He Xinyuan: Several Key Issues in Further Advancing the Sinicization of Religion in China
Seen historically, the adaptation of religion to its host society is the trend and law of religious survival and development. As a historical phenomenon, religion will exist in socialist China for a long time; thus, actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society is the core content of the Party’s basic policy on religious work. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed and emphasized the issue of the Sinicization of religions in our country on many occasions. "Sinicization of religion" is a major innovative judgment by General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding religious work and a major strategic measure to actively guide religion to adapt to socialist society. Only through the implementation of "Sinicization of religion" can religious believers achieve political identification and social adaptation, and only then can religion truly be said to adapt to a society with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to the Sinicization of religion in our country "bears upon the development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses, social harmony and ethnic unity, and national security and the unification of the motherland." It is a comprehensive and strategic task concerning the Party’s governing future and destiny. In 2021, at the National Conference on Religious Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping further emphasized that we "must adhere to the direction of the Sinicization of religion in our country" and put forward the explicit requirement to "deeply advance the Sinicization of religion in our country." As a major historical task for the Party’s religious work in the New Era and on the new journey, this was again written into the report of the 20th CPC National Congress in 2022. On the new journey, how can we more effectively and deeply advance the Sinicization of religion in our country? In addition to supporting the religious community in making interpretations of religious doctrines and rules that meet the requirements of contemporary China's development and progress and align with fine traditional Chinese culture, we must also firmly grasp the following aspects: first, seeking the "greatest common divisor"—the socialist core values—to guide the Sinicization of religion; second, adhering to Marxist atheism; and third, adhering to and strengthening the Party's leadership over the Sinicization of religion.
I. Socialist core values are the greatest common divisor guiding the Sinicization of religion in our country
Multiple religions exist within our borders. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Religion is a belief and a form of social consciousness, but more importantly, it is a social force involving hundreds of millions of religious believers." According to the 2018 white paper China's Policies and Practices on Protecting Freedom of Religious Belief, there are nearly 200 million religious citizens and over 380,000 religious clerical personnel in our country; furthermore, there are many people who participate in various folk belief activities [1]. In our country, religious believers, like non-believers, are ordinary laborers. Their social identities include workers, farmers, urban migrant workers, scientific and technological workers, entrepreneurs, and public welfare service personnel, among others. They are all builders actively devoted to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and constitute the Party's reliant force and governing foundation. Uniting these 200 million people and concentrating their will and strength on the common goal of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation is the "fundamental starting point and ultimate goal" for our Party in "handling all religious issues." The question is how to most effectively unite and coalesce them. Entering the New Era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has provided a clear and effective answer: seek the greatest common divisor. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has mentioned the "greatest common divisor" many times on different occasions and in different fields, requiring that "leading officials at all levels must be adept at using the 'greatest common divisor' method of thinking to study and solve problems, aggregating the strength of the masses and integrating the wisdom of the masses." In the field of the united front [2], which includes religious work, General Secretary Xi Jinping has also repeatedly mentioned "finding the greatest common divisor." For example, at the 2015 Central United Front Work Conference, he pointed out: "To do a good job in united front work under the new situation, we must correctly handle the relationship between consistency and diversity, continuously consolidate the common ideological and political foundation, while simultaneously fully promoting democracy, respecting and tolerating differences, and finding the greatest common divisor as much as possible through patient and meticulous work." Practice has proven that we have already found this greatest common divisor: the socialist core values.
First, seeking the greatest common divisor should begin with core values. The differentiation of interests and ideas causes members of society to form different values, constituting a system of social values. In this system, there are significant differences between different values, but there is also a certain consensus—that is, shared values. The common divisor in the ideological and spiritual spheres should be sought at the level of values, and the greatest common divisor should be the values among them that possess commonality. The greatest common divisor requires seeking the maximum points of common interest and shared values. Shared values are the spiritual bond upon which a nation or a country relies for long-term maintenance, and the common ideological and moral foundation of a nation or a country. Why can a complex modern society still remain orderly and vital? The reason lies in the fact that shared values provide a continuous source of order for society. No matter how the interests and thoughts of all social members may diverge, as long as a high degree of consensus is reached on values, they can work with one heart and one mind, unite and forge ahead, and form a synergy for their endeavors.
Second, the fundamental political and economic interests of religious and non-religious masses are identical. Based on the above analysis, it is crucial for religious work to find the shared values—the greatest common divisor—that both religious and non-religious masses can accept. The greatest common divisor can provide a most fundamental value concept for the stable development and progress of the whole society. As a cultural phenomenon and social ideology, religion has its unique belief system and value concepts. The law of religious development lies in "harmony" (he [3]). "The survival and development of any religion must adapt to its host society; this is a universal law of the development and spread of world religions." For this reason, for a multi-ethnic and multi-religious China, ethnic amity and social harmony both require religious propitiation (heshun), and require seeking the maximum consensus—the greatest common divisor—between the unique values of religion and the system of social values. All members of society, including religious and non-religious people, share identical fundamental political and economic interests, which provides the bedrock foundation for generating consensus on values.
Third, the socialist core values are the greatest common divisor for deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion. General Secretary Xi Jinping once pointed out: "Our country is a large nation with over 1.3 billion people and 56 ethnic groups. Establishing the 'greatest common divisor' of values that reflects the common identification of people of all ethnic groups across the country—so that all people work with one heart and one mind and unite to forge ahead—concerns the future and destiny of the country as well as the happiness and well-being of the people." In China’s primary stage of socialism, diverse values indeed exist, including religious beliefs. So, in the system of social values, what is the value that serves as the greatest common divisor? In the process of deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion, our Party has found the "greatest common divisor" of values identified by people of all ethnic groups nationwide, including believers, non-believers, theists, and atheists. This value is the socialist core values. The socialist core values scientifically answer the major questions of what kind of country to build, what kind of society to build, and what kind of citizens to cultivate at the level of values. Prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony are the value requirements at the national level; freedom, equality, justice, and the rule of law are the value requirements at the social level; and patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendship are the value requirements at the individual citizen level. The socialist core values integrate the value requirements of the state, society, and citizens, reflecting the essential requirements of socialism, inheriting the fine traditional Chinese culture, absorbing the beneficial achievements of world civilization, and embodying the spirit of the times.
Using the greatest common divisor of socialist core values to lead and guide the Sinicization of religion in our country, and promoting the adaptation of religion to socialist society, is the focal point of handling religious issues and carrying out religious work in China today. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized on various occasions: "In implementing the policy of freedom of religious belief, the starting point and ultimate goal is to maximize the unity of the vast religious and non-religious masses." But how is this to be achieved? It relies on the greatest common divisor of socialist core values found under the leadership of the Party. Cultivating and promoting socialist core values is conducive to laying a solid common ideological foundation and realizing socialist modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; it is conducive to pooling the powerful strength of scientific development to meet various challenges and risks; it is conducive to fostering a good atmosphere of stability, unity, harmony, and upward mobility to promote social harmony; it is conducive to strengthening moral construction and realizing all-around human development; and it is conducive to guiding social trends of thought, coalescing social consensus, and pooling the powerful strength to build socialism with Chinese characteristics. Undoubtedly, using such core values will certainly be more effective in leading and guiding the Sinicization of religion in our country. How should this leading and guiding be done? It should focus primarily on the following: leading and guiding religious believers and personages in the religious circles to love the motherland and the people, maintain national unity, safeguard the great unity of the Chinese nation, and obey and serve the supreme interests of the state and the overall interests of the Chinese nation; leading and guiding and increasing the identification of religious believers and personages in the religious circles with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics; leading and guiding religious believers and personages in the religious circles to support the leadership of the CPC and the socialist system, and to persist in taking the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; leading and guiding religious believers and personages in the religious circles to actively practice socialist core values, promote Chinese culture, and strive to integrate religious doctrines with Chinese culture; leading and guiding religious believers and personages in the religious circles to abide by national laws and regulations and consciously accept the state’s management in accordance with the law; and leading and guiding religious believers and personages in the religious circles to devote themselves to reform and opening up and socialist modernization, contributing to the realization of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Of course, we must clearly recognize that using socialist core values to lead and guide absolutely does not require religious believers to give up their religious beliefs.
Fourth, leading and guiding the Sinicization of religion in our country with socialist core values must hold the political bottom line. Persisting in the leadership of the Party, patriotism, and socialism with Chinese characteristics is the common ideological and political foundation of the whole society. This is the political bottom line that cannot be shaken, and the religious field is no exception. The united front in the religious field also reflects the relationship between consistency and diversity. Consistency means that the Party's leadership must always be upheld; that the CPC, religious believers, and personages in the religious circles must form a consistent common ideological and political foundation; and that nothing may jeopardize the Party's leadership, state power, the national system, or the rule of law, nor damage the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people. Diversity means that Party members, religious believers, and non-believers will show a plurality of interests and a diversity of thoughts based on their beliefs; believers of different denominations and personages in the religious circles will also show plurality of interests and diversity of thoughts based on their doctrines. The achievements of all undertakings of the Party and the state are inseparable from the united front in the religious field and its functioning, especially the historic changes since entering the New Era and the Sinicization of religion led by the Party and guided by socialist core values. On the new journey, the world's once-in-a-century great changes are accelerating, and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is at a critical stage. The closer we get to the goal, the more complex the situation, and the more arduous the tasks, the more we must give play to the political advantages of the CPC's leadership and the institutional advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must coalesce the wisdom and strength of all parties, including the religious circles and the religious masses, to form a powerful synergy where all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad think and act in unison. Only if we firmly hold the center point of the political bottom line can the radius of tolerated diversity grow longer, the concentric circles we draw grow larger, and the more effectively we can advance the Sinicization of religion, creating a greater synergy to promote the building of a strong nation and national rejuvenation.
II. Deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion in our country must persist in Marxist atheism
The smooth development of the Party’s and the state’s undertakings requires a shared ideological and political foundation, as well as a spiritual pillar for the whole of society. That which serves as our nation's shared ideological and political foundation and social spiritual pillar is not religious theism, nor the ideologies and values of feudalism or capitalism, but Marxism. There is a positive correlation between the social influence of theism and the number of religious believers. At present, the number of religious venues and believers is showing a trend of relatively rapid growth. In socialist China, we must never allow the influence of theism to spread throughout society; otherwise, it may expand and deepen the breadth and degree of religion’s participation in the social spiritual pillar. If this continues, it will inevitably erode the ideological and theoretical positions of Marxism and prove detrimental to consolidating the shared ideological foundation of all ethnic groups in the country. Marxism is scientific atheism, and the propagation of atheism is an inherent requirement of Marxism. In the ideological and spiritual realm, if Marxism does not occupy the ground, various non-Marxist and anti-Marxist ideologies will; if the territory occupied by Marxism is small, then the territory occupied by these various non-Marxist and anti-Marxist ideologies will be large. This is an objectively existing struggle of ebb and flow [4]. Therefore, we must uphold the dominant position of Marxist atheism in the minds of the masses. Vigorously carrying out publicity and education on Marxist atheism is also a powerful path and reliable method for us to effectively guide and advance the Sinicization of religion.
First, in our country, religion exists objectively, and theists and atheists coexist. Religion is both ancient and contemporary; it will continue to exist in our country for a long time. Some scholars believe that "religion is essentially a social ideology characterized by theism." The long-standing Chinese culture contains rich atheistic thought. As faithful inheritors and promoters of fine traditional Chinese culture [5], and as loyal believers and steadfast practitioners of Marxism, Chinese Communists have always clearly declared themselves to be Marxist atheists who do not believe in any religion. In our country, although atheists and theists differ in their worldviews, this does not hinder their political identification. As Zhou Enlai once pointed out: "Whether one is an atheist or a theist, a materialist or an idealist, everyone is equally capable of supporting the socialist system."
Second, adhering to Marxist atheism is a fundamental principle. We Communists must not only adhere to Marxist atheism but also actively propagate it, popularize scientific and cultural knowledge, and help guide people to draw clear distinctions between materialism and idealism, atheism and theism, science and superstition, and civilization and ignorance—gradually eliminating the ideological and social foundations for the generation and spread of religion. Regarding the objective fact of the coexistence of religion, theism, and atheism, and how to effectively carry out Marxist atheism education, some scholars believe: "Carrying out atheism education is both an important task of the Party’s ideological work and closely related to religious work. We must follow both the guiding principles of ideological work and the basic guidelines of religious work; we must both conduct ideological struggle and uphold freedom of religious belief."
If we cannot effectively carry out education on Marxist atheism and instead allow theism such as religion to spread without limit and expand rapidly—even developing into the dominant ideology—it will directly threaten the Party’s guiding ideology, seriously damage the Party’s governing foundation, and ultimately challenge the Party’s governing status. Therefore, the vast majority of Party members must attach great importance to the publicity and education of Marxist atheism from the height of the Party’s governing security and the life or death of the Party’s cause.
At present, education in Marxist atheism is by no means intended to create confrontation between the believing and non-believing masses, nor is it intended to eliminate religion. Rather, it is to enable more people to learn to use the dialectical materialist worldview and methodology to view religious phenomena scientifically, to weaken the social influence of religion, to expand the territory of Marxist atheism, to rationally choose their own worldview, and to actively create their own real-life happiness. It is in this sense that we say adhering to Marxist atheism is a fundamental principle; our country’s legislation, administration, judiciary, as well as economic, political, social, cultural, and ecological aspects must all adhere to this principle and must not—intentionally or unintentionally—violate it.
Third, carrying out education in patriotism, collectivism, and socialism within religious circles, and strengthening targeted education in Party history, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of socialist development, is the natural responsibility and duty of our Party. Although we cannot conduct atheistic propaganda in religious venues or engage in debates over the existence of God among religious believers, the believing and non-believing masses can be closely united under the banners of patriotism, collectivism, and socialism to jointly contribute strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
History is the best textbook; reading history clarifies one’s aspirations. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work: "We must cultivate a contingent of religious representative figures who are politically reliable, religiously accomplished, morally capable of winning the public's trust, and able to play a role at critical moments." This is a specific standard formed by combining indicators of political direction, professional ability, individual morality, and major performance. Among these, the political indicator is the primary and fundamental condition, while the moral indicator is internally linked to the political one and communicates with the inherent professional indicators of the religion itself; the sum total of these first three indicators becomes the decisive factor for satisfying the fourth. So how can this goal be achieved? When discussing "deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion in our country," General Secretary Xi Jinping for the first time proposed and emphasized the need to "conduct education in patriotism, collectivism, and socialism within religious circles, and strengthen targeted education in the 'Four Histories' (Party history, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of socialist development)." Education in the "Four Histories" [6] reflects, on the one hand, the fundamental principle of adhering to Marxist atheism and, on the other hand, reflects "Socialist Core Values" as the greatest common denominator for deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion. For religious personages to take Socialist Core Values as their guide and vigorously promote "Four Histories" education can more quickly drive the process of religious Sinicization—adapting religion to a society of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is of great practical significance for better organizing and guiding religious believers to strive in unity with the masses for the comprehensive building of a great modern socialist power and the realization of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
III. Adhering to and Strengthening the Party’s Leadership is the Fundamental Guarantee for More Effectively and Deeply Advancing the Sinicization of Religion
The Party's religious work must inevitably adhere to the Party's leadership. In the work of religious Sinicization, our Party must both "lead" (领) and "guide" (导) well. "Leading" is the foundation, managing direction and fundamentals; "guiding" is the path, managing methods and effects. Only by adhering well to the basic policy of the Party's religious work in "leading"—thinking deeply, seeing through, and grasping accurately—can "guiding" be methodical, powerful, and effective, allowing us to firmly grasp the initiative in religious work. In the New Journey [7], only by adhering to and strengthening the Party's leadership can we better exert the leading power of the Socialist Core Values as the greatest common denominator, and expand the education of Marxist atheism to the maximum extent and most effectively.
First, for a Marxist party, religion is by no means a private matter. Marxism holds that for the proletariat to seek liberation, it must be liberated from religion; "communism begins from the outset (径直) with atheism." The idealism of religion and the materialism of Marxism are two diametrically opposed worldviews. Therefore, religion is by no means a private matter for a Marxist party. Marx pointed out: "the workers' party strives rather to deliver the conscience from the witchery of religion"; Engels "purposely and emphatically stated that the Social-Democratic Party considers religion to be a private matter in relation to the state, but by no means in relation to itself, to Marxism, or to the workers' party." Lenin, in his article "Socialism and Religion," emphasized even more unequivocally: "To the party of the socialist proletariat, religion is not a private matter. Our Party is an association of class-conscious, advanced fighters for the emancipation of the working class. Such an association cannot and must not be indifferent to lack of class-consciousness, ignorance or obscurantism in the shape of religious beliefs." "We founded our association, the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party, precisely for such a struggle against every religious bamboozling of the workers. To us the ideological struggle is not a private affair, but the affair of the whole Party, of the whole proletariat."
Since its founding, our Party has always treated and handled religious issues with relative caution, but it has never been ambiguous on the issue of Party members believing in religion; its stance is very clear, stipulating that Party members are atheists and must not believe in religion. As early as the New Democratic Revolution period [8], Mao Zedong emphasized: "Communists may form an anti-imperialist and anti-feudal united front with some idealists and even religious people in political action, but they can never approve of their idealism or religious doctrines." Since the start of reform and opening up, Document No. 19 (1982), which Deng Xiaoping supported in drafting, pointed out: "A Communist Party member is different from an ordinary citizen; he is a member of a Marxist party and should undoubtedly be an atheist rather than a theist. Our Party has clearly stipulated many times: Communist Party members must not believe in religion and must not participate in religious activities. Those who persist in not changing for a long time should be advised to leave the Party." Jiang Zemin pointed out even more clearly: "Communist Party members not only cannot believe in religion, but must also propagate atheism and a scientific worldview to the masses." Hu Jintao also pointed out: "We Chinese Communists are atheists and do not believe in any religion." entering the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping, combining the new principal contradiction in society and the new problems brought about by the Great Changes Unseen in a Century [9], further clearly pointed out: "Communist Party members must be firm Marxist atheists, strictly abide by the provisions of the Party Constitution, strengthen their ideals and convictions, keep the Party's purpose firmly in mind, and must never seek their own values and beliefs in religion," but should instead actively guide religion to adapt to socialist society and vigorously support and advance the process of religious Sinicization in our country.
Second, adhering to and strengthening the Party’s leadership guarantees the direction of the Sinicization of religion in our country. The fact that religion is a long-standing historical phenomenon dictates that the Party’s leadership over religious work must be maintained and strengthened over the long term. Advancing the Sinicization of religion is a complex and sensitive task; we must talk politics with a clear-cut stand and carry out work correctly under the Party's leadership. Practice has proved that only religions that adhere to the direction of Sinicization and have achieved Sinicization can better adapt to our socialist society and play a positive role in our social development and progress. However, to ensure that the direction of religious Sinicization does not veer off course, we cannot for one moment leave the Party's strong leadership and effective guidance. Practice has also proved that supporting the Party's leadership has already become an unswerving principle for religious believers, religious personages, and various religious organizations in socialist China.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the Party's leadership is comprehensive, systematic, and holistic. He noted that "if any field, aspect, or link is missing or weakened, it will weaken the Party's strength and damage the cause of the Party and the state," emphasizing that religious work must be placed under the Party's leadership as an inherent requirement for upholding and strengthening the Party's comprehensive leadership. The Party's leadership over religious work is primarily reflected in forming a united front [10] with the religious circles under the banners of patriotism and socialism, leveraging the distinct characteristics and political advantages of our Party in handling religious issues, and providing political leadership, ideological guidance, and interest-based steering.
Politically, leadership is exercised primarily by maintaining the correct political direction and formulating scientific major principles and policies. High importance must be attached to religious issues, especially those on the internet. We must vigorously publicize the Party's religious theories and policies throughout society and online to spread positive voices. We must remain highly alert to religious extremist forces—especially overseas hostile forces—using religion to engage in infiltration activities. We must guard against the encroachment of religious extremist thought and remain vigilant against religious demands that carry political intentions.
Ideologically, we provide guidance primarily by strengthening ideological and political work among religious believers and personages in religious circles. We must focus on grasping the differences and characteristics of various religions and respect the cultural backgrounds and faith choices of believers. Simultaneously, we must enhance the targeted nature and effectiveness of ideological work, raising the ideological consciousness and scientific-cultural literacy of the masses of believers. We must strive to improve relationships with believers and religious personages, enhancing the cohesive power of the Party and government among them.
Regarding interest-based steering, we must sincerely help believers, religious personages, and various religious organizations solve practical problems and difficulties encountered in production and daily life. We must earnestly maintain, realize, and develop their legitimate rights and interests so they truly feel the care and warmth of the Party and government. Believers, like non-believers, have the right to yearn for and pursue a better life; our Party itself represents the fundamental interests of the broadest possible people, including the legitimate rights and interests of the masses of believers. Through interest-based steering, we ensure that people of all ethnic groups are "tightly bound together like pomegranate seeds" [11], uniting believers closely around the Party. Only through political leadership, ideological guidance, and interest-based steering can the direction of the Sinicization of religion be effectively guaranteed.
Third, it is particularly necessary to uphold and strengthen the Party's cultural leadership (wénhuà língdǎoquán) [12]. On June 2, 2023, at a symposium on cultural inheritance and development, General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly used the expression "the cultural leadership of the Communist Party of China." Cultural leadership is vital for guiding the correct direction of cultural development and the realization of its functions and roles. Lenin once pointed out that the proletarian party must strengthen cultural leadership, or it will find it difficult to achieve ideological unity. Upholding the Party's cultural leadership is the essential political guarantee for doing a good job in our country's promotional, ideological, and cultural work; it determines the development path and direction for promoting cultural prosperity, building a culturally powerful nation, and constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Advancing the Sinicization of religion is also an important component of promotional, ideological, and cultural work. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the program for such work in the New Era and also the guide for religious work in the New Era. As a primary component of religious work, advancing the Sinicization of religion must always uphold and strengthen the Party's cultural leadership.
Religion has a dual social role. From a cultural perspective, religion has a positive side, but its negative effects are more prominent. Regarding this, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that we must "view the social role of religion dialectically," noting that "we cannot just focus on suppressing negative factors while ignoring the mobilization of positive factors, nor can we just focus on mobilizing positive factors while ignoring the suppression of negative factors. Leveraging the positive role of religion does not mean treating religion as a panacea for the world or artificially fomenting a 'religion fever' [13]; rather, it means guiding it according to circumstances, promoting advantages while avoiding disadvantages, and guiding religion to strive in service of economic development, social harmony, cultural prosperity, ethnic unity, and national reunification." The rich atheistic thought contained within the splendid and long-standing Chinese culture is undoubtedly an important component of the spiritual lifeblood, the deepest spiritual pursuits, and the unique spiritual identity of the Chinese nation, providing rich nourishment for its continuous growth and expansion. At the same time, whether indigenous or foreign, the religions in our country are deeply embedded in the Chinese civilization with its history of over 5,000 years and are deeply integrated into our social life. Therefore, in the process of deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion in our country, we must further strengthen the cultural leadership and use excellent traditional Chinese culture to "soak and nourish" (jìn rùn) each religion. We should guide religions to interpret their doctrines and rules in a way that aligns with the requirements of contemporary China's development and progress and with excellent traditional Chinese culture, allowing the concepts and practices of the Sinicization of religion to penetrate the ideological outlook and daily lives of every believer.
Religion is a special form of social ideology (shèhuì yìshítàng), which dictates that much of religious work is closely related to ideological issues. The core task of upholding the Party's cultural leadership is to maintain and consolidate the Party's leadership over ideological work. Ideology determines the direction and development path of culture. Both history and reality warn us that once the positions of public opinion and thought are breached, other lines of defense are difficult to hold. Faced with an increasingly complex and sharp environment of struggle in the ideological field, General Secretary Xi Jinping has grasped ideological work from the strategic height of whether we can maintain the Party's leadership and whether we can persist in and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. He emphasized that "while focusing our energy on economic construction, we cannot for a moment relax or weaken ideological work. We must firmly hold the leadership, management, and discourse power (huàyǔquán) [14] of ideological work in our hands and never let it fall to others; otherwise, we will make an irredeemable historical mistake." We must "firmly grasp the Party's leadership over ideological work, fully implement the responsibility system for ideological work, and consolidate and strengthen the mainstream ideological public opinion for the New Era." Religious belief belongs to "issues of an ideological nature" and is an issue of the spiritual world. Therefore, ideological work also plays a crucial role in the religious field. In a certain sense, doing religious work is doing ideological work. However, it focuses more on guiding believers to establish a correct worldview, outlook on life, and values, enhancing their national consciousness and sense of social responsibility to serve the advancement of the Sinicization of religion. On the New Journey, many new historical characteristics appearing in China’s religious field require us to continuously enhance the identification of believers and religious personages with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. This requires better safeguarding of national cultural and ideological security and strengthening the Party's cultural leadership in the process of deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion.
In conclusion, using the Core Socialist Values as the "greatest common divisor" [15] for guidance, adhering to Marxist atheism, vigorously carrying out atheistic publicity and education, and upholding and strengthening the Party's leadership are vital for effectively and deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion in our country. This is both the key to fully leveraging the positive role of religion and an inevitable requirement for respecting the laws of religious existence and transmission. More importantly, it is a strategic measure for resolving prominent issues in our country's religious field.
(About the Author: He Xinyuan is the deputy director and a researcher in the Department of Marxist Sinicization Studies at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, and the Vice President of the Chinese Atheism Society.)