Religion, Resistance, and Contentious Politics in China (中国的宗教、抵抗与抗争政治)

Abstract

In this essay, I present the concepts of religious resistance and contentious politics, in which religions represent a source of inspiration, before moving to the issue of how these concepts apply to China. I note that there is little literature on this particular subject, which is always politically sensitive. As the Communist Party of China has increasingly recognized the relevance of religion in contemporary society, it has tried to keep it in check and thereby ensure that independent associations with a religious background will not become involved in contentious politics. This article then briefly introduces the four case studies in this special issue on the theme of religion and contentious politics in China: two cases of persecution of Christians and Catholics during the period of Mao, and two articles about Buddhism, which has a more complex relationship with the state.本文首先阐述了宗教抵抗与抗争政治的概念—其中宗教发挥了启发鼓舞的作用而后将之用于分析中国经验。由于政治敏感性，有关此议题的文献很少。因为逐渐意识到宗教在当代社会中的重要性，中国共产党试图管控宗教防止具有宗教背景的独立团体参与抗争政治。本文最后介绍本期中有关中国宗教与抗争政治的四篇个案研究：两篇文章讨论毛泽东时期对基督徒和天主教徒的压迫，另外两篇是关于佛教及其与国家的复杂关系。