环绕现代社会关于“宗教教养”的一些思考——环绕中西宗教形态学下的对比展开

Reflections on “Religious Cultivation” in Modern Society: a Comparative Typological Study of Chinese and Western Religions

"宗教"是"神人的再连结",是"敬畏神明"。而中西宗教的对比,则是"原罪\救赎"与"本性\成圣"。基督宗教强调人由有罪之身被救赎出来进到一个神圣的国度,而儒家"信、美、大、圣、神"的教养则显示"人"与"宇宙"通而为一,这是从"巫祝式的传统信仰"转成"宇宙总体本源的体认"。"宗教"原本指的是让生命回溯本源而生起一种崇敬之感,乃是人们的终极关怀,而"宗教教养"目的正是要唤醒我们内在的终极关怀。现代社会隐含严重的权力斗争问题,使得人们丧失终极关怀,也失去了安全感,"终极关怀"已被渗透到灵魂深处的权力所掠夺。我们应当护养这终极关怀的熹微之光,不只强调"宗教知识"的传达,更重视将宗教教养做为"潜在课程"。让人们深深体会到心灵的宁静及敬畏,其实这就是最重要的宗教教养。

Religion is the ＂re-connection of man and God＂ and ＂reverence toward gods and spirits.＂ A comparative study of religions shows that the theme of Christianity is ＂sin and redemption,＂ while the theme of Chinese religion is ＂recovering the true nature and becoming sage.＂ Christianity emphasizes that human sin has to be redeemed in order for human being to be lifted into the Kingdom of God. In Confucianism, religious cultivation centering on ＂belief, beauty, greatness, sageliness and spirits＂ is grounded in the pre-understanding that human being and the universe are one. This conviction about the origin of the whole universe is derived from primitive religious belief of sorcery. ＂Religion＂ originally means the feeling of reverence which arises in the process of human life striving to be reunited with its origin. It is the ultimate concern of human being, and the aim of religious cultivation is to evoke our innermost ultimate concern. In modern society people deeply entangled in power struggle lose their ultimate concern and sense of security--their ultimate concern is deprived of by the power relations that have cut deeply into the soul of human being. We must cherish the dim light of ultimate concern. We should not only focus our attention on delivering the knowledge of religion, but also make religious cultivation a real content of education. And the most important function of religious cultivation is to restore the feeling of peace and reverence in human mind.