered with blood, let us remember how Jesus Christ carried His cross to the hill of Calvary. He will give us courage
“The Lord has given: the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!”
Let us give thanks that Nagasaki was chosen for the sacrifice. Let us give thanks that through this sacrifice peace was given to the world and freedom of religion to Japan.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
永井隆の「長崎の鐘」の最後の二章「壕舎の客」と「原子野の鐘」を読む。廃墟となった天主堂での合同葬で信徒代表として弔辞を述べた永井隆の原稿が収録されている。原爆がなぜ長崎に、それも浦上天主堂の上に落ちたのか、なぜ天主堂で祈りを捧げていた無辜の信徒達、明治維新直後のキリシタン迫害（浦上四番崩れ）を耐えて信仰を守り抜いた浦上のカトリック信徒の末裔が、なぜホロコーストの犠牲となったのか。根源的な問いに直面したキリスト者、永井隆の言葉が記されている。
2008年、永井の生誕百周年に、プロテスタント神学者の大木英夫は、この「原子爆弾合同葬弔辞」について次のように書いている。
「ひとつひとつの言葉まで燔祭の火のように、聖なる垂直次元に燃え昇るような言葉である。..ヨブ記に堪える、いやヨブ記を超えるほどの言葉ではないか。ヨブ記を超えるほどの言葉なしにあの現実に、そして全ての人間の現実に取り組むことは出来ない。ヨブ記に堪えるということは、人生と歴史の究極の悲惨にさえも堪えることができるということ、人生と歴史の不条理をも超えることができるという事である。この言葉が右に或いは左に傾斜した理性には不可解であるとしても、天が裂けてまっすぐ垂直次元に輝く光の下では決して不可解ではない。それは啓示によって可能となる神学的認識なのである」（『人格と人権』上 ５０頁、教文館）
大木氏は、敗戦を契機として、軍国少年から一転して、キリスト教の洗礼を受けた神学者である。永井隆の言葉を、「弁証学のための＜言葉＞の獲得、原爆体験から発出した言葉」ととらえて詳しく論じている。それは、右翼や左翼の政治的言説の喧噪を離れて、原子野の虚無と沈黙のただなかから生成する「十字架の学知（scientia crucis)」の始まりを示す言葉に他ならない。
