Project information
Christianity and authoritarian regime in Chinese societies

Project Identification

MUNI/FF-DEAN/0080/2021

Project Period

3/2021 - 12/2021

Investor / Pogramme / Project type

Masaryk University

Internal projects of the Faculty of Arts
FA Dean's program

MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Arts

Mgr. Bc. Magdaléna Rychetská, M.A., Ph.D.

The project analyses the underlying norms that influence the regulation of religion by totalitarian regimes and how religion responds to such regulations: the relationship between the political ruler as the decision-maker and the reaction-action, resistance and cooperation of Christian groups in their respective societies. It also analyses the response of Christian groups to the requirement for the ‘localisation’ and ‘sinicisation’ of their religious message and the strategies they have adopted.
A religious group has a cultural and social capital to become an influential social force often claiming that its moral and ethical dogma is a contribution to the well-being and welfare of individuals and communities. In totalitarian regime, religion can mobilize an opposition to ruling party. However, a religious group can choose partnership over conflict if there is still space for bargaining and mutual empowerment. The settings for the project are various Christian churches in resilient authoritarian regimes: The contemporary People’s Republic of China (PRC) ruled by the communist government; and the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan during the period of martial law (1949–1987). Different Christian bodies decided to develop different strategies towards the regime. The project wants to analyse their strategies as well as to provide an explanation for different approaches.

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