Protestant Churches and Dissidents Under Dictators:Comparing the Gikong Presbyterian Church With German Churches in the GDR

• 作者: Samuel Shengfei Hung
• 来源期刊: 文化与宗教研究：英文版
• 学科: 社会科学
• 关键词: Chiang REGIME EAST GERMANY DICTATORSHIP CHURCH
• 年，卷（期）: whyzjyjywb_2018,（6）
• 页码范围: 348-359
• 页数: 12页
• 分类号: C

摘要

The literature generally refers to Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo as“authoritarian”leaders.This paper will argue that,in fact,they governed more like totalitarian dictators.Their tight control over every sector of Taiwanese society was not inferior to the dictatorial rule of the German Democratic Republic(GDR).Despite the tight control exercised by the GDR regime and the Chiangs,however,Protestant churches still managed to become shelters for dissidents in both East Germany and Taiwan.Also,in both localities,church buildings became gathering locations and church newsletters optimal channels for communications.Moreover,the dissidents that had kept hidden in East German churches eventually led the protests that overthrew the GDR’s communist regime.Similarly,in Taiwan dissidents from the Gikong Presbyterian Church became the oppositional leaders that facilitated the first democratic party rotation in Taiwan.This article explores why the above became possible by examining the following hypothesis:The oppressive policies of dictatorial regimes transform churches into breeding grounds for dissidents because of the alternative ideologies and values they provide.Moreover,the paper will show how civic movements can develop in churches even under authoritarian regimes.