King or Devil? Paiwan Christians Interpret the Religious Symbolism of the Snake

• Main Authors: Yiwen Lai, 賴邑雯
• Other Authors: Beverly Moon
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/77621703762410177457

碩士 === 東海大學 === 宗教研究所 === 98 === When I converted to Christianity, I joined an aboriginal church, Gulou Church in Pingdong, Taiwan, to learn about this new religion. At the same time, I saw how the Paiwan people there struggle because of the conflicts between their old culture and the new faith. Thus, one of the important questions guiding this thesis is as follows: Can people combine their old culture with their new religion? Among the Paiwan, the snake symbol carries positive meanings and values in their daily life, especially in their religious rites and worship. For example, the Paiwan believe they are the descendents of snakes. The image of the hundred-paced viper is the most important symbol for the chief family in their tribe. Commoners recognize another snake as their ancestor. But at Gulou Church, most of these Paiwan Christians have learned to call the snake a visible manifestation of Satan, the Devil. This new belief comes into direct conflict with Paiwan traditional culture. There are two important subjects of my research: One is Sandimen Presbyterian Church in Pingdong. The members of this church refuse to use any snake images to decorate their church. They have the same idea as the members of the Gulou Church. In contrast, there is Tuban Roman Catholic Church in Taidong. The members of this church have a totally different attitude. Following the recommendations set forth at Vatican II, they try to integrate their traditional art with the new religion. These two churches illustrate one possibility for us: different Christian denominations may have dissimilar teachings on the same topic. By examining the history of the missionary influence on each of the two churches, I hope to understand why they interpret the snake symbol in very different ways. In addition, I will try to enlarge the meanings and values associated with the religious symbol of the snake by following the theories of Mircea Eliade and C.G. Jung. I hope this study can show how it is possible to integrate traditional cultures and Christian faith.