源自死亡焦慮的宗教委身機制：分析與模型建構

The Mechanisms for Religious Commitment Activated by Death Anxiety: An Analysis and Model Construction

為了分析華人文化內在結構中的宗教機制，本文以黃光國的「自我的曼陀羅模型」作為理論核心，建構了「宗教自我曼陀羅模型」作為宗教性機制的分析架構，藉以有系統地分析「源自死亡焦慮的宗教委身機制」。本文依據學術界對華人宗教性、宗教向度與普化宗教的理論與實徵研究，以及心理學界在「死亡提醒效應」與「持續連結理論」兩方面的研究，提出假設：一、在機構式宗教之內發宗教取向者間，宗教委身機制啟動於死亡焦慮。二、在華人傳統殯葬中，「死亡提醒」可能增強人們的死亡焦慮而暫時性啟動宗教委身機制，導致宗教性遽增之現象。在顯示「源自死亡焦慮的宗教委身機制」後，作者擴大應用在分析華人殯儀祭祀，於是對華人「天、鬼神雙重信仰」得到一個基於批判實在論的分析。 In this paper I propose a paradigm shift for studying religious mechanisms within Chinese culture. Using the Mandala Model of Self postulated by Kwang-Kuo Hwang as the core, I developed the Mandala Model of Religion and Self as an analytical framework for religious mechanisms. This framework provides a systematic analysis of the mechanisms for religious commitment activated by death anxiety. Based on theoretical and empirical studies of personal religiosity and diffused religions, I draw from the psychological concepts of the mortality salience effect and continuing bonds to propose two hypotheses: (1) Religious commitment mechanisms are activated by death anxiety (especially among people with intrinsic religious orientation in institutional religions). (2) Mortality salience may increase death anxiety for individuals who attend a traditional Chinese funeral and temporarily activate religious commitment mechanisms. After modeling the religious commitment mechanisms activated by death anxiety, I apply them more generally to a traditional Chinese funeral and related rituals. The result is a critical realist analysis of Chinese dual belief in Heaven and spirits.