台灣宗教如何是混融性宗教？根據「台灣地區宗教經驗調查(REST2009)」探討類型建構與研究方法

Abstract

「宗教混融」一詞本來帶有不搭配、模糊、異化、膚淺、雜合等貶意，可是學者發現這個特質在世界宗教尤其是東亞宗教中普遍存在時，即開始檢視它的定義、內涵以及在宗教研究中的含意。本文旨在探討如何藉由適切的研究方法，重新視「宗教融合」為一有效的分析範疇。為達此目標，本文根據「台灣宗教經驗調查」(REST)與「台灣社會變遷基本調查」(TSCS)的數據，分析台灣居民的宗教身份、超能力經驗、人生體悟三者。本文強調，此三類型的經驗恰可構成一相互關連的流動型模式，而此一見解剛好與一般認為範疇即是固定指標的看法不同，也重新導引我們如何運用它成為一彈性的分析工具。居於此論述，本文希望藉由討論台灣居民的宗教融合經驗，其中涉及的範疇建構與量化研究方面，能為俟後的比較研究提供有啟發性的例證。

Syncretism used to carry pejorative connotations such as incompatibility, ambiguity, alienation, superficiality, and adulteration. However, as it was found to be universal in world religions and a particularly prominent feature of East Asian religions, scholars have begun to reexamine the definition, content, and implications of syncretism in the study of religion. This article explores ways of viewing syncretism as a valid, analytical category that can be determined by using appropriate research methods. It draws on the REST and TSCS data and analyzes the statistics on Taiwanese people’s religious identities, experiences of extraordinary powers, and understanding of life. It emphasizes that these three areas of experience establish a model that reflects an interrelated, flowing process. This discovery challenges the conventional view that sees categories as rigid pointers; it also redirects us to regard it as a flexible analytical tool. Based on this argument, the article hopes that the discussion of syncretic religious experiences in Taiwan with respect to its category formation and quantitative approach can provide a heuristic case for comparative studies.