巴哈伊信仰与现代性

Baha'I Faith and its modernity

巴哈伊信仰是一种新兴的现代性宗教,现代性特征几乎浸透到巴哈伊信仰的各个方面。它的现代性主要表现在宗教灵性的弱化和世俗性的增强、宗教仪式简化、宗教组织的民主化等方面。但是巴哈伊信仰本质上的宗教性特征并没有发生根本改变,它只是涂上了一层比传统宗教更为浓厚的现代性色彩。所以巴哈伊信仰的现代性又存在着尖锐的矛盾,它的现代性是不彻底的。这表现在它所提倡的宗教与科学有限度的和谐、妥协性的现代政治观、宗教经济制度的空想色彩等方面。巴哈伊信仰现代性的矛盾恰恰说明它是一种宗教而不是其他。它的现代性和宗教性二者之间存在着在量的选择上如何适当把握的问题。这种选择将决定着巴哈伊信仰未来的发展。从巴哈伊信仰的现代性所得到的启示是,现存的宗教要想发展,必须根据社会的需要,增强自身的现代性。

Baha'I Faith is a new moden religion which has nearly all the Characters of modernity.It's modernity is represented by the facts that1)its religiouss spirituality has become less important While its secularity has increasingly beeome more important;2)its ceremony has been Simplised;3)its organization has been more democratic.But its essential religious Characters have remained unchanged.There are some contradictions between the modernity Characters and the religious Characters of Baha'I Faith.This is represented by1)its limited harmony between religion and science;2)its compromise pollitical outlook and 3)its idealistic religious economic system.The modemity of Baha'I Faith is to be developed.These contra-dictions,however,are Understandable because Baha'I Faith is a religion rather than anything else.How to balance its modernity and religious Charaeter in difierent times and different countries is a big challenge for the foture development of Baha'I Faith.Furthermore we can get a conelusion that other religions must enhance their modemity if they want to develop quickly.