Freedom of belief is now a prominent feature of Taiwan’s pluralistic, tolerant society, with the right guaranteed under Article 13 of the country’s constitution.
“All religious groups are free to practice provided they don’t break any laws” said Lin Ching-chi, director of Department of Civil Affairs of Ministry of the Interior, which oversees religious affairs for the central government.
“It’s not for the state to say whether a belief is valid,” Lin added. “That’s for each individual to decide.”
Religious freedom is now taken for granted by many in Taiwan, but the right to practice without fear of persecution was not always guaranteed. Prior to the lifting of martial law in 1987, religious activities were only legal for major religions.
By contrast, despite sharing many of the principles of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, I Kuan Tao—also known as the Religion of One Unity—was branded a cult and officially banned. Now free to practice in Taiwan, the faith has gained a small but significant following.
Buddhist students exchange views at Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts, the successor of Dharma Drum Buddhist College, Taiwan’s first officially recognized religious school. (Courtesy of Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts)
According to a 2019 survey of the country’s population conducted by the Institute of Sociology at Academia Sinica, the nation’s foremost research organization, 2.1 percent of respondents identified as believers in the religion.
The same survey found 49.3 percent of respondents were followers of folk religions, 14 percent Buddhists, 12.4 percent Taoists and 6.8 percent Christians, with a further 13.2 percent not holding any religious beliefs.
Institutional reforms combined with a multicultural society have cemented Taiwan’s reputation as a hub of religious activity. According to U.S. think tank Pew Research Center, Taiwan ranks second only to Singapore worldwide in terms of religious diversity, and MOI statistics reveal the country is home to more than 33,000 religious buildings, equivalent to nearly one for every square kilometer of territory.
People in Zimbabwe are all smiles after receiving bags of rice from Buddhist charity Tzu Chi Foundation based in eastern Taiwan's Hualien County. (Courtesy of Tzu Chi Foundation)
Keen to build on its reputation as a welcoming home for believers, Taiwan is establishing links with religious organizations in other nations to share its successful transformation and play its part in improving religious freedom worldwide. To this end, the country appointed Pusin Tali, president of the Yu-Shan Theological College and Seminary in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County, as ambassador at large for religious freedom in 2019.
“My appointment is truly a first for the country. Taiwan is a nation where people of all faiths and ethnicities can thrive, and one that’s serious about strengthening cooperation with like-minded countries to protect religious freedoms worldwide,” said the ambassador.
“Ensuring all are free to worship however and whenever they want is integral to Taiwan values,” Pusin Tali said. “It’s an unshakeable part of our identity.” (E) (By Oscar Chung)
Pusin Tali, Taiwan’s first ambassador at large for religious freedom, delivers a sermon in Taipei. (Courtesy of Yu-Shan Theological College and Seminary)
