The 11th Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Scientific Atheism Forum was held in Wuhan
To study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the Cultural Inheritance and Development Symposium and his important discourses on the Party's religious work, and to further advance scientific atheism research and disciplinary construction, the 11th Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Forum on Scientific Atheism was held in Wuhan on September 16. This year's forum was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Leading Group for the Construction and Theoretical Research Project of the Discipline of Marxist Theory, the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). It was co-organized by the CASS Research Center for Science and Atheism, the China Society of Atheism, and the School of Marxism at HUST. The theme of the forum was "Scientific Atheism and Chinese-path Modern Civilization."
The opening ceremony featured speeches by Professor Xu Xiaodong, Vice President of HUST, and Professor Lin Jianhua, Vice President of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies. Li Zhiqiang, Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at HUST, presided over the opening ceremony, and Researcher He Xinyuan, Vice President of the China Society of Atheism and Deputy Director of the Department of Sinicized Marxism at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, provided the conference summary.
Professor Xu Xiaodong pointed out in his speech that scientific atheism and fine traditional Chinese culture possess an inherent connectivity. Strengthening atheistic propaganda and education among the masses and properly conducting the Party's religious work in the New Era have become essential components of the construction of Chinese-path modern civilization. This forum is both an important measure to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and an opportunity for mutual learning and exchange. The university will take this forum as a new starting point to gather forces from society and academia to explore new opportunities and challenges facing the construction of Chinese-path modern civilization against the backdrop of comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
Professor Lin Jianhua emphasized three aspects in his speech. First, to further elevate the political stance and strengthen political awareness, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially the earnest study of his important discourses on religious work. Second, to deeply mine the excellent parts and components of Chinese culture and safeguard the atheistic genes within fine traditional Chinese culture. Third, to strive to build a disciplinary platform for scientific atheism, promote scientific atheism research, and cultivate a team of researchers in the field.
He further noted that the discipline of scientific atheism holds special importance within the discipline of Marxist theory. The prosperity and development of the entire discipline cannot be driven by the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies alone but requires strong support from philosophy and social science workers nationwide. Especially under the context of building Chinese-path modern civilization, new research topics for Marxist atheism include: how to promote the integration of the vibrant atheistic factors in fine traditional Chinese culture with the basic principles of Marxist atheism; how to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese atheistic thought; and how to better leverage the role of scientific atheism in the construction of Chinese-path modern civilization.
Following the opening ceremony, participating experts delivered speeches revolving around the forum's theme. Researcher Tian Xinming, Consultant to the China Society of Atheism and former Director of the Social Sciences Center of the Ministry of Education, expounded on two issues regarding Marxist atheism and the construction of Chinese-path modern civilization. First, regarding the definition, Tian argued that "Chinese-path modern civilization" refers to the new form of human civilization created by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) guided by Marxism through more than 100 years of continuous struggle—namely, the civilization of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the garden of world civilizations, it is the civilization of the Chinese nation; in the historical development of human social formations, it is a socialist civilization; in the long history of Chinese civilization, it is a modern civilization. It has brought Chinese civilization into the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, making it socialist and modern; it has developed scientific socialism from a theoretical form into a civilizational form in China, allowing socialism to appear as a new type of civilization in human history, making Marxism and socialism truly Chinese. Second, regarding the persistence of Marxist atheism, Tian argued that this is crucial foundational work for building Chinese-path modern civilization.
Researcher Zhang Xinying, former Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of World Religions and President of Science and Atheism, shared reflections on recent religious work. He argued that the Sinicization of religion in the New Era is a "Sinicization" aimed at Chinese-path modernization, possessing political orientations, value guidance, and cultural standards incomparable to any previous era, while facing unprecedentedly complex international and domestic socio-political situations. All religions in China—including indigenous religions and foreign religions that have historically undergone "localization" and "inculturation" [1]—must comprehensively set innovative goals for "Sinicization." They must advance doctrinal interpretations and practices that meet the requirements of Chinese-path modernization to shape a truly "Chinese religion" from top to bottom and inside out. Party committees at all levels should strengthen support and guidance, and the "three teams" [2] of religious work are duty-bound to deepen theoretical exploration. There is a need for coordinated research on the historical process, typical experiences, theoretical basis, objectives, and implementation paths of the Sinicization of religion in our country. The religious community, in particular, must urgently seek the connection and breakthroughs between "Sinicization" theory and practice.
Researcher Feng Yanli, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Philosophy, delivered a report titled "Building Chinese-path Modern Civilization is a Full Manifestation of Civilizational Confidence." He discussed the concepts and connotations of cultural confidence and civilizational confidence, analyzed the logic of China's transition from emphasizing cultural confidence to developing civilizational confidence, and pointed out the need to grasp the fundamental aspects of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Professor Huang Pinghuai, President of Jiangxi Open University, shared thoughts on "Using Fine Traditional Chinese Culture to Nurture Socialist Core Values." He stated that exploration and practice should focus on three areas: first, working on strong support, full coverage, and deep integration; second, centering on the people’s aspiration for a better life; and third, coordinating the management of the complex natural-economic-social ecosystem.
Professor Zhao Zhongyen, Dean of the School of Marxism at Guangzhou University, researched the multiple connotations of "de-deification" (去神化) in the spiritual construction of the CPC. He noted four levels of "de-deification": first, advocating the scientific spirit and opposing feudal superstition while eliminating the ideological basis for religion to forge a party of firm atheists; second, advocating the revolutionary spirit and opposing the deification of feudal ethics; third, advocating the spirit of self-reliance and opposing the deification or blind worship of Western culture while rationally borrowing its reasonable elements; fourth, advocating the spirit of seeking truth from facts, opposing the mechanical or dogmatic treatment of classical Marxist theorists and the blind copying of the Soviet model, while vigorously promoting the Sinicization of Marxism.
Researcher Liu Zhiming, Director of the Department of Sinicized Marxism at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, pointed out that upholding fine traditional Chinese culture is the prerequisite for the "Second Integration" [3]. While firming up cultural confidence, we must correctly treat fine traditional Chinese culture with a systems-thinking approach, viewing it as a vital task in building a modern socialist country.
Professor He Husheng of the School of Marxism at Renmin University of China delivered a report titled "Analysis of the Relationship Between Adhering to Marxist Atheism and Respecting the Religious Beliefs of the Masses." He argued these are two sides of the same coin in the Party’s policy of freedom of religious belief. Theoretically, they are unified by shared political and legal foundations; practically, they achieve unity in promoting harmonious religious relations and consolidating the Party’s mass base.
Professor Lü Jianfu, Chair Professor at Sichuan University, argued that Marxist atheism is an advanced humanistic ideology opposed to the theism of religious systems that formed the basis of old civilizations. The rise of the Chinese nation is based on its own humanistic system, which includes both Confucian atheistic thought and a complete humanistic system of the "Six Arts" [4] (philosophy, literature, politics, rites, music, and history). Chinese-path modern civilization must take advanced socialist culture as its system and fine Chinese culture as its foundation, guided by modernized and Sinicized Marxism.
Professor Huang Chao, Vice Dean of the School of Philosophy at Wuhan University, reported on "The Modernity of Marxist Atheism." He argued that Marxist atheism is a scientific modernity theory with openness and inclusivity that theological systems lack; it is a spiritual force that unites the CPC and ensures the healthy development of religion; and its deep compatibility with fine traditional Chinese culture forms a humanistic cultural soft power that can transform the "clash of civilizations" into peaceful cultural exchange and integration.
Professor Wang Qiu, Dean of the School of Marxism at Heilongjiang University, reviewed four representative "theories of replacing religion" in modern Chinese intellectual history to explore their enlightening significance for the construction of basic religious theory and the link between scientific atheism and modern Chinese atheism.
Professor Guan Feng, Dean of the School of Marxism at South China Normal University, analyzed the connotations of "civilization" and "new civilization," proposing that based on the "Two Integrations," we should maintain a scientific stance on creating a "new civilization" to better understand and enrich this new form of human civilization on the New Journey.
Professor Guan Feng, Dean of the School of Marxism at South China Normal University, delivered a keynote speech.
Professor Dong Shangwen, Dean of the School of Philosophy at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, presented a report titled "Value Nihilism in Daoist Mind-Nature from the Perspective of Scheler's Phenomenology of Values." He first provided an overview of Max Scheler’s phenomenology of values, then utilized this perspective to explore the value nihilism inherent in Daoist mind-nature (xinxing) [5], providing a deep analysis of the underlying logic of this phenomenon.
Professor Dong Shangwen, Dean of the School of Philosophy at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, delivered a keynote speech.
Dong Hui—Professor at the School of Marxism at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, member of the Disciplinary Review Group of the State Council [6], and Yangtze River Young Scholar [7] of the Ministry of Education—elaborated on the significance of our country’s adherence to the Sinicization of religion across three dimensions: the development of the era and reality, theory and method, and standpoint and essence. Simultaneously, she further revealed the methodology for adhering to and promoting the Sinicization of religion through five aspects: political advantage, theoretical innovation, academic support, cultural leadership, and risk governance.
Professor Dong Hui, Professor at the School of Marxism at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, member of the Disciplinary Review Group of the State Council, and Yangtze River Young Scholar of the Ministry of Education, delivered a keynote speech.
Liu Jiajun—Professor at the School of Marxism at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Hubei Provincial Anti-Cult Association—discussed the Sinicization of religion from an atheistic perspective. He emphasized the overall and strategic significance of religious work and advocated for the academic and professional communities to continue advancing anti-cult work to effectively safeguard national security and the vital interests of the masses.
Professor Liu Jiajun, Professor at the School of Marxism at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Hubei Provincial Anti-Cult Association, delivered a keynote report.
During the afternoon session, experts and scholars conducted in-depth discussions on major theoretical and practical issues, including "Fine Traditional Chinese Culture and Atheism," "Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation and Atheism," "Scientific Culture and Atheism," "Marxist Atheism and its Publicity and Education," and "Religious Governance." Researcher He Xinyuan—Vice President of the China Association for Atheism and Deputy Director of the Department of Sinicization of Marxism Research at the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences—provided the concluding remarks for the conference. He pointed out that the Scientific Atheism Forum of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has been successfully held ten times. Today, with the strong support of Huazhong University of Science and Technology and various experts and scholars, the 11th Scientific Atheism Forum has also been successfully held. He expressed high praise for the contributions made by the experts and scholars in the field of atheism research and expressed heartfelt gratitude for the efforts of all participating guests and staff. He summarized the conference using four characters: "Abundant, New, Deep, and Correct" (feng, xin, shen, zheng). He stated that this meeting converged multiple forces from society and the academic community, explored new directions for the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism from new angles, and provided important support for the subsequent development of research work in related fields.
Researcher He Xinyuan, Vice President of the China Association for Atheism and Deputy Director of the Department of Sinicization of Marxism Research at the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, delivered the concluding remarks.
Main Venue Sub-forum I Sub-forum II Sub-forum III
(Contributed by Zhang Ge)