Conversion to Protestantism Among Urban Immigrants in Taiwan

This article analyzes the religious conversion process from conventional religions to conservative Protestantism among urban immigrants in Taiwan. The findings show that converts were attracted not by Christian dogmas but by the social support and practical blessings provided by the churches. Many p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sociology of religion
Main Author: Chao, Hsing-Kuang (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Oxford Univ. Press 2006
In: Sociology of religion
Online Access: Volltext (JSTOR)
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Summary:This article analyzes the religious conversion process from conventional religions to conservative Protestantism among urban immigrants in Taiwan. The findings show that converts were attracted not by Christian dogmas but by the social support and practical blessings provided by the churches. Many prospects from conventional religious backgrounds come to the Christian church seeking miracles or charismatic experiences that provide continuity with their conventional religious heritage. Our study reveals that if Christian churches adapt their religious culture to meet the needs of urban immigrants from conventional religions, Christian churches can recruit these people. At the same time, while providing some cultural continuity, these churches can still retain a strong self-identity distinguishable from the conventional religions of the Taiwanese
ISSN:1759-8818
Contains:Enthalten in: Sociology of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1093/socrel/67.2.193