Name: 美國自由派教會衰弱？保守教會當道？（Liberal Churches Disappearing & Conservative/Strict Churches Thrive? Strict Church Theory.）
Uploaded: 2023-04-07T12:25:48.000Z
Duration: 15 min 46 s

If you look into some statistics from 1990-2010, some of the more liberal or moderate-leaning

如果你查看 1990 年至 2010 年的一些統計數據，一些更自由或溫和傾向的

Christian denominations are losing followers quicker than a cat loses interest in a laser

基督教教派失去追隨者的速度比貓對激光筆失去興趣的速度還快

pointer, at the meantime, the conservative and stricter denominations like Evangelicals

，與此同時，保守派和更嚴格的教派如福音派

So why this is happening, let's find out with PAA.

那麼為什麼會這樣，讓我們通過 PAA 找出答案。

Hi, I am Shao Chieh Lo, welcome to what people also ask, where I search something seemingly

你好，我是 Shao Chieh Lo，歡迎來到Ｗhat People Also Ask，我在這裡搜索一些看似顯而易見的東西

obvious and share with you some of its PAA, aka People Also Ask, which is a feature telling

並與你分享它的一些 PAA，又名 People Also Ask，這是一個告訴

you what other people are searching on Google that relates to your query Today's query is

你其他人在谷歌上搜索的相關 內容的功能 今天的問題是

“strict church theory”, a theory that suggests that strict religious are stronger.

“嚴格教會理論”，該理論表明嚴格的宗教信仰組織會比較強盛。

We will also explore if this theory can explain the decline of liberal-leaning churches in

我們還將通過相關研究和在線文章探討這一理論是否可以解釋

the United States with relevant research and online articles.

美國自由主義傾向教會的衰落。

So let's start with our first question What is strict church theory?

那麼讓我們從第一個問題開始 什麼是嚴格教會理論？

According to an article titled “The Power of the Mustard Seed-Why strict churches are

根據 Slate 發表的一篇題為“芥菜種的力量——為什麼嚴格的教會很強大”

strong.”published by Slate, the strict church theory, as explained by economist Laurence

的文章，經濟學家勞倫斯·伊納科內 (Laurence Iannaccone)

Iannaccone in his 1994 essay "Why Strict Churches Are Strong," suggests that people choose to

在他 1994 年的論文“為什麼嚴格的教會很強大”中解釋了嚴格的教會理論，該理論認為人們選擇

join strict religious communities because of the quantifiable benefits their piety affords

加入嚴格的宗教團體是因為他們的虔誠

Laurence Iannaccone is an American economist who has extensively studied the economics

Laurence Iannaccone 是美國經濟學家，廣泛研究

He, alongside other scholars, has developed a theory called the "supply-side theory of

他與其他學者一起發展了一種稱為“宗教供給側理論

religion”, which suggests that religious groups can be analyzed like other economic

”的理論，該理論表明宗教團體可以像其他經濟組織

（例如公司或市場）一樣進行分析。

According to Iannaccone, the devout person is willing to pay a high financial, social,

根據 Iannaccone 的說法，虔誠的人願意 為參與嚴格的宗教付出高昂的經濟、社會

and emotionally price to participate in strict religion because he believes he buys a so-called

和情感代價，是因為他相信他購買了所謂的

A better religious product, as Iannaccone defined, is one that is more costly to produce

更好的宗教產品，正如 Iannaccone 所定義的，是一種

He argues that higher costs can signal a stronger commitment to the group and its beliefs, and

他認為，較高的成本可以暗示其對團體及其信仰的更強烈的承諾，因此

therefore result in greater participation and loyalty from members.

會導致成員的更大參與和忠誠度。

For example, a religious group that requires members to attend frequent meetings, make

例如，一個宗教團體要求成員經常參加會議，做出

significant financial contributions, and adhere to strict behavioral guidelines may be seen

重大財政貢獻，並堅持嚴格的行為準則可能被視為

as offering a "better" product than a group that has few requirements and little commitment

提供了一個“更好”的產品，而一個沒有要求和

成員貢獻的團體則不是較好的產品。

The rules discourage free riders aka the people who undermine group efforts by taking more

嚴格的規則不鼓勵搭便車者，也就是那些因索取多於回報

The strict church is one in which members with weak commitments have been weeded out,

在嚴格的教會中，委身不力的成員被剔除，

resulting in a community of passionate members who are deeply involved in one another's lives

結果形成了一個由熱情的成員組成的社群，他們深深地投入到彼此的生活中

and more willing than most to come to one another's aid.

，並且比大多數人更願意互相幫助。

In this way, religion is seen as a "commodity" that people produce collectively, and the

這樣，宗教被視為人們集體生產的“商品”，

benefits of strict religious observance are thought to extend beyond the afterlife and

嚴格遵守宗教信仰的好處被認為不只提供來來世的好處，

into secular day-to-day life even the participant might not aware of its secular value.

好處也擴及到世俗的日常生活，即使參與者可能沒有意識到其世俗價值.

However, it's important to note that Iannaccone's theory has been subject to debate and criticism

然而，值得注意的是，Iannaccone 的理論一直受到

from other scholars in the field of religious studies, who argue that it oversimplifies

宗教研究領域其他學者的爭論和批評，他們認為它過分簡化了

the complex nature of religious experience and community.

But before that, let's talk about What are some examples of “strict churches”?

但在此之前，讓我們談談“嚴格的教會”有哪些例子？

Here are some real-life examples of how the theory applies to different religious groups:

以下是該理論如何適用於不同宗教團體的一些現實例子：

Amish: The Amish are a Christian denomination known for their traditional, conservative

艾美許人：艾美許人是一個基督教教派，以其傳統、保守的

They live in tight-knit communities and adhere to strict moral codes, such as dressing modestly

他們生活在關係緊密的社區，遵守嚴格的道德準則，例如衣著端莊

The Amish church demands a high level of commitment from its members, including regular attendance

艾美許教會要求其成員做出高度的貢獻，包括定期參加

at church services and adherence to strict behavioral guidelines.

教堂禮拜和遵守嚴格的行為準則。

The high cost of joining and remaining in the Amish community may be seen as a reason

加入和留在艾美許社區的高成本可能被視為

why the Amish have been able to maintain a strong and cohesive community over time.

艾美許人能夠長期保持強大和有凝聚力的社群的原因。

Hasidic Jews: Hasidic Judaism is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that emphasizes the importance

哈西德猶太教：哈西德猶太教是正統猶太教的一個分支，強調

of spiritual growth and religious observance.

精神成長和宗教信仰的 重要性 。

Hasidic Jews are known for their distinctive dress, their emphasis on prayer and study,

哈西德猶太人以其獨特的著裝、強調祈禱和學習而聞名，

and their strict adherence to Jewish law.

The Hasidic community demands a high level of commitment from its members, including

哈西德社區要求其成員做出高水平的貢獻，包括

regular attendance at synagogue services and strict adherence to dietary laws and other

定期參加猶太教堂服務以及嚴格遵守飲食法和其他

The high cost of membership in the Hasidic community may be seen as a reason why the

參與哈西德社群的高成本可能被視為該

community has been able to maintain its distinctive identity and a strong sense of community over

社群能夠隨著時間的推移保持其獨特的身份認同和

Jehovah's Witnesses: Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian denomination known for their evangelistic

耶和華見證人：耶和華見證人是一個基督教教派，以其傳福音的

zeal and their emphasis on door-to-door preaching.

熱情和強調挨家挨戶傳教而聞名。

The Jehovah's Witnesses church demands a high level of commitment from its members, including

耶和華見證人教會要求其成員做出高度的貢獻，包括

regular attendance at meetings, adherence to strict behavioral guidelines, and a willingness

定期參加會議、遵守嚴格的行為準則以及願意

to devote time and resources to evangelism.

The high cost of membership in the Jehovah's Witnesses community may be seen as a reason

加入耶和華見證人社區的高昂代價可能被視為

why the community has been able to maintain a strong sense of identity and purpose over

該社區能夠長期保持強烈的認同感和使命感的 一個原因

What are some criticisms of strict church theory?

There are many criticisms and discussions that challenge the assumptions of strict church

有許多批評和討論挑戰嚴格教會

theory, for example, one study titled “Are strict churches really stronger?

理論的假設，例如，一項題為“嚴格教會真的更強大嗎？

A study of strictness, congregational activity and growth in American Protestant churches”

published by West Virginia University in 2010 examines the relationship between strictness,

《美國新教教會的嚴格性、會眾活動和增長研究》 探討了嚴格性、

congregational activity, and church growth.

While some indicators of strictness and congregational activity are positively associated with growth,

之間的關係 。 雖然一些嚴格和會眾活動的指標與增長呈正相關，但

most do not have strong associations with it.

大多數與增長沒有很強的關聯。

The study suggests that other factors or church characteristics may be better predictors of

該研究表明，其他因素或教會特質可能是

church growth, but strictness and congregational activity are indeed correlated with growth.

教會增長的更好預測指標，但嚴格和會眾活動確實與增長相關。

However, it appears that a strong sense of purpose and mission is more important for

然而，對於成長來說，強烈的使命感似乎

Overall, strictness appears to be associated with growth, but promoting solidarity may

總的來說，嚴格似乎與增長有關，但促進團結可能

be more important than strictness in particular.

There are also many logical criticisms of this theory, and I have compiled some of them

對這一理論也有很多邏輯上的批評，我將其中的一些批評整理

as follows: Causal ambiguity: It is not clear whether the success of strict religious communities

is due to their strict practices or other factors, such as their geographic location,

historical context, or the specific beliefs of their members.

歷史背景，或其成員的特定信仰。

Selection bias: The strict church theory tends to select successful religious communities

選擇偏差：嚴格的教會理論傾向於選擇成功的宗教團體

and attributes their success to their strict practices while ignoring the many unsuccessful

，並將其成功歸因於嚴格的作法，而忽略了許多

communities that also have strict practices.

同樣具有嚴格規章卻的不成功的社群。

Ethnocentrism: The strict church theory tends to focus on Protestant communities in the

種族中心主義：嚴格的教會理論傾向於關注美國的新教社群

United States, ignoring other religious traditions and communities around the world.

，而忽視世界各地的其他宗教傳統和社群。

And even if the strict church theory does hold water to some degree, it's obvious

即使嚴格的教會理論在某種程度上確實站得住腳，很明顯

strict churches do have some limitations.

嚴格的教會確實有一些局限性。

So When would a strict church fail to attract followers?

那麼什麼時候一個嚴格的教會無法吸引追隨者呢？

The strict church theory suggests that strictness in religious practice can be beneficial to

嚴格的教會理論表明，嚴格的宗教規條可能對