以文字或以身體傳教？女神研究芻議：以媽祖信仰為例

Spreading Religious Teachings through Text or the Body? Some Thoughts on the Study of Goddesses: The Example of Mazu 媽祖 Beliefs

張珣(Chang Hsun)

《華人宗教研究》 17期 (2021/01) Pp. 1-25

https://doi.org/10.6720/SCR.202101_(17).0001

摘要

制度宗教與地方宗教的差別有很多面向可以討論，其一是傳教媒介的差異。制度宗教的傳教媒介，相當程度依賴文字經典與神職人員對經典的詮釋，從而能有標準化的教義與儀式，以及教會的權威。然而，僵化與制式的儀式與權威，讓信徒也相對地漸失其對神聖的即時體會與經驗。反之，地方宗教以其貼近在野庶民，信仰內容歧異與雜亂，但是信徒對於神聖的體驗與感受卻生動與即時。媽祖被國家敕封為「天后」，是國家道教（制度宗教）的一部分。雖然許多地區的女神被吸納進入媽祖林默娘體系，卻還有不斷冒出的地方小女神，都以其顯靈的事蹟與降乩來傳教。文字或經典不屬於她們，身體才是她們的主要傳播媒介。所以本文嘗試討論文字和身體傳教的差異與社會效應。

關鍵字

女神 ； 文字 ； 身體 ； 媽祖 ； 宗教理論

並列摘要

The distinctions between institutionalized religions and local religions can be discussed from many angles; one of these is the difference in the medium used to spread religious teachings. Institutionalized religions rely, to a great extent, on the medium of text and scripture, as well as clergy members to interpret those texts, which, in turn, standardizes doctrine and ritual and solidifies the authority of the church. However, rigid, systematized rituals and authority cause adherents to gradually lose their sense of immediate comprehension and experience of the divine. On the other hand, local religions, by being intimately tied to the multitudes of people who lack institutional power 在野庶民, involve more diverse and disordered beliefs, yet adherents' experiences and perceptions of the divine remain more lively and immediate. When the state granted Mazu the title of Empress of Heaven (Tianhou 天后), she then came under the auspices of state Daoism (i.e. institutionalized religion). Though many local goddesses were also absorbed into the same system as Mazu (or Lin Moniang 林默娘), there were still the continuous appearances of lesser local goddesses, who transmitted religious teachings through divine manifestations, either in their deeds or divination. Texts or scriptures were never part of these goddesses' appeal; the body was their primary medium of dissemination. Thus, this paper discusses the differences between transmitting religious teachings through text and the body, as well as the social effects of these means.

並列關鍵字

goddess ； text ； body ； Mazu媽祖 ； theory of religion

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