Research On The Religious Function Of Religious Units From A Global Perspective

The beginning of the 21st century has been marred with religious violence and religious conflict. Suck kind of activities have drawn the attention of the international society to the negative effects religion carries. Religion serves as soft power and hard power in social systems and this yields two-sided results. Taiwan is a part of PRC, after the 1987 political deregulation social conflicts eased and there was gradual development of society towards diversification prompting questions like what role does religion play in the process of social change on a globalized world. Taking Fo Guang Shan(FGS) and Presbyterian Church of Taiwan(PCT) as religious units case studies, this dissertation traces their worship activities, social activities and political participation 1987 to 2010, and gives a comparison on their motives and consequences.A religious unit is the basic component of religious economy, composed of elementary factors and alternative factors. The pursuit for adherents, worship locations and religious influence to ensure growth-the tri-dimensional interests of a religious unit are influenced by internal theology and external religious market and social system. Both FGS and PCT are institutionalized religions, taking an active role in society and have an international network. FGS is an inclusive unit theologically, while PCT is exclusive, they represent faith-based practices of oriental and western civilization respectively. Based on an in-depth investigation conducted from a local, national and international perspective, this dissertation seeks to highlight the social and political functions exerted by religious units.The formation and scale of a religious units'capital and the preferences of its behavior have an impact on its behavioral strategy and results. Although FGS prefers to increase its adherents and locations while PCT favors political participation and influence to ensure growth, both of them are successful in some respect. The success of a religious unit is therefore determined by its behavioral strategy and interests vested in a particular portfolio. In Taiwan, inclusive religious units are dominant hence they form the main actors on the religious market. Religious engagements made by religious units have spill-over effect on society at local-national-international level, especially those issues related to cross-strait relations. In consequence, the author argues that Taiwan studies requires a comprehensive perspective where religious dimension can not be overlooked, religious kinetic is indispensable forces which promotes the evolvement of society and influence national interests of China, it deserves appropriate attention.