Fluidity of Faith: Predictors of Religion in a Longitudinal Sample of Chinese Adults

Abstract

Religiosity appears to be rising in China. However, this trend hides the extent of fluidity in religious beliefs and behaviors. Within-person changes in religiosity across time are not random but patterned in systematic ways. In this article, we examine the predictors of religiosity in a longitudinal sample of Chinese adults from 2012 to 2016. Religious outcomes are correlated with sociodemographic, political, and health variables. Notably, all religious outcomes are positively associated with household income and also with the unfair treatment index, a measure of negative personal experiences with the government. Measures of health problems are positively associated with religious importance, though not with religious identification or behavior.

Economy of Shadows: The Effects of Restrictive Regulation on Religiosity in China

“…Besides providing additional evidence on religious fluidity in China (Francis‐Tan and Tian 2022; Luo and Chen 2022), the results also shed some light on the dynamics of red, black, and gray religious markets. Yang (2006, 2010) hypothesizes that as the government restricts the red market and suppresses the black market, the gray market will increase in size.…”

“…Using the CFPS, a number of control variables are created following the analysis in Francis‐Tan and Tian (2022). It is unnecessary to include variables that are constant between 2012 and 2016 (e.g., gender) in fixed effects models.…”

“…This shows the informal and multidimensional nature of religiosity (Chao and Yang 2018; Tang 2014; Yang 2005). Religion in China is also characterized by fluidity, that is, variability in religious belonging, behavior, and belief at the individual level (Francis‐Tan and Tian 2022; Luo and Chen 2022). Fluidity is patterned by social and cultural context.…”

“…Fluidity is patterned by social and cultural context. For example, religious identification, behavior, and importance are positively associated with household income, while religious importance is positively associated with health problems (Francis‐Tan and Tian 2022).…”