美国宗教与通俗文化

American Religion and Pop Culture

美国宗教与通俗文化关系密切。一方面,宗教的巨大影响涵括了通俗文化的各种形态,另一方面,宗教借助通俗文化扩大影响,呈现出旺盛的生命力。但是,宗教中的通俗文化成分淡化了宗教的神学理论,使美国人的宗教信仰广泛而不深刻,虔敬与世俗并存依然是美国宗教文化的一个显著特点。犹太—基督教是美国的主流宗教信仰,是美国道德伦理和价值观念的源泉,通俗文化中被神化的偶像是美国民族文化的象征。宗教与通俗文化间的冲突和对话折射出美国社会固有的种族和宗教矛盾。

American religion and culture are closely related, blending and penetrating into one another. On one hand, the great influence of religion is pervasive in every form of pop culture. On the other hand, by virtue of pop culture American religion extends its influence and becomes vigorous. The pop culture elements in religion, however, weaken the theological theory of religion, which makes American people＇s religious beliefs wide but not profound. The coexistence of religiosity and secularism is still a prominent trait of American religion culture. Var- ious religions enjoy the freedom of development in the tolerant religious realm of America, but Judaeo-Christianity is still the mainstream religious belief in the US. It is the source of American ethics, moralities and values. The sainted pop icons are symbolic of American culture, while the pop cultures as quasi-religions carry the American culture and religious notion. The conflict and dialogue between religion and pop culture reflects the racial and religious contradiction indigenous to American society. How to intermediate and harmonize racial conflicts, close the collisions and differences among different religions is a real-life issue that the American society has to face and handle.