Beyond exclusive religions: challenges for the sociology of religion in China

Abstract

中国宗教的快速发展及相关研究将有可能重塑宗教社会学的边界。由于过分强 调对排他性宗教的研究，宗教社会学一度被称为“基督宗教社会学”。然而，非 排他性宗教主导的中国社会却对此提出了挑战，同时也为其提供了发展机遇。在微 观层面上，非排他性宗教的普遍存在对植根于西方社会的一些核心概念——如“改 宗”和“委身”——构成了挑战。在组织层面上，它挑战着“教派—教会”理论， 提醒我们要对非科层化的宗教组织给予关注。在市场层面上，社会学家可以考察非 排他性宗教何以在中国宗教兴盛的原因。 关键词: 非排他性宗教 宗教社会学 The rapid growth of Chinese religion and the related studies will potentially reshape the boundary of sociology of religion. While sociology of religion focuses mainly on exclusive religions, so much so that it was once labeled “sociology of Christianity,” it meets challenges and opportunities in China where non‐exclusive religions dominate the society. At the micro‐level, the prevalence of non‐exclusive religion poses challenges to some key concepts rooted in Western society, such as conversion and commitment. At the organizational level, it challenges sect‐to‐church theory, reminding us to study non‐ bureaucratic religious organizations. At the market level, Chinese religions are a laboratory for sociologists to examine factors leading to the prevalence of non‐exclusive religions.