英文摘要 |
After the reform and opening up in China, religious activities resurged, churches were established, and believers have grown up to approximately one hundred million people. The impacts to the regime and the society should not be underestimated. Although there are still constraints imposed upon religious organizations from the central government, the implementation slightly deviated from the original design at the level of local governments. There are gray areas exist in the activities conducted by the Three-Self Patriotic churches and house churches in ways that are interdependent with the local governments. This study uses the Theory of Religious Market to analyze the four critical elements for churches to survive: organization members, theological position, religious market and the attitude of local governments. It also explores the reasons behind the directions that the Three-Self Patriotic churches and house churches are moving into, among vast gray areas under the current constraints imposed by the government and competitions between churches. This study portraits the relationship between the Chinese government and the society. It also provides a channel for the Taiwanese government and religions in cross-straits interactions by enhancing the competency of Taiwan in the Chinese religious market. |