The 2024 Annual Academic Meeting of the Chinese Atheism Society and the 12th Forum on Scientific Atheism Held in Urumqi
To implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches at the Forum on Cultural Inheritance and Development [1] and the National Conference on Religious Work, to forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation [2], and to promote the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism, the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Atheism Society and the 12th Forum on Scientific Atheism were held in Urumqi on June 22. This conference was hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Chinese Atheism Society, the CASS Research Center for Science and Atheism, and Xinjiang University. It was organized by the Department of Research on the Sinicization of Marxism within the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, the School of Marxism at Xinjiang University, the Xinjiang University Research Base for Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, and the Institute of Philosophy at Xinjiang University, with the editorial department of Science and Atheism (Kexue yu wushenlun) performing co-organization duties. The theme of the conference was "The 'Two Combinations' [3] and Marxist Atheism in the New Era." Attendees providing opening remarks included Chen Zhigang, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Editor-in-Chief of Science and Atheism; Gong Yun, Party Committee Secretary of the CASS Institute of Finance, President of the Chinese Atheism Society, and Director of the CASS Research Center for Science and Atheism; and Dai Bin, Party Committee Secretary of Xinjiang University.
Group photo of the conference representatives
In his speech, Dai Bin pointed out that this forum would effectively promote ideological exchange and the sharing of achievements among atheism scholars, advance theoretical research and practical innovation in Marxist atheism, further consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere, and demonstrate the vigorous vitality of Marxist atheism in the New Era. He expressed hope that this forum would serve as an opportunity to strengthen exchange and cooperation with various departments, research institutions, and experts, collectively contributing to the construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system [4] for scientific atheism in the New Era.
Dai Bin, Party Committee Secretary of Xinjiang University, delivering a speech
In his remarks, Chen Zhigang emphasized that the atheist intellectual resources contained within fine traditional Chinese culture have not only profoundly influenced the national character and spiritual world of the Chinese nation, but also provided essential cultural soil for the dissemination of Marxism in China. For Marxism, atheism is its premise and foundation, occupying the starting point in the logical construction of Marxist theory. For fine traditional Chinese culture, atheism is a tradition originating in its early stages; the two possess a natural affinity and compatibility in terms of theoretical status and philosophical mission. The fact that Marxism was warmly welcomed by the Chinese people after entering China—eventually taking root in Chinese soil, flowering, and bearing fruit—is closely related to the profound atheist tradition of Chinese civilization.
Chen Zhigang further noted that the precious atheist intellectual resources in fine traditional Chinese culture are the source for promoting research and publicity/education [5] on Marxist atheism. Atheism researchers in the New Era should shoulder this responsibility: to deeply excavate atheist resources within fine traditional Chinese culture; to use Marxism to activate the atheist elements within that culture and endow them with new connotations of the times; and to promote the creative transformation and innovative development [6] of a series of atheist resources such as "striving for self-improvement," "putting the people first," "humanistic rationality," and "statecraft" (jīngshì zhìyòng) [7]. By injecting the essence of Chinese atheism into Marxist atheism at a deeper level, they can drive new progress in Marxist atheism research and education, continuously writing new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist atheism.
Chen Zhigang, Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Editor-in-Chief of Science and Atheism, delivering a speech
In his speech, Gong Yun emphasized the need to comprehensively and accurately understand the scientific connotation of the "Two Combinations," profoundly grasp their great significance, and use the "Two Combinations" as a guide to promote the high-quality development of the cause of Marxist atheism in the New Era. We must adhere to the combination of theory and practice, deeply study the basic principles of Marxist atheism, and, from the heights of civilization, promote the combination of the basic principles of Marxist atheism with China's specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. He expressed hope that through this conference, more people would establish a scientific worldview of Marxist atheism, adopt the healthy lifestyle of Marxist atheism, solidify the atheist ideological foundation of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation [8], and strive to create a new form of human civilization.
Gong Yun, Party Committee Secretary of the CASS Institute of Finance, President of the Chinese Atheism Society, and Director of the CASS Research Center for Science and Atheism, delivering a speech
The keynote speech phase was moderated by He Xinyuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Research on the Sinicization of Marxism at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Vice President of the Chinese Atheism Society, who also provided commentary. Five experts and scholars spoke during this phase.
He Xinyuan moderating and commenting on the keynote speeches
Researcher Zhu Xiaoming, former Party Committee Secretary of the China Tibetology Research Center and Honorary President of the Chinese Atheism Society, shared the basic status of the project "Research on the Basic Theory and Educational Issues of Marxist Atheism." He introduced the achievements of the Chinese Atheism Society in Marxist atheism research and education in recent years and elaborated on the atheist thoughts of Marx and Engels and their contemporary application.
Zhu Xiaoming, Honorary President of the Chinese Atheism Society, delivering a keynote speech
Researcher Zhang Xinying, former Deputy Director of the CASS Institute of World Religions and President of Science and Atheism, discussed how to understand the role of religion in the construction of spiritual civilization from the perspective of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
Zhang Xinying delivering a keynote speech
Professor Zuo Peng, Director of the Department of Marxist Theory Teaching and Research at the Central Institute of Socialism, introduced the atheist undertone of traditional Chinese people-oriented thought (mínběn) [9]. Based on the perspective of the "Two Combinations," he proposed the contemporary transformation of traditional Chinese people-oriented thought from "the people as the foundation of the state" to "the people centeredness/people-first" (rénmín zhìshàng).
Zuo Peng delivering a keynote speech
Professor Zhang Jianjun, Party Committee Secretary of the School of Marxism at Xinjiang University, analyzed the core essence and theoretical logic of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work.
Zhang Jianjun delivering a keynote speech
Professor Lü Jianfu, Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Sichuan University and Vice President of the Chinese Atheism Society, discussed the spirit of Marxist atheism in the New Era based on the "Two Combinations."
Lü Jianfu delivering a keynote speech
Researcher Zeng Chuanhui from the CASS Institute of World Religions and Vice President of the Chinese Atheism Society, through textual research and analysis of concepts such as religion, religious studies, and views of the divine, discussed the creative transformation and innovative development of the Chinese traditional cultural view of religion by the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era.
Zeng Chuanhui delivering a keynote speech
During the sub-forum sessions, participating scholars utilized Marxism as a guide and deeply excavated existing academic achievements. They conducted exchanges and discussions on topics such as scientific atheism and Chinese-path modernization, atheist thought in fine traditional Chinese culture, and the necessity and practical paths for Marxist atheism education. These discussions provided multi-dimensional perspectives and multiple paths for the unswerving implementation of atheism education.
Sub-forum 1 Sub-forum 2 Sub-forum 3
In the concluding phase of the conference, Huang Yanhong summarized three characteristics of the meeting: focusing on disciplinary direction, attending to reality, and supporting young scholars. She used six keywords—"gratitude," "dedication," "persistence," "confidence," "development," and "thanks"—to summarize the development of the scientific atheism discipline and its academic platforms such as annual meetings and forums, encouraging young scholars to join the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism. Overall, this forum revolved around the theme of "The 'Two Combinations' and Marxist Atheism in the New Era," showcasing the latest achievements in scientific atheism theory and practice. It assists the academic community in advancing the study of Marxist religious theory, consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere, and demonstrating the vigorous vitality of Marxist atheism in the New Era.
Huang Yanhong, Director of the Atheism Research Program of the Department of Sinicization of Marxism at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Director of the Editorial Department of Science and Atheism, delivering the concluding speech.