Zhu Xiaoming: The Scientific Orientation, Rich Connotation, Worldview, and Methodology of General Secretary Xi Jinping's Important Expositions on Religious Work

I. Deeply Grasping the Historical, Temporal, and Scientific Positioning of Xi Jinping’s Important Expositions on Religious Work

The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee clarified that during the four historical stages of the Party’s century-long struggle, the Party created three major theoretical achievements in the Sinicization of Marxism. The Party's religious work is an important component of the overall work of the Party and the state; likewise, the Party's theories, principles, and policies regarding religious work are essential components of these three major theoretical achievements.

The first major theoretical achievement of the Sinicization of Marxism is Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong’s important expositions on religious issues and religious work, along with the religious work principles and policies formulated and implemented by the Party during the periods of the New Democratic Revolution, socialist revolution, and construction, represent the Party’s significant theoretical achievements in religious work across different historical periods. In the early years of the People’s Republic, the primary tasks of the Party’s religious work were anti-imperialism, patriotism, and the implementation of democratic reforms within the religious system. During this time, the principles and provisions of freedom of religious belief were established in policy and law, and the patriotic united front between the Party and religious circles was established and developed. Mao Zedong’s "Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan," his "Talks with Mr. Ren Jiyu," ^[1] his instructions on "Strengthening the Study of Religious Issues," and the relevant contents of the 1954 Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (which he personally overthrew) are all important documents for the Party’s religious work during the New Democratic Revolution and the periods of socialist revolution and construction.

The second major theoretical achievement of the Sinicization of Marxism is the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. During the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the primary task of the Party’s religious work was to "bring order out of chaos" ^[2], ending the destruction caused by the "Cultural Revolution" and gradually forming the principles, systems, and legal frameworks for religious policy. In 1982, the Central Committee issued "The Basic Viewpoint and Policy on the Religious Question During Our Country's Socialist Period," famously known as "Document No. 19 of 1982." Facing new situations and problems in the field of religious work, the 1991 National Conference on Religious Work proposed that the government manage religious affairs according to the law. In 1993, the National United Front Work Conference proposed actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society, forming the embryonic stage of the Party’s basic policy on religious work. At the 2001 National Conference on Religious Work, the content of "upholding the principle of independence and self-management" was added to the Party’s basic policy. In 2007, the 17th Party Congress wrote the basic policy of the Party’s religious work into the Party Constitution. The 2016 National Conference on Religious Work proposed upholding and developing socialist religious theory with Chinese characters, continuously pushing forward the Sinicization of Marxist religious theory.

The third major theoretical achievement of the Sinicization of Marxism is Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has proposed a series of new concepts and measures regarding religious work, putting forward the "Theory of the Party's Religious Work in the New Era," the primary contents of which are the "Nine Essentials." General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches at the 2016 and 2021 National Conferences on Religious Work, his speeches at conferences on Central United Front work and ethnic work, and his important expositions on doing a good job in New Era religious work during his inspections of various regions are important documents of Xi Jinping's thought on religious work and vital texts for the Party's religious work theory in the New Era.

The "Important Expositions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Religious Work" and the "Theory of the Party’s Religious Work in the New Era" are identical in their spiritual essence, core tenets, rich connotations, and practical requirements; they are theoretical expressions made on different occasions and from different perspectives. The "Important Expositions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Religious Work" is a theoretical formulation made from the height of the "entire scientific system" of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and the status of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the "primary founder of Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era." The "Theory of the Party’s Religious Work in the New Era" is a theoretical generalization and expression based on the practice of the Party’s religious work in the New Era; it is the "religious work theory chapter" of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Compared with previous theoretical generalizations, the generalizations and expressions of the Party’s religious work theory in the New Era are clearer, more precise, and more accurate. They embody the character of the New Era, the leadership of the Party, the practical nature of religious work, and the guiding nature of theoretical achievements, reflecting the characteristics, connotations, and momentum of the New Era.

II. Comprehensively Grasping the Rich Connotations of Xi Jinping’s Important Expositions on Religious Work Across the "Three Levels" of Stance, Principle, and Method

Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work encompass "three levels": the first level is the Party’s basic stance and basic viewpoints in understanding religious issues; the second level is the Party’s basic policy and basic principles for handling religious issues; the third level is the Party’s basic methods and basic measures for doing a good job in religious work. Across these "three levels" of stance/viewpoint, policy/principle, and method/measure, he profoundly answers major theoretical and practical questions such as how to understand religion, how to handle religious issues, and how to perform the Party’s religious work in the New Era.

The main content of Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work is concentrated in the "Nine Essentials" summarized in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work:

The first essential is "Major Significance"—we must profoundly recognize the importance of doing a good job in religious work within the overall work of the Party and the state. The second essential is the "Fundamental Guarantee"—we must establish and improve a strong leadership mechanism. The third essential is "Theoretical Concepts"—we must uphold and develop socialist religious theory with Chinese characteristics. The fourth essential is the "Basic Policy"—we must uphold the Party’s basic policy on religious work. The fifth essential is the "Direction of Effort"—we must persist in the direction of the Sinicization of religion in our country. The sixth essential is the "Essential Requirement"—we must persist in uniting the vast numbers of religious believers around the Party and the government. The seventh essential is "Goal Orientation"—we must construct positive and healthy religious relations. The eighth essential is "Important Measures"—we must support religious groups in strengthening their self-construction. The ninth essential is the "Key Task"—we must improve the level of the rule of law in religious work.

The "Nine Essentials" constitute a logically rigorous and internally unified organic whole, constructing the general outline for guiding the Party’s religious work in the New Era. Among them, the first, second, and third "essentials"—significance, guarantee, and theory—belong to the first level: the basic stance and viewpoints, answering how to understand religion in the New Era. The fourth, fifth, and sixth "essentials"—policy, direction, and requirements—belong to the second level: the basic principles, answering how to handle religious issues in the New Era. The seventh, eighth, and ninth "essentials"—goals, measures, and tasks—belong to the third level: the basic methods, answering how to perform the Party’s religious work in the New Era.

With the "Nine Essentials" as its primary content and encompassing these "three levels," General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work point out the way forward and provide the fundamental follow-through for doing a good job in the Party’s religious work in the New Era.

III. Studying and Applying the "Six Must-Upholds" Worldview and Methodology in Xi Jinping’s Important Expositions on Religious Work

The Party Central Committee has put forward one general requirement and the "Six Must-Upholds" for studying and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work.

The general requirement is that studying and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work must be placed within the context of the entire scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This requirement reflects the relationship between the part and the whole, and the relationship between the specific expositions on religion and the overall scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought. The whole determines and leads the part; the part obeys and serves the whole. This reflects the historical law that religious work is an important part of the overall process and pattern of the Party and state’s work—society determines religion, and religion adapts to society. It also reflects the practical process and law that religious work, including the self-construction of religious circles, serves social development and progress.

The "Six Must-Upholds" ^[3] are: First, profoundly grasp putting the people first, better uniting religious believers, and consolidating the social foundation of the Party’s governance. Second, profoundly grasp maintaining self-confidence and self-reliance, promoting continuous new progress in the Sinicization of religion in our country. Third, profoundly grasp upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, promoting the continuous development of religious work theory and practice. Fourth, profoundly grasp staying problem-oriented, effectively preventing and resolving risks and hidden dangers in the religious field. Fifth, profoundly grasp the systems concept, always performing religious work with the concept of "guidance" (导/dǎo). Sixth, profoundly grasp maintaining a global vision, telling the story of Chinese religion well to the international community.

The "Six Must-Upholds" are consistent with the worldview and methodology of Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era proposed at the 20th Party Congress; they are the application and manifestation of this worldview and methodology in the field of the Party’s religious work. By implementing the Marxist worldview and methodology of the "Six Must-Upholds" and achieving the "Two Combinations" ^[4] in the practice of religious work in the New Era, we can correctly answer the important questions posed by the times and practice, reach scientific understandings that conform to objective laws, and develop the Party’s theoretical achievements in religious work to stay abreast of the times.

IV. Guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Expositions on Religious Work, Advancing the Systematization and Academicization of the Discipline of Marxist Religious Studies

General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the construction of Marxist religious theory. In his speech at the 2016 National Conference on Religious Work, he proposed "developing socialist religious theory with Chinese characteristics and comprehensively improving the level of religious work under new circumstances." In his May 17, 2016, speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, he further proposed "speeding up the improvement of disciplines that support philosophy and social sciences," listing religious studies as one of the eleven supporting disciplines and requiring the "creation of a disciplinary system with Chinese characteristics and universal significance." At the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work, he explicitly proposed for the first time "strengthening the construction of the discipline of Marxist religious studies." On June 30, 2023, during the sixth collective study session of the Political Bureau of theCPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that promoting the systematization and academicization of theory is an inherent requirement and an important path for theoretical innovation. This has extremely important significance for guiding the systematization, academicization, Sinicization, and modernization of Marxist religious studies.

The core of building the discipline of Marxist religious studies is theoretical construction. In the process of implementing the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work, the academic community should seize historical opportunities, leverage the advantages of multiple disciplines, and support Marxist religious studies and Marxist atheism as key disciplines. We must comprehensively study and accurately interpret the theoretical connotations and policy principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work. By closely integrating the Party’s religious work theory and practice in the New Era, combining goal-orientation and problem-orientation, and achieving the "Two Combinations," we should focus on researching and interpreting the fundamental theoretical achievements within the new concepts and assertions proposed by the Party. We must grasp their internal connections, achieve integrated and comprehensive innovation, and advance the systematization and academicization of Marxist religious studies. Inheriting and carrying forward the tradition and academic style of Marxist religious studies with Chinese characteristics pioneered by Mr. Ren Jiyu, we shall write a new chapter for Marxist religious studies in the New Era!