作为一门社会科学,宗教社会学是改革开放后才在中国起步的一个新兴学科。从改革开放到20世纪末,此学科的发展可分为思想准备、引进介绍、逐步生根三个阶段;从世纪之交以来,此学科正在走向成熟。宗教社会学在中国经历了生根发芽、开花结果的发展历程,在各个时期的发展具有不同的特点。

As a branch of social science, sociology of religion is a new discipline arising in China after the "reform and open" in 1980s. From that time to the end of the 20th century, the development of this discipline had undergone three phases: preparation of thought, introduction and taking root in China; in the new century it is coming to be mature. Surveying and reviewing the whole process, the author analyzes the different characteristics and the problems in the different phases of the development of sociology of religion in China.