基督宗教在當代中國社會的作用及影響

The Function and Influence of Christianity on Contemporary Chinese Society

卓新平(Xin-Ping Zhuo)

《新世紀宗教研究》 2卷2期 (2003/12) Pp. 35-54

摘要

在研究政教關係上，基督宗教在當代中國大陸的作用及影響乃極爲獨特的案例。自明末清初「中國禮儀之爭」以來，基督宗教與中國社會就一直處於政治、思想和文化筆張力之中，迄今仍未根本緩解。在佛教「中國化」的過程中，其在社會政治層面曾經歷了從「佛道爲至上道」、「沙門不禮王者」到「依國主」、「從王法」的重要轉變，因而比較順利地融入了中國社會及文化。但基督宗教則頗爲弦調其「自我認同」，並希望中國人能達到這種基督宗教的「自我認同」。這樣，基督宗教與中國政治文化體系的相遇就形成了兩種強勢文化碰面時往往可能的相互抵觸和猜忌。爲了在中國社會中生存與發展，中國教會的主流並不願意放棄其對中國傳統的「文化自覺」，所以在其「信仰認同」之際往往會爭取一種「殊途同歸」之境，以此爲基礎來使基督宗教信仰所帶來之新，得以在中國社會中體現和實現。本文乃從「基督宗教在當代中國社會存在與發展的歷史基礎」、「中國大陸教會在當代中國社會的作用及影響」和「基督宗教信仰體系在當代中國社會的作用及影響」這三個層面分析、探究基督宗教與當代中國社會之關係。

關鍵字

基督宗教 ； 中國教會 ； 當代社會

並列摘要

In the research on relationship between religion and politics, the function and influence of Christianity on contemporary Chinese mainland is a very unique case. Since ”the Chinese Rites Controversy” in the Late Ming and Early Qing periods, Christianity and the Chinese society stand always in the political, ideological and cultural tension, which has not yet been relieved fundamentally up to now. In the process of ”Sinicization” of Buddhism in China, it experienced an important change from its early emphasis on Dharma as the supreme principle and its concerning attitude of disobeying rulers by the sramana (the Buddhist monks) to the obedience to the sovereigns of China and the abidance by the royal law in social and political aspects. And with this change Buddhism entered into the Chinese society and its culture smoothly. In a sharp contrast with Buddhism, Christianity put stress on its ”self-identity” and asked the Chinese also to accept this Christian ”self-identity”. So the encounter between Christianity and the Chinese political and cultural system would be a confrontation of two strong cultures, which brought also possibly conflict and suspicion. In order to exist and develop in the Chinese society, the main stream of the Chinese church is not willing to give up its ”cultural consciousness” in the Chinese tradition. By the same time of its ”faith identification”, it would also strive for an ideal of ”reaching the same goal by different routes”. On this basis the new elements brought by Christian faith could be reflected and realized in the Chinese society. This paper will deal with the relationship between Christianity and the Chinese society from the following three aspects: 1) The historic basis for the existence and development of Christianity in contemporary Chinese society; 2) the function and influence of Christian church on Chinese mainland today; and 3) the function and influence of the system of Christian faith on contemporary Chinese society.

並列關鍵字

Christianity ； Chinese church ； contemporary society

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