The Research Of Christian Social Identity

Christianity is developing rapidly in China hitherto. It has aroused wide attention from the academic circles that the group size of the national Christian has become more and more large. A lot of researching results about the Christian groups have been achieved. The results of these studies have mainly covered the Christian identity and construction in the field of religion.From a sociological point of view, by means of interviews, observation and literature,the thesis gives a new research on the Christian group. Based on the former studies on this group, a new kind of interpretation and understanding have been given by this thesis. During the development of China,the identification never gone, for it is the tool of the country to integrate and construct the society. Although China is in the state of transformation from status society to contract society, in fact the concealed identity mechanism is still running and the phenomenon of resource acquisition through identity is also exits. The identity provides a effective way to more social resources, so obtaining some kind of identities means one can get corresponding social support. Therefore, the group with no proper identities is dominated in the competition of social resources and supports. At a disadvantage, this group was gradually being marginalized and weakened, and then was rejected by mainstream society.The Christian community is a part of the disadvantaged group. The members of the Christian community are playing the role of non-identity group before they get the religious identity. It is the Christian identity that provides more opportunities for them to change their social lives and individual survival conditions. The religious identity is a door of new world for the disadvantaged group who is rejected by the mainstream society. They take refuge in religion and build long-term stable relationships with the members who believe in God. For this can make up for their less social resources in result of non-identities in the secular life. Therefore, religious identity has become the most effective way for Christians to obtain social supports and resources.