如果說宗教史是台灣史不可或缺的一部分，那麼宗教的地景變化就是台灣史的潛流，藉由這個潛流，我們得以一窺歷史那不為常人所悉的一面，深思台灣史的多樣性與複雜性。因為地景面貌變化的背後正是台灣自大航海時代以來為各個文明所影響的表徵。

尤其是在近兩年，台灣和世界其他地方一樣處於疫情的籠罩之下，然而就是在這般困難的時刻，面對分離與死亡，我們才發現宗教信仰在很大程度上補足了現代社會在心理慰藉與疏導的不足，更看到宗教信仰的力量與堅韌之處，也因此今年度本館策劃談論死亡與死後世界的「生死晝夜：於死亡中前行」特展，除了梳理各個信仰的死亡觀外，也重申信仰之於生活的重要性，並在此基礎上延伸至宗教地景的研究與展呈。

自2017年起，本館即與輔仁大學宗教學系合作、開展關於台灣宗教地景的長期研究計畫——「宗教地景調查計畫」。在該計畫研究過程中，宗教學系亦同中研院數位文化中心合作，建構以宗教建物為主軸，透過GIS技術建置「台灣宗教地景地理資訊系統」，並結合歷史研究與田野調查，試圖勾勒出台灣各地區宗教地景變化的細節，為當代台灣的宗教研究奠定基石。2021年輔仁大學宗教學系更獲得「教育部大專校院人文與社會科學領域標竿計畫」，通過以「宗教地景、療癒與社會」為主題的計畫，除了標示宗教地景研究對於台灣當代宗教研究之重要性獲得教育部的肯定外，亦展現本館與該系合作展覽之社會意義與學術貢獻。

在這個基礎上，展覽「宗教地景展＠新莊」以視覺藝術的形式轉化，將本次研究的主體——新莊地區宗教地景——作出初步的梳理，並在展場中有意識地部署研究產生的影像資料、調研文件，經由博物館的策展與調度，在美學的語境中將研究成果呈現於公眾。除了被動的定點展示，本展也透過後續的工作坊與活動規劃，期許可成為公眾瞭解活躍於台灣的不同社群以及在地社會變遷的切入點，展現台灣史的多音性與共時性，開啟更加多元、眾聲喧嘩的當代台灣宗教研究。

If one considers religious history as an integral part of Taiwan’s history, then the evolving religious landscape is an undercurrent of Taiwan’s history through which we can glimpse a side of history that is not commonly known, inviting contemplations on the diversity and complexity of Taiwan’s history. This is because behind the changing landscape lies the manifestation of the influence of various civilizations in Taiwan since the Age of Discovery.

Over the last two years, Taiwan, like the rest of the world, has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is in these challenging times, in the face of separation and death, that we find that religious faith has largely complemented the lack of psychological comfort and counseling in modern society and can attest to the strength and resilience of religious faith. Therefore, the Museum of World Religion (MWR) is holding a special exhibition “Bright as Night, Dark as Day: A Walk with the Death” to explore death and the afterlife. In addition to presenting the concept of death for various faiths, the exhibition also reaffirms the importance of faith in life and extends to the study and presentation of religious landscapes.

Since 2017, the MWR has been cooperating with the Department of Religious Studies at Fu Jen Catholic University to conduct a long-term research project on the religious landscape of Taiwan, the “A Project for Religious Landscape Survey” . During the project, the Department of Religious Studies has also collaborated with the Academia Sinica Center for Digital Cultures to construct a “GIS for Religious Landscape in Taiwan, GISRL” through GIS technology and focusing on religious buildings as the main axis. This project combines historical research and field surveys to outline the details of the changes of religious landscapes in various regions of Taiwan and to lay the foundation for contemporary religious studies in Taiwan. In 2021, the Department of Religious Studies of Fu Jen Catholic University was included in the list of “The Benchmark Project of the Humanities and Social Sciences in the Colleges and Universities of the Ministry of Education” . By proceeding with the “Religious Landscape, Healing and Society Benchmark Project” , the importance of contemporary religious studies in Taiwan has been affirmed by the Ministry of Education, furthermore, it also demonstrates the social significance and academic contribution of the exhibition in collaboration between the museum and the department.

On this basis, the exhibition “Religious Landscapes @Xinzhuang” is transformed by visual art, and the main subject of this study, the religious landscape of the Xinzhuang area, is first organized with video materials, and research documents generated by the study are encapsulated in the exhibition venue. Through the museum’s curatorial and mediation efforts, the research results are presented to the public in an aesthetic context. In addition to the passive exhibits, the exhibition will also serve as an entry point for the public to understand the different communities active in Taiwan and the changes in the local society through subsequent workshops and activities, demonstrating both the polyphony and shared commonality of Taiwan’s history, and opening a more diverse and multifaceted contemporary study on Taiwan’s religions.