(g) Last but not least is the development of the history of religion in China.
In comparison with all of the other disciplines in the study of religions, the
works in this field are the most numerous. They focus on the histories of various
religions, especially Chinese Buddhism and Daoism. Unfortunately, very few
of these studies have any originality or novelty. The multi-volumed History of
Chinese Buddhism(Ren [ed.] 1981a) and Outline of the History of Daoist
Thought(Qing 1980) may be worth noting.
In recent years, as more and more scholars in philosophical circles and
literary studies began to discuss the thought of such postmodern thinkers as
Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu, a few scholars of
religious studies also began to pay attention to the relationship of modern and
postmodern hermeneutics to Christian studies. Yang Huilin and Zeng Qingbao
are representatives among them.
As for two recent, important topics in the field, feminist theory of religion
(or feminist theology) and ecological theory of religion (or ecological theology),
there have appeared a few doctoral theses discussing some Western thinkers’
theories, for example Zhou Hui’s dissertation on feminist Biblical hermeneutics
(unpublished), supervised by Yang Huilin, and Cao Jing’s comparative study
of the ecological theologies of J. Cobb Jr and J. Moltmann (unpublished),
supervised by He Guanghu. Gao Shining, a woman scholar in mainland China,
and Huang Yiqiu, a woman scholar in Taiwan, have also written papers on
feminist theology (Lo [ed.] 2003).
Prospects
Influences on society. The phrase ‘cultural religions’ can be used to summarize
the different ways religious studies influences society. Besides religious activities
within legal religious organizations, the academic study of religion is the only
activity relating to religions which is sanctioned by the government. Since
academic studies have to some extent a fair, honest, and objective character,
they have gained the confidence of the public. Therefore, the results of religious
studies have had and will continue to have remarkable influence upon society.
More and more students, teachers, journalists, officials, writers, and ordinary
people have abandoned a bias against religions and have, and will continue
to have, a relatively fair and even sympathetic understanding of religion. I have
written ‘will continue to have’, because the greatest influence is exercised not
through lectures but by means of books. Many books have been printed
several times and still have good prospects for reprints.
The influence of these publications can be seen in various areas of social
life. Even in the mass media that are under the most severe constraint, such
as television, cinema, and broadcasting, a limited number of casual appearances
and planned programs concerning religion (e.g. the film Master Hongyi, the
videos Ten Commandmentsand Ben Hur) may be only the tip of a very large
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35
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9
40111
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CONTINENTAL EAST ASIA
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