INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE IN TAIWAN

Abstract

With their deep rooted spiritual openness and thirst for harmony, the people of Taiwan have transformed their land into an ideal field for the development of a genuine interreligious dialogue and cooperation. In addition to the folk or popular religion, which stands as the religion of the great majority of people, there are in Taiwan twelve "religions" (tsung chiao) officially recognized by the government: Taoism, Buddhism, Liism (founded in Mainland China at the beginning of the eighteenth century), four "new religions" of Chinese origin: TienTeChlao, YiKjanTao, HsuanYuanChiao, TienTiChlao; Catholicism and Protestantism (sadly recorded as two different religions), Islam, Bahai Faith, and Tenrikyo. The folk religion, which incorporates many beliefs and practices of the three major philosophical and religious traditions of China: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, is gradually becoming recognized as a religious system of its own.