連曦的「民間基督教」概念與當代中國鄉村「家庭教會」的歷史延續性問題

Lian Xi's Concept of Popular Christianity and the Continuity Problem in the Study of Rural House Churches in Contemporary China

高晨揚(Chen-yang Kao)

《臺灣宗教研究》 12卷1&2期 (2013/12) Pp. 149-172

摘要

連曦的著作《浴火得救：現代中國民間基督教的興起》將改革開放以來中國基督新教「家庭教會」在鄉村地區的興起，理解為二十世紀前半期興起的中國本土獨立基督教在當代的延續，並以「民間基督教」的概念掌握兩者的相似性特徵—千禧年與五旬節派信仰。但此書對文化大革命所帶來基督教發展的斷裂性缺乏理解，以至於對家庭教會的描繪與詮釋有所偏頗。本文藉著批判性回顧當代中國基督教研究中的歷史延續性問題，分析連曦「民間基督教」概念的問題意識與其不足之處。

關鍵字

民間基督教 ； 本土獨立基督教 ； 家庭教會 ； 千禧年信仰 ； 五旬節派

並列摘要

Lian Xi's book Redeemed by Fire: the Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China perceives the rise of Protestant unofficial house churches in rural China since the Reform and Opening as fruits of Chinese indigenous independent Christianity emerging in the early twentieth century, and employs the concept of popular Christianity to grasp the similarities between independent Christianity and house churches, namely, millennialism and Pentecostalism. However, failing to give consideration to the discontinuity brought about by the Cultural Revolution, this interpretation may have misrepresented rural house churches. Critically reviewing the continuity problem in the study of rural house churches in China, this article examines Lian Xi's concept of popular Christianity, indicating its directing question and weakness.

並列關鍵字

popular Christianity ； indigenous independent Christianity ； house churches ； millennialism ； Pentecostalism