A Comparison of Christian Influences on Religion in Modern China

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12815
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Religious studies
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Sumika Masayoshi 立命館大学, 産業社会学部, 教授 (60384004)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 健郎 専修大学, 商学部, 准教授 (40439518)
• Research Collaborator: Miyata Yoshiya ; SCHICKETANZ Erik
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 宗教 / 近代中国 / キリスト教宣教師 / Chinese Recorder / 教務雑誌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to clarify the influence that Christianity has had on other religious traditions in China from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. It analyzes articles published in the mission journal Chinese Recorder (The Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journal), and investigates how Christian missionaries saw Confucianism, Daoism, Chinese Buddhism, and other religions of China. By doing so, this study elucidates the overall view Christian missionaries had of religion in China as well as their general understanding of what does and does not constitute "religion".

Free Research Field

宗教学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、近代中国における宗教概念の歴史的形成過程を、キリスト教と儒教や道教、中国仏教などとの宗教間の具体的な相互関係から明らかにすることによって、宗教研究における宗教概念の議論に新たな事例を提供するものとしての意義を有する。また、宗教間の相互理解あるいは相互無理解による行き違いや、ナショナリズムと宗教との関連などをめぐる一般の議論に、歴史的事例からのより冷静な観点を提供するものとしての意義をもつ。