本文對喬納森.Z.史密斯在1980年代寫作的代表作《瓊斯先生心中的魔鬼》進行了細緻的研讀,以幫助中文世界更好更容易地理解這部作品為目的,對這篇當代宗教學界重要的理論著作進行了介紹、補充與闡發。本文重點強調了史密斯藉由對瓊斯鎮事件及其社會與學界影響的分析所展示出的宗教學這個學科的歷史、態度、立場以及對研究方式的示範,並將這些歸納為五個模板。本文提出,這篇著作最重要的意義就在於這五個模板對宗教學整個學科根基多面向的綜合概括。這使得這篇著作不但超越了一份個案研究,可以作為極佳的宗教學學科教育的教材和範文,還成為了後世某種宗教學學科精神發展的起點。在本文看來,如Miles在2000年左右所提出的「三個公眾」即是對史密斯這篇著作的回應與延伸。
This article explores a masterpiece by Jonathan Z. Smith written in the early 1980s: The Devil in Mr. Jones. In order to help Chinese readers better understand this work, I work on two areas: an introduction to the major points of the work and a modern interpretation. With a focus on the history, position, standpoint and method of Religious Studies shown by Jonathan Z. Smith, my article summarizes five specific patterns. These patterns cover the main points of the subject and make this masterpiece much more than a case study. J. Z. Smith's work can be taken as an excellent textbook for teaching Religious Studies and a foundation for Religious Studies. As I point out, the 'three publics' proposed by Malcolm Miles in 2000 is a good response and an extension of the ideas of J. Z. Smith.