宗教的真偽與正信迷信之差別──從宗教對話的立場所作的思考

Truth and Falsehood in Religion and the Difference between Orthodoxy and Superstition — A Consideration from the Perspective of Religious Dialogue

這個題目包含兩個層面。第一個關乎宗教的真理觀，是最基本的宗教哲學的問題。另一個正信和迷信的問題，則是比較應用性的實際問題。如果學者關心第一個問題，信徒可能更關心第二個問題，也就是如何在日常生活中拒絕迷信，並導向正信的問題。本文將從問題的考量開始，討論宗教的真理和正信迷信的區別這個問題。本文思考的角度是宗教對話，因為我們認為，正信和迷信不是容易區別的，我們必須透過長期的宗教對話來澄清問題，甚至透過別人的質疑，才能照亮本身信仰中黑暗矇眛的地帶。而更重要的是，不是指證別人的迷信，而是認清，在自己妥實的信仰下面，也隱藏著迷信的可能性。在陳述完問題的考量之後，本文接著分析宗教的理性和感性之間的辯證關係，並從中調理出分辨正信迷信的幾點可行方案。接著討論如何透過宗教對話認清自己信仰中的執迷。最後一段，則是從神聖的不可辨識性談論理想宗教的三種因素，即顯現、神祕和倫理。

There are two levels implied in the topic of this article. First, it concerns the idea of truth in religion, which is fundamental as far as philosophy of religion is concerned. Secondly, it is a quest for the discrimination between orthodoxy and superstition, which is more practical in character. If scholars are interested in the first question, laymen will possibly be more occupied with the second. That is to say, they will be more occupied with the question as to how to refuse superstition, and how to orientate themselves more easily to orthodoxy, that is, to truth in their own religion. This article starts from an analysis of the status questionis. The perspective from which it reflects on is that of religious dialogue. It is of the opinion that the discrimination between orthodoxy and superstition is not easily made. It is only through a long-term dialogue with others, or even a cruel challenge by others that we can clarify problems, even the very dark side in our own faith. And what is more important is not to point out others’ superstitions, but to discern that, under our own solid faith, hidden superstitions can also be found. After having elucidated the status questionis, the article continues to analyze the dialectical relationship between rational and emotional (irrational) elements in religion, thus to sort out some workable methods for discriminating orthodoxy and superstition. It then discusses how to clarify our own superstition through religious dialogue. The last paragraph elucidates the three elements in an ideal religion, that is, the sacramental, the mystical, and the ethical, through a discussion of the unrecogniziblity of the holy.