為了發展在中國、日本與東南亞的貿易，聯合東印度公司於西元1624年登陸大員（今台南安平）。荷蘭人原本的目的只是以大員為貿易據點，無意統治福爾摩莎全島。然而，入主大員之後，福爾摩莎肥沃的土地、豐盛的漁獲量及鹿產，吸引聯合東印度公司著手經營福爾摩莎。經營此島的首要工作就是與靠近大員一帶的原住民－西拉雅族－維繫友好關係，同時培養人力。這份任務落在由聯合東印度公司派遣至福爾摩莎的傳教士肩上，基督新教因此傳入福爾摩莎。受歐洲宗教改革的影響，荷蘭本國於17世紀仍有許多基督教義之爭；其中亞米紐斯主義與加爾文主義的爭論深深影響傳教士在福爾摩莎的傳教事工。1627至1643年赴福爾摩莎的傳教士多為亞米紐斯主義者。此一時期，傳教士認為自己必須學習原住民的語言，為他們創造一套羅馬拼音的文字，進而帶領他們認識基督信仰。在學習文字的同時，西拉雅族閱讀了基督教義文本，接受基督信仰的人口比例不斷提高，甚至有全村受浸成為基督徒的案例。筆者將分別考察荷蘭人與西拉雅族的宗教與文化背景，分析其中異同，並且輔以漢人為參照對象，探究原住民歸信基督教的過程以及在17世紀的福爾摩莎形成的一種原－荷融合的文化。

The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or VOC) landed in Dayuan on Formosa in 1624 in order to establish a base for conducting trade in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. At first, the VOC only maintained a stronghold in Dayuan. However, Formosa's fertile land and abundance of fish and deer prompted the company to expand its operations. Expansion required developing friendly relations with aborigines on the island, a task which fell to Dutch missionaries sent by the VOC. It was through these missionaries that Christian teachings first reached Formosa. Doctrinal disputes within Dutch Protestantism between Calvinism and Arminianism deeply affected missionary work in Formosa. Most of the missionaries who arrived between 1627 and 1643 were Arminianists. During this period, the missionaries' first task was to develop written script for aboriginal languages so that aborigines could read Christian texts. Through learning written forms of their languages, aborigines were exposed to Christian teachings and many were baptized as Christians. This paper examines the religious and cultural backgrounds of both Dutch settlers and indigenous peoples in 17th century Formosa and the hybrid Dutch/indigenous culture that emerged through the process of aboriginals' conversion to Christianity.