Collision And Coexistence: Relationship Of Christian Localization Process In Rural Areas And Folk Beliefs

It is imminent to reposition and review Christianity and traditional Chinese folk beliefs "encounter" in the context of globalization. Because of the complex relationship about the social and political dimensions between the China and West’s exchange in history, many Chinese people have contradiction to Christianity, In terms of mutual understanding also intertwined with many misunderstanding. While we should always bear in mind the history as a mirror, but we can not always wear historical "glasses" to look at the current landscape. It is already impossible to resist and excluded for widespread Christianity, The new environment requires us change the past hard and Zero-sum "fight" into a win-win type of "dialogue". After 80 years Christians in our countries soared, especially spread in the vast rural areas, had this era’s special reflected. First reflected in some areas there is no Christian faith origins in last century, suddenly stood up Christian Church in recent years, I called it new parish. Secondly reflected in people in new era look at Christianity has no hatred by the history of invasion incident affected, in the environment of advocate for peace, have become more tolerance. Finally reflected in due to the liberal religious policy and people have more autonomy to select faith, the rise of Christianity and revival of folk beliefs are simultaneously present, and both of them how friendly and mutually beneficial co-existence, promote the common prosperity of multiculturalism, digestion the diaphragm exist between different groups and prejudices among different believers, is the most concerned about in this article, is the issue we should truly efforts to explore and care about.Based on the above background, I select a village in southeastern Gansu, as the survey, this village has characterized that Christian developed in recent years and original folk beliefs atmosphere rich. Take it as a survey point, on the basis of field surveys, through analysis of the data: separately from the non-believers perspective to understand that Christian, and from a Christian point of view to learn Christianity situation in the local. Ferreting out the underlying causes why they can coexist peacefully. On this basis put forward the core argument in this article: that the localization of Christianity in the rural folk have become a necessity, and in this inevitability driven, this localization of the rural folk Christianity will be with Buddhism, Islam and other institutional religion parallel, endowed with Chinese characteristics and become a Self-contained religious form? Or will slowly merge into a part of Chinese folk beliefs different from institutional religion, and become new cultural forms?Whether through statistical data or finishing the interviews, through thick description the appearance or analysis intrinsic value, all help us draw the following conclusions: That Christian localization of civil society in the countryside, especially in new parish that Christian grew up in recent years, it maintained its own independent external morphology, contains elements of institutional religion, also combines Chinese folk beliefs about rural folk and traditional ritual characteristics, become a new Christian that coexistence of diversity and independence and with Chinese local characteristics. Nevertheless, localization of Christianity is still a long way to go. For indigenization of Christianity problems, clearly state, government, civil believers, Christians and churches to play a relevant role. At the national strategic level with cultural self-confidence to acculturation Christianity as a foreign culture; Capitalize on the trend in the level of government, included the Christian religion into the normal management channels; In the Church Level actively promote Christian social function, the vision can not be limited to the internal construction of the church; In terms of the Christian believers and non-governmental exchanges, not because of different beliefs coexist identity affect your land of China, the same as China’s people live in harmony. According to the local characteristics to take action, Finding the way in favor of the rich Chinese cultural content, help to improve the quality of the spiritual life of people, conducive to development of Christianity in China, promote the China’s culture great development, great prosperity.