Research On Religion

Posts Tagged ‘China’

Robert Woodberry on Missionaries and Democracy

Did Protestant missionaries help plant the seeds of democracy throughout the world? Prof. Robert Woodberry takes us on a historical tour-de-force around the globe showing how “conversionary Protestants” helped to promote literacy, spread printing technology, facilitate civic organization, defend religious and civil liberties, and protest the abuses of slavery and colonialism. We discuss how this happened and why Protestants were uniquely situated to do this, although we look at similar Catholic efforts in recent decades. We conclude with speculative thoughts about the Arab Spring.

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Kevin Cooney on Religion and the Rule of Law in China

Tags: Apple, black swan theory, China, Cultural Revolution, democratization, house churches, Jasmine Spring, Plowshares Institute, religious liberty, Robert Bellah, rule of law, Sheilaism, Shouwang Church, Sichuan earthquake (2008), smuggling, Three Self Patriotic Movement, Tibetan Buddhism, UN Declaration of Human Rights

Prof. Kevin Cooney of Northwest University joins us to discuss his recent trip to the People’s Republic of China where he visited with numerous Chinese scholars to discuss the role of religion and the rule of law in that country. He shares his insights from that trip, including his experiences in touring different parts of the country and learning about the religious landscape. Prof. Cooney contrasts the scene in China today with what he experienced back in the mid-1980s when he was teaching English in that country.

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Lan Chu on Catholicism in Vietnam

Tags: apples and oranges, Catholic Church, Catholicism, China, communism, Cuba, France, glasnost, Liaison Committee of Patriotic and Peace-Loving Catholics, Poland, Pope Paul VI, Saigon Spring, Vatican Council II, Vietnam

Is the Catholic Church likely to be a force for political liberalization in Vietnam? Prof. Lan Chu takes up this question and also talks about the history of Catholicism in that country with special attention on how the Church has survived under a communist regime. Our discussion also includes various comparisons with Eastern Europe and Cuba, and Prof. Chu provides some speculation about what the future of Vietnam might look like.

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Roger Finke on Religious Persecution

Roger Finke of Penn State University talks with Tony about the prevalence and reasons for religious persecution around the globe. We explore the connectcions between seemingly small violations of religious liberty and religious persecution. Prof. Finke further argues that even small violations of religious liberty can presage greater threats to a wider set of civil liberties. Our discussion covers all regions of the globe, with a focus on Japan, Nigeria, Iran, Russia, France and the United States.

Listerners are encouraged to email the host and let him know you are listening and to provide feedback (good or bad). The host’s email is: tgill (at) uw (dot) edu

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Karrie Koesel on Religion & Politics in China

Tags: China, Christiainity, church-state relations, communism, democratization, Falun Gong, house churches, Islam, Protestantism, religious persecution

University of Oregon political scientist Karrie Koesel addresses the relationship between religious groups and the state in the People’s Republic of China. She discovers and interesting symbiosis between church and state at the local level. (To download, right click on the button to the right and choose “save target as….”)

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