Propaganda and Education of Atheism in Rural Areas in the New Era: A Summary of "The 6th National Congress and 2023 Annual Academic Conference of the Chinese Atheism Society"
To deeply study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, and further implement the spirit of the National Conferences on Religious Work held in 2016 and 2021, the 6th Member Representative Assembly of the Chinese Atheism Society and the 2023 Academic Annual Meeting were held in Beijing on June 10, 2023. This conference was hosted by the Chinese Atheism Society, the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and the Center for Science and Atheism of CASS, with the cooperation of the editorial department of Science and Atheism. The theme of the conference was "Atheism Publicity and Education in Rural Areas in the New Era." Opening remarks were delivered by Researcher Gong Yun, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Institute of Finance of CASS, Vice President of the 5th Council of the Chinese Atheism Society, and Director of the Center for Science and Atheism of CASS. Researcher Fan Jianxin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Institute of Political Science of CASS and President of the 5th Council of the Chinese Atheism Society, delivered the 5th Council Work Report. Researcher He Xinyuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Sinicization of Marxism at the Institute of Marxism Studies (CASS), presided over the opening ceremony. The assembly approved the 5th Council Work Report and elected the 6th Council of the Chinese Atheism Society. The 6th Council subsequently elected its leadership and executive directors.
Nearly one hundred representatives from the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Institute of Socialism, several CASS institutes (Marxism Studies, Political Science, Finance, Contemporary China, and World Religions), and various universities including Xinjiang University, Xinjiang Normal University, Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics, Shihezi University, Inner Mongolia University, Northwest University of Political Science and Law, Shanxi University, Hebei Normal University, Nankai University, Shandong University, Wuhan University, Sichuan University, Zhejiang University, People's Public Security University of China, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beihang University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Capital Normal University, and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, as well as Party schools (administration institutes) and religious affairs departments, conducted in-depth discussions around the conference theme.
I. Theoretical and Practical Research on Atheism Publicity and Education in Rural Areas in the New Era
Atheism publicity and education in rural areas is an important task for rural cultural revitalization. In 2018, the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Implementing the Rural Revitalization Strategy" clearly stated: "Strengthen atheism publicity and education, enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the farming masses, and resist feudal superstitious activities." [1] To further explore pathways for rural atheism publicity and education in the New Era, experts and scholars conducted in-depth discussions on major theoretical and practical issues.
Professor Zuo Peng, Director of the Teaching and Research Department of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Institute of Socialism, researched the theistic beliefs of farmers and rural atheism education. He argued that while the 2018 "Opinions" issued a clear mandate, the implementation over the past five years has not been entirely satisfactory. Through investigations in rural Henan and Shandong, he found that farmers' theistic beliefs primarily manifest in three forms: folk beliefs, religious beliefs, and cult beliefs, rooted mainly in the realities of rural production and life. Formulating specific policies for rural atheistic education requires a deeper understanding of rural society, the state of farmers' spiritual beliefs, and the actual conditions of rural spiritual civilization construction.
Professor Liu Fujun, Deputy Director of the Institute of Religious Policy and Culture at Beijing Union University, summarized the basic experience of rural atheism publicity and education in the New Era into "eight aspects": (1) the fundamental guarantee is upholding the Party's comprehensive leadership; (2) the fundamental purpose is promoting common prosperity in farmers' spiritual lives; (3) the basic principle is serving the overall situation of rural revitalization; (4) the thematic thread is unswervingly promoting the scientific spirit and popularizing scientific knowledge; (5) the basic strategy is innovating the content and form of education; (6) the policy requirement is comprehensively implementing the New Era basic policy of the Party’s religious work; (7) the important method is advancing work through a systems perspective; and (8) the main goal is continuously consolidating the security of mainstream ideology in rural areas.
Associate Professor Xu Zhijian of Shanghai Second Polytechnic University proposed correctly assessing several dialectical relationships in rural atheism education: first, the relationship between implementing the policy of freedom of religious belief and upholding the principle of atheism publicity; second, the relationship between innovating atheism education and respecting folk customs; third, the relationship between general publicity and targeted guidance; fourth, combining atheism education with solving concrete difficulties; fifth, balancing policy guidance for industrial departments with Socialist Core Values [2] guidance for key groups; and sixth, cutting off the "interest chains" encroaching on rural areas while advocating healthy lifestyles.
Chen Huiming, a lecturer at the Institute of Philosophy at Xinjiang University, argued that an important task for rural university students studying Marxist atheism is to practice it by popularizing this scientific worldview among their families and neighbors. Zhang Qifang, a doctoral student at Xinjiang Normal University, analyzed the characteristics and dilemmas of atheism education under the background of rural revitalization, noting that the process should emphasize protecting local culture and inherit the national spirit to find a path where atheism education assists the "Three Rural Issues" [3].
Improving the civilization of rural society and vigorously promoting rural cultural revitalization are key value orientations for rural atheism education. Professor De Quanying of Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics argued that atheism education is a positive intellectual force that can break the old thoughts and traditions imprisoning rural women. Her research focused on how historical religious traditions and precepts have permeated the lives of women. Atheist thinking provides rural women with a social intellectual tool to observe and integrate into the modern world, helping them realize they can possess autonomous, multiple identities as women in modern society.
Associate Professor Chen Fayang of China West Normal University argued that although the living standards of farmers have improved in the New Era, they still face anxieties regarding physiological and safety needs. Coupled with various life difficulties and exploitation by outlaws, feudal superstitions remain common in rural areas. Therefore, rural atheism education must start by solving the fundamental hardships of farmers, supplemented by scientific publicity and increased criticism of feudal superstition.
Li Qian, a lecturer at Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics, proposed that atheism education can eliminate rural gender stereotypes and enhance women's self-confidence. She argued that since education levels significantly impact women's physical and mental health, teaching atheism in a scientific manner provides opportunities for their spiritual development.
Cai Zhiquan, a lecturer at Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics, researched several dilemmas affecting atheism education: the absence of education caused by the "blind following" of the believing subjects; the "professional aphasia" caused by the over-sensitivity of education managers; and the weakness of education caused by the disorder of the rural legal system. He proposed strengthening the Party’s top-level design to ensure atheism education is implemented with impact.
Anti-cult work and religious governance in rural areas were also focal points. Associate Professor Gao Yong of Zhejiang University introduced investigations into the "cult situation" in eastern rural areas. He noted that cults emphasize using new media and combining "doomsday theories" with current events to control followers through fear. Under the context of strict crackdowns, cult organizations have become more closed and vertical, often using "business to support the cult" (yi shang yang xie). Since populations in impoverished areas with lower education levels are "susceptible groups," promoting common prosperity and scientific literacy is the essential way to resist the spread of cults.
Ning Yu, a lecturer at Liaoning Normal University, discussed the guidance of rural religious charitable organizations. Through fieldwork in Liaoning, she proposed that by standardizing and guiding these organizations, one can improve their service functions while implementing the principle of actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society and advancing the Sinicization of religion in rural areas.
Additionally, Dong Haoyun (People's Public Security University of China) studied illegal religious activities in ethnic minority areas of Northwest China, and Zhang Ruxu (Beijing Union University) analyzed General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on rural atheism publicity and education.
II. Research on the Basic Theory of Marxist Atheism and its Publicity and Education
Strengthening basic theoretical research is the foundation for conducting atheism education. The "bottleneck" problems currently facing Marxist atheism education in the New Era stem from theoretical research failing to keep pace and ideological misconceptions remaining unclarified.
Researcher Zhu Xiaoming, Honorary President of the Chinese Atheism Society and former Party Secretary of the China Tibetology Research Center, shared several insights: First, adhering to Marxist atheism is a "macro-principle" [4] that radiates through the five spheres of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the legislative, judicial, and administrative systems. Leading cadres and scholars must recognize this. Second, atheism must maintain its dominant position as the mainstream ideology. While the principles of adhering to Marxist atheism and practicing freedom of religious belief are politically compatible and not absolutely opposite, the "inclusiveness" toward religion must not weaken or replace the "dominance" of atheism. Third, the Party's basic policy on religious work must be fully implemented, ensuring every phrase is understood accurately. Fourth, the relationship between freedom of religious belief and ideological struggle must be handled well. Atheism publicity is not aimed at the religious community but at society as a whole, focusing on Party members, cadres, and youth. Meanwhile, the Party supports the religious community in conducting its own internal ideological education. Fifth, the targeting of both the content and the subjects of atheism publicity must be enhanced.
Tian Xinming, a consultant for the China Association for Atheism and former Director of the Social Sciences Center of the Ministry of Education, analyzed the primary question in atheism studies: namely, what constitutes Marxist atheism and how should it be approached. Marxist atheism is an organic component of Marxism and a fundamental viewpoint running through it. The relationship between Marxist atheism and Marxism determines its fundamental nature, its important status, and the attitude we should adopt toward it. While Marxist atheism and non-Marxist atheism share commonalities, they possess principled differences. One must firmly form alliances with non-Marxist atheists while simultaneously standing firm on a Marxist position to distinguish atheism from those varieties based on the idealist conception of history. Only Marxist atheism constitutes "scientific atheism" in the sense of social science. The relationship between the discipline of Marxist atheism and atheism as a broader field is one of a guiding ideology and the disciplinary, academic, and discourse systems guided by it. Marxist atheism is closely related to the Marxist view of religion; while their objects and contents share much in common, distinctions remain. The discipline of atheism and religious studies are two closely linked yet distinct disciplines. Atheism research and disciplinary construction should divide labor with religious studies without becoming estranged; they should closely monitor and participate in the research and development of religious studies while remaining committed to the construction of their own discipline to promote the cause of atheism.
Jia Runguo, a member of the Academic Advisory Committee of the Center for Science and Atheism at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Deputy Director of the Religious Research Center of the Central United Front Work Department, proposed the missions and tasks for Marxist atheism research in the New Era. First is the disciplinary positioning of Marxist atheism: it is a foundational discipline of Marxist religious studies. Within the disciplinary system of Marxist religious studies, it is subordinate to the philosophy of religion; within the disciplinary system of Marxism, it is subordinate to Marxist philosophy. It is an interdisciplinary field between Marxist religious studies and philosophy. Second is the disciplinary system of Marxist atheism: this requires the construction of both the principles of scientific atheism and a history of Chinese and foreign atheism. The academic system of Marxist atheism should at least include systems for the critique of religious theology, cult ideologies, and feudal superstition. Furthermore, as the mainstream of Western religious studies consists of academic theology that defends religion, the analytical critique of Western religious theories should also become an important constituent of the Marxist atheist academic system. The discipline also needs to conduct in-depth research and collation of the history of Chinese and foreign atheism, taking these histories and the history of Marxist atheism education as the foundational content of the academic system. Third is the discourse system of Marxist atheism: research in the New Era must persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance. It must deeply study and implement the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s reality and with fine traditional Chinese culture [5]. It must adhere to putting the people first, maintain self-reliance and self-confidence, uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, remain problem-oriented, apply systems thinking, and maintain a global vision [6].
Zeng Chuanhui, a researcher at the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, argued that doing a good job in Party building requires strengthening publicity and education regarding Marxist atheism. Marxism is the crystallization of the finest aspects of human culture. However, once Marxism was formed, it transcended and sought to draw a clear line against old ideologies, including various religions. The classical writers [7] provided specialized and systematic expositions on this, requiring the proletarian party—armed with advanced thought—to draw a clear line against all forms of theism. Successive generations of the Communist Party of China's leadership and Central Committee documents have provided specialized expositions on this issue and formed specific rules and regulations. Due to differing national conditions, Chinese Communists rarely view the relationship between religion and Party building from the perspective of the relationship between morality and religion. Instead, they primarily view it through the relationship between knowledge and action [8] and the "two types of contradictions" [9], focusing their expositions on the ideological and organizational harms of allowing Party members to hold religious beliefs.
Wang Wenxuan, a lecturer at the School of Marxism of Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics, analyzed three forms of atheism and their relationships. He argued that atheism exists in human civilization in three forms: first, as a worldview; second, as a political trend of thought; and third, as an internal quality of civilization. These three forms are intrinsically linked: as a worldview it "establishes the heart" (li xin); as a political trend it "establishes the mission" (li ming); and as the underlying color of human civilization it "inaugurates a great peace" (kai taiping) [10]. These three forms move the rational construction of human civilization forward through intersection and integration.
Zhang Ge, an assistant researcher at the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, studied Xi Jinping’s important expositions on Marxist atheism publicity and education in the New Era. First, one must grasp their scientific internal meaning, understanding the value significance of consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people, and adhering to the basic follows for handling the relationship between freedom of religious belief and the ideological struggle. Second, one must deeply summarize their original contributions, mastering the theoretical contributions that have enriched and developed the Party’s theory and policy on religious work in the New Era, as well as the practical contributions that have opened a new chapter for Marxist atheism publicity and education. Finally, one must fully implement the practical requirements: while carrying out targeted Marxist atheism publicity and education, one must also strengthen foundational theoretical research on Marxist atheism and its dissemination.
Additionally, Associate Professor Ding Qiang, Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee of Wenzhou University, explored the atheist thought in Engels’s The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State. He argued that Engels, through a wealth of detailed historical data, verified the nature of religion in the "barbaric" and "civilized" eras, expounded on the emergence and development of religion in primitive society and its role in the formation of the state, and revealed the law that religion—as a historical category—must be verified within the historical process, and that its social role must be answered within social life. Hu Chaoyang, a lecturer at the School of Marxism of Anqing Normal University, focused on the critique of "spiritualism" (lingxue) in New Youth [11] between 1918 and 1919 to examine the emergence of Marxist atheism in modern China. Wang Hao, a doctoral student at the School of Marxism of Nankai University, analyzed the exploration of scientific atheism by New Youth.
III. Research on the History and Experience of Marxist Atheism Publicity and Education
Collating the history and summarizing the experiences of Marxist atheism publicity and education, both in China and abroad, is foundational work for succeeding in this field in the New Era. Participating experts and scholars detailed the history of these efforts and summarized successful practices to offer suggestions for work in the New Era.
In his work summary, Fan Jianxin detailed the experiences and achievements of the China Association for Atheism over the past four years, noting that under the new situation, the Association still plays an irreplaceable role. It is precisely because of the existence of leading cadres and scholars who persist in Marxist atheism, and because of the offensive and expansion of Marxist atheist discourse, that academic and public opinion space has been opened to implement the propositions and intentions of the Central Committee. This has played a positive role in curbing the spread of erroneous ideas. Although the cause of atheism has made gratifying progress, the forces for research and education remain relatively weak overall, and its discourse is still small. The development of the cause still faces long-standing structural and institutional problems: first, ideological and institutional barriers; second, weak construction of "fronts" (zhandi); third, the awkward disciplinary status of atheism, which often exists in name only; and fourth, difficulties in publishing research results. We must continue to take the Spirit of the 20th National Congress as guidance, earnestly study General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work and atheism, and work hard on integration and innovation. We must demonstrate the vigorous vitality of Marxist atheism in the New Era and continue to lead experts and scholars in the field to strive toward the Chinese nation's spirit of rational pragmatism and self-improvement, contributing to the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Gong Yun summarized the work of Marxist atheism publicity and education over the past decade of the New Era. He noted that 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong’s important instruction on "Strengthening the Study of Religious Issues." Holding the Sixth National Congress of the China Association for Atheism and the 2023 Annual Academic Conference is both a commemoration of Mao’s instruction and a tribute to the pioneers of Marxist atheism research, such as Mr. Ren Jiyu. The work we engage in relates to the cause of the Party and the people and the future of Chinese civilization; it is of particular importance. Though our cause is difficult, I believe that through the struggles of generation after generation, and through decades or even a century of continuous development, ultimate victory will surely be achieved. He stated that being elected as the new president, he felt both trepidation and an inescapable responsibility. He pledged to shoulder the mission, uniting and leading researchers and educators across the country to grow and strengthen the cause of atheism in China.
Professor Dai Jicheng of the School of Criminology at the People’s Public Security University of China argued that Marxist atheism is a powerful ideological weapon for the Party's courage in self-revolution. First, only by persisting in Marxist atheism can self-revolution be advanced with dauntless courage. Marxist atheism is the most thorough and scientific form of atheism; it is not only a scientific worldview and methodology but also possesses strong humanistic attributes and a spirit of struggle. Second, persisting in Marxist atheism is an important ideological guarantee for deeply advancing self-revolution. Only self-revolution can ensure the Party does not change its nature, its "color," or its "flavor" [12]; to achieve this, adhering to Marxist atheism is an essential path. Third, Marxist atheism publicity and education must be carried out within the process of advancing self-revolution. Self-revolution is "always on the road"; we must prioritize this work from a political height, as it is a necessary requirement for ensuring we "escape the cycle of history." There must be a sense of crisis and urgency.
Professor Wang Dezhao of the School of Marxism at Tongren University explored the explorations, experiences, and enlightenments of the CPC's atheism education in the New Era. He argued: first, the guiding position of Marxist atheism must always be maintained; second, the Party’s leadership over atheism education must always be grasped; third, the principal status of the people in this education must always be established; fourth, a social synergy for this education must always be condensed; and fifth, dominance over atheism education in new media must always be maintained.
Professor Xie Zhongqiang, Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Shanxi University, analyzed the effort to "break superstition through science" in maternal and child health work in the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region [13] during the late period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. He argued that these efforts achieved positive historical results: they changed outdated customs and discarded feudal superstitions, popularized scientific knowledge and improved health standards, and consolidated the relationship between the Party and the masses, and between cadres and the masses. This laid a solid mass foundation for persisting in the long-term war and achieving final victory.
Zhang Xiaoxiao, a lecturer at the School of Marxism of Jiaxing University, shared reflections on atheism education for contemporary college students. She argued that Marx transformed the "thinking subject" into the "practical subject," achieving a transcendence over the religious criticism based on "understanding" (intellectual) thinking and the religious criticism of the Young Hegelians through a rational, dialectical mode of thinking. Yang Tianjiao, a master's student at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), discussed the feasibility of integrating the Marxist view of religion into ideological and political courses in universities, using UCAS as an example. She suggested that the scientific, contemporary, and theoretical nature of the Marxist view of religion in the New Era should be the focus of teaching, strengthening thematic teaching and creating an integrated framework for this education in universities. Cao Jialang, a lecturer at the School of Marxism of Qiqihar Medical University, explored the issue of Marxist atheism education from the perspective of the "cloud campus."
Xinjiang is a "pioneer demonstration" zone for Marxist atheism education in Chinese universities. Scholars from various universities in Xinjiang summarized the experiences and lessons of atheist education courses in recent years, collated the current status and problems, and proposed feasible suggestions.
Professor Peng Wuqing, Dean of the School of Political Science and Law at Xinjiang Normal University and Director of the Xinjiang Religious Studies Center, analyzed the realistic foundation for carrying out atheism propaganda and education in Xinjiang. He argued that, first, the positive achievements in grassroots religious governance have provided a favorable prerequisite for such education. This is primarily reflected in the effective reversal of the situation where individuals were influenced by religious extremist ideology; the formal identification of religious believers, which has overturned the erroneous notion of "binding religion to ethnicity" [14]; the marked dilution of the religious atmosphere; and an increased focus on children’s education, which has weakened the intergenerational transmission of religion. Second, the modern civilized lifestyle has further driven shifts in the masses' way of thinking and social customs, providing a positive social environment. This is manifested in the shift of focus toward employment and income growth, an embrace of modern civilized living, and the transformation of cognitive patterns facilitated by these lifestyles. Various channels guided by "modern culture" [15] have ushered in new social vogues by changing lifestyles to change mindsets. Finally, the effects of the "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang" [16] project have begun to emerge, creating a favorable cultural environment. This includes a widespread recognition of the importance of learning the national common language (Standard Mandarin), more rational arrangements for grassroots study, and an increased receptivity to modern civilized information. These efforts have effectively cultivated civic consciousness and established a common value foundation for all ethnic groups. Furthermore, grassroots Party and government cadres in Xinjiang recognize their own need to study atheism, and the region has accumulated certain historical and pilot experience in conducting atheism propaganda and education at the grassroots level.
Associate Professor Remina Shawket, Head of the Department of Basic Tenets of Marxism at the School of Marxism, Xinjiang University, shared reflections on offering Marxist atheism courses at her institution. She proposed: first, taking the lead in piloting a "Marxist Atheism" general elective course in comprehensive universities across Xinjiang, and establishing specialized elective or compulsory courses in qualified colleges; second, using the compilation of the Marxist Atheism Teaching Materials by the Xinjiang University School of Marxism as an opportunity to publish important teaching reference materials; third, forming a lean and efficient professional teaching team focused on the research and teaching of Marxist atheism, integrating textbook development, teaching practice, and personnel training through increased investment; fourth, selecting politically reliable and professionally capable teachers to pursue advanced studies at the Chinese Atheism Society to enhance their expertise; and fifth, actively inviting national experts in atheism research to Xinjiang for investigations, guidance, and academic exchange to jointly promote the construction of the disciplinary, academic, discourse, and knowledge systems of Marxist atheism in the New Era, and translating these into pedagogical outcomes.
Zhang Fang, a lecturer at Xinjiang Normal University, explored the problems and pathways for grassroots cadres in Xinjiang to conduct atheism education. She noted several issues: insufficient understanding among some cadres; a weak foundation in Marxist atheism among the cadres themselves; a lack of emphasis on atheism education in practical work, accompanied by insufficient and low-quality training; weak institutional guarantees; unfavorable factors in mobilizing enthusiasm for atheism-related work and research; a lack of support for the development of scientific research in atheism; and the stigmatization of atheism propaganda and education. To address these, she suggested prioritizing atheism education for grassroots cadres and forming a multi-departmental synergy; conducting Marxist atheism propaganda and education in a scientific and orderly manner at the grassroots; building a dedicated team for atheism preaching; and leveraging existing Marxist religious studies teams to build a scientific research force for Marxist atheism.
Beyond domestic efforts, the history and experience of atheism education abroad also offer important references. Professor Siqingawa, a member of the Party Committee and Head of the United Front Work Department of Inner Mongolia University, researched atheism education in the Mongolian People's Republic. She argued that during the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal period, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's atheism education was influenced by Soviet religious policy. It viewed Mongolia's traditional Tibetan Buddhism as an obstacle to socialist society, equating it with feudal superstition and cultural dross, and conducted critiques of lamas, temples, and religious thought in the ideological sphere, characterized by distinct anti-religious features. During the period of socialist construction, atheism education became much milder, focusing on providing socialist education and literacy classes for lamas and popularizing scientific knowledge among religious believers, thereby taking on the characteristics of socialist cultural construction. This education had a profound impact on the political transition and cultural change in Mongolia.
Associate Professor Zhu Yangjun of Capital Normal University researched atheism propaganda and education within Soviet religious studies textbooks. Using the Course in Religious Studies edited by the Soviet scholar Novikov as a primary source, he analyzed atheism education from four dimensions: the history of atheism; the basic principles of scientific atheism in its Soviet form; atheism and religion in socialist society; and atheism education. He explored its contemporary value while reflecting on its limitations and deficiencies, which is of great significance for enriching and developing scientific atheism, Marxist religious studies, and the theoretical and practical system of religion with Chinese characteristics.
Associate Research Fellow Huang Yanhong, Director of the Marxist Atheism Research Office at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Director of the Editorial Department of Science and Atheism, used the Soviet Union as a case study for combining atheism education with the popularization of science. She noted that the Soviet Union extensively used science popularization—such as using the fact that cosmonauts did not see God in space or explaining the universe through planetariums—to promote atheism. However, this model faced two major difficulties: the difficulty of training qualified presenters and the challenge of reversing religious concepts in the minds of the masses in a short period. This suggests that we must popularize not only scientific knowledge but also scientific methods and the scientific spirit. Han Qi, an Assistant Research Fellow at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, analyzed the development of atheism in the United States. Based on Pew Research Center data from 2007 and 2014, a key trend is the decline in both the percentage and total number of Christians, with Mainline Protestants and Catholics dropping the most while Evangelicals remain relatively stable. This corresponds to the rising proportion of "religiously unaffiliated" individuals, driven partly by "religious switching" and partly by intergenerational replacement, as younger people are less religious than older generations. These shifts can be analyzed through the lens of Marxist atheism.
IV. Research on Religious Governance
The issue of religion has always been a major matter for our Party in governing the country. Religious work holds a special importance in the overall work of the Party and the State; it affects the development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses, social harmony, ethnic unity, national security, and the reunification of the motherland. The overall situation of religious work in China is positive: the Party's basic policy on religious work is being implemented, the patriotic united front between the Party and religious circles is being consolidated, the rule of law in religious work has been significantly strengthened, and religious activities are generally stable and orderly. However, we must not become complacent; we must place high importance on religious governance and prevent and defuse risks and challenges in the religious field. Participating experts conducted in-depth discussions on major theoretical and practical issues of religious governance.
Professor Gu Guanghai, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Xinjiang University, and Director of the Base for Forging a Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, spoke on actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society. He argued that in areas with a relatively strong religious atmosphere, how to guide this adaptation is a very realistic problem concerning the implementation of the Party's ethnic and religious policies and the realization of long-term social stability. Guiding religion to adapt to socialism requires both "soft measures" like ideological and political education and "hard measures" like strict regulation through laws and regulations. It requires internal efforts from religious groups and personnel to align with socialist society, as well as active guidance from external forces like the Party and government.
Professor Peng Ruihua, Executive Director of the Marxist Religious Studies Center at Northwest University of Political Science and Law, researched the connotations and implementation paths of the modernization of Chinese-path religious governance. She argued that the modernization of religious governance is an integral part and specific manifestation of Chinese-path modernization in the religious sphere. It includes the modernization of the religious governance system and governance capacity. The former is achieved by constructing a "four-fold pattern" [17] of religious governance to give full play to various subjects in a collaborative system. The latter requires strengthening the rule of law in religion, introducing digital governance into traditional models, and accelerating the training of the "three teams" [18] for religious work to enhance institutional, technical, and personnel guarantees.
Associate Professor Wang Qichang of the School of Marxism at Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics discussed several issues regarding the unity of religious believers. He pointed out that while uniting religious believers, we must firmly grasp the fundamentals of upholding the Party’s leadership, consolidating the Party’s governing position, and strengthening the Party’s governing foundation. We must adhere to the separation of church and state, ensuring religion does not interfere with administrative, judicial, or educational functions. We must use Core Socialist Values [19] to educate and guide religious believers, enhancing their ability to discern and resist erroneous ideas. We must never abandon principles or allow Core Socialist Values to be weakened or replaced for the sake of unity. While maximizing unity with religious believers, we must also consider the national condition that non-believers constitute the vast majority of the population and balance their feelings and interests.
Associate Professor Wei Hanmei of Xinjiang Normal University argued for adhering to the direction of the Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang and forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation. Advancing the Sinicization of Islam should continue to uphold a people-centered approach, maintain close ties with religious believers, and guide Islam in Xinjiang to adapt to socialist society, uniting believers to build the Chinese Dream and strive for the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Associate Professor Zhang Xiaochen of the School of Marxism at North China University of Technology analyzed how to improve the level of the rule of law in the management of internet religious affairs. Over the years, China has formed a four-party linked policy framework for internet religious management, with legal construction catching up and management capacity improving. However, we must face challenges such as an incomplete system of laws and regulations, increased difficulty in administrative law enforcement, and insufficient legal publicity. We need to improve the legal level of internet religious management by perfecting laws and regulations, promoting the law enforcement system in an all-around way, and building a rigorous legal guarantee system.
Surveys on the development of religion and the status of believers provide important data support for religious governance and are a focal point for scholars. Associate Professor Fu Zhibin of Shihezi University investigated the status of Christianity in Shihezi, Xinjiang. In recent years, the number of Christians in Shihezi has grown rapidly, with a trend toward younger and more educated believers. Currently, the proportion of those turning to religion due to illness or life difficulties remains high. The trend of the Sinicization of Christianity needs to be strengthened, as risks of enticement by cults and infiltration by overseas forces persist. He suggested that management departments should prioritize the new needs of believers, find the right entry points for service, practice empathy, and truly care for the lives of believers to effectively guide their psychological state and enrich their spiritual and cultural lives, thereby consolidating the dominant position of mainstream socialist ideology at the grassroots.
Associate Professor Huang Longwei of the School of Marxism at Shanxi University conducted research on the superstitions of 292 fallen high-ranking officials. Through a statistical analysis of the characteristics and causes of superstition using a sample of 292 fallen officials at or above the provincial and ministerial levels from 2000 to 2022, he found the following characteristics: among officials at or above the provincial and ministerial levels, superstition regarding fengshui [20] is the most prevalent; educational background does not affect superstition in these officials; the majors studied by superstitious officials are mostly concentrated in law, engineering, management, and economics; many superstitious officials graduated from central or local Party schools; and at the time of their downfall, their places of birth and service were mostly concentrated in relatively closed or economically underdeveloped regions. He also found that the reasons for fallen officials pursuing superstitious activities include the influence of traditional Chinese feudal thought; the combined effect of "official-centrism" [21], money-worshiping profit-seeking, and "successology" [22]; the fact that relative economic underdevelopment in some regions becomes a breeding ground for feudal superstitious activities; and unsteady faith in Marxism.
Anti-cult work is an important task in religious governance and a major direction in Marxist atheist research. Attending scholars explored anti-cult work from multiple perspectives. Cheng Xuejun, a lecturer at the School of Marxism at Shanxi University, analyzed deprogramming and its role in anti-cult educational transformation. Deprogramming is a method and process for dismantling the programmed content of cult organizations, enabling cult followers to shed the thinking patterns solidified by the organization, restore their critical thinking and independent reasoning abilities, and return to mainstream society. He analyzed the social background of the rise of "deprogramming" in the United States in the early 1970s, reviewed its practices and content, summarized the results achieved by deprogramming in anti-cult educational transformation, analyzed the controversies surrounding it and the reasons for its move toward exit counseling, and discussed the inspirations and lessons deprogramming offers for China's anti-cult educational transformation work in the New Era.
Professor Tu Jianhua of Hunan City University discussed the harms of qigong [23] and our countermeasures from a philosophical perspective. He argued that qigong, under the premise of mystical belief and aided by external movements, is a method of physical fitness and mental cultivation achieved through psychological suggestion. He contended that the effects of qigong are a type of self-perception; its mechanisms and effects are uncertain and therefore cannot be empirically verified; and the ideology of qigong is idealist dialectics. He argued that while "cultural qigong" may be allowed to remain among the people, there is no need to support or promote it; it must be managed and restricted, and qigong cults must be banned and suppressed.
Li Jie, editor-in-chief of New Media for International Cultic Studies, discussed the topic of the "Unification Church" cult triggered by the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Sun Rui, deputy director of the Second Religious Affairs Division of the Heilongjiang Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission, reflected on the governance of cults from the perspective of complex networks. She argued that the three most fundamental characteristics of complex networks—small-world, scale-free, and clustering coefficients—hold great practical significance for cult governance. Shi Yuhui, a master's student at the School of Marxism at Shanxi University, argued that studying the evolution of American brainwashing methods helps in purposefully explaining China's anti-cult policies—especially the principles of educational transformation work—within international exchanges, thereby clarifying misunderstandings held by foreigners regarding China's educational transformation efforts.
V. Research on the Disciplinary Construction of Marxist Religious Studies
General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the requirement to "strengthen the disciplinary construction of Marxist religious studies" at the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work. To implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, participating scholars conducted thorough discussions on the disciplinary construction of Marxist religious studies.
Professor Wang Zhen, director of the Teaching and Research Office of Ethnic and Religious Affairs in the United Front Theory Department of the Central Institute of Socialism, researched the relationship and content between Marxist religious studies and Marxist atheism. She argued that in terms of research objects, Marxist religious studies focuses on religion, while Marxist atheism focuses on God (or the divine). Applying Marxism to religion produces Marxist religious studies; applying Marxism to theism produces the discipline of Marxist atheism. Regarding content, Marxist religious studies primarily investigates how religion exists, develops, and changes; Marxist atheism primarily investigates how the theistic concepts of religion exist, develop, and change. Their research positions, methods, viewpoints, and tools are all Marxist. At the level of values, they share a common goal and value: through the study of religion and its theism, to reveal how humanity can become more powerful and ultimately move toward an association in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.
Professor Liu Limin of the School of Marxism at Beihang University researched Engels' original contributions to Marxist religious studies. She argued that Engels conducted in-depth research and elaboration on many topics—including the essence of religion, the laws of its emergence and development, the conditions and paths for its withering away, its social functions, the relationship between religion and politics/culture, the relationship between religion and socialism, and the attitude of Marxist political parties toward religion—thereby constructing the basic theoretical and discourse systems of Marxist religious studies. In analyzing and studying religion, Engels adhered to the basic principles of the unity of history and logic, the unity of the concrete and the abstract, and the unity of theory and practice, as well as the research method of proceeding from reality in everything—that is, seeking truth from facts. These remain the principles and methods we must adhere to today when studying religious issues.
Professor Wang Xiang of the School of Marxism at Nanjing Xiaozhuang University analyzed Deng Xiaoping's thoughts on religious work and their inspirations for the New Era. Deng Xiaoping inherited and developed the Marxist view of religion, achieving fruitful theoretical and practical results. At the same time, he provided necessary guidance and important inspirations for persisting in and developing the socialist religious work with Chinese characteristics in the New Era: namely, to persist in and improve the system of the Party's leadership over religious work and promote the modernization of the religious governance system and governance capacity; to persist in managing religious affairs according to law and promote the legalization of religious work; to persist in ensuring and improving people's livelihoods through development and promote the adaptation of religion to socialist society; and to persist in publicity and education regarding Marxist scientific atheism.
Associate Professor Lun Yumin of the School of Marxism at Zhejiang University of Science and Technology mapped out several academic dialogues regarding religious research. He believed that from the early period of the founding of New China until 1966, some scholars consciously applied Marxist religious theory to academic research and conducted academic dialogues in important areas, involving issues such as the relationship between Chinese peasant wars and religion, the issue of "ghost plays" [24], and the issue of atheist publicity. Among these, the issue of atheist publicity mainly revolved around the policy of freedom of religious belief, the "religion as opium" theory, and the problem of religious superstition. The academic questions debated, the theoretical bases proposed, the logic of argumentation, and some of the viewpoints collectively pushed forward research into the basic problems of Marxist religious studies.
The study of religion by classical Marxist writers is a core component of Marxist religious studies. Associate Professor Zhang Tonglei of the School of Marxism at Hubei Normal University researched the critique within the Introduction to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right regarding the Young Hegelians' critique of the philosophy of religion. He argued that regarding the philosophical critique of religion, the Introduction profoundly reveals the misconceptions and flaws in the critiques of the major representatives of the Young Hegelians, pointing out that the "universal belief" of Strauss, the "self-consciousness" of Bauer, and the "species-essence" of Feuerbach essentially replaced God and the divine with speculative concepts in their critiques of religious philosophy. The Introduction transcends the speculative philosophical critique of religion by the Young Hegelians through the philosophy of practice, revealing the essence of man, the essence of religion, and the class roots of religion's emergence. It points out the inevitable relationship between the critique of religion and human liberation, holding great significance for the formation of the Marxist view of religion.
Associate Professor Cai Jiangfan, deputy director of the Xinjiang Religious Research Center at the School of Politics and Law, Xinjiang Normal University, researched Marx’s leap beyond Spinoza’s rational theology. She argued that Spinoza's critique of the Bible and revealed religion laid the foundation for Marx's thoughts on the critique of religion. As a pantheist, Spinoza created a rational theological system where "God equals Nature equals Substance" in hopes of achieving freedom of belief, attempting to establish a moral religion on the basis of democratic politics to realize the reconciliation of reason and faith. Proceeding from the essence of man and society, Marx critiqued all religious ideologies, achieving a leap over Spinoza’s rational theological system in three aspects: the essence of religion, the roots of religion, and the audience of religion. In Marx's work, Spinoza's rational God was truly transformed into scientific atheism.
Fan Xin, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, proposed a scientific grasp of the four dimensions of Lenin's view of religion. She argued that in the cultural dimension, Lenin's view of religion was better suited for understanding and transforming the world, and more applicable to the revolutionary requirements of the Russian people and proletariat at that time to escape exploitation and oppression; in the historical dimension, during both the Russian bourgeois revolution and the socialist revolution, the Orthodox Church stood directly in opposition to the working class and the Bolshevik Party; in the theoretical dimension, Lenin's view of religion is a complete system with dialectical materialism and historical materialism as its philosophical foundation; in the practical dimension, the two main religious policies of the Lenin period—the decision on the "separation of church and state" and atheist publicity and education—provided the theoretical basis for early Soviet religious policy.
Zhang Jiansong, an assistant research fellow at the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, researched Plekhanov’s critique of "religious seeking" and the interpretation of Marxist atheism. After the failure of Russia's first bourgeois-democratic revolution, the entire country was under the reactionary rule of Stolypin. Many people abandoned their revolutionary positions, and the Russian intelligentsia was in a state of distress and decadence; some went even further, embarking on religious seeking and creating the mist of "God-seeking" and "God-building" [25]. Plekhanov theoretically cleared away the mist of religious seeking, elucidated its ideological harms, bolstered people's revolutionary spirit, and guided them to continue the revolution. Additionally, Liu Guancheng, a doctoral student at the School of Philosophy and Social Development at Shandong University, researched Engels' thoughts on the critique of religion, and Yu Shiyu, a doctoral student in religious studies at the School of Philosophy at Wuhan University, researched Yun Daiying's view of religion.
VI. Research on Chinese Civilization and Atheism
At the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, more forcefully advance the building of a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build a modern civilization for the Chinese nation. The rich atheist genes contained in fine traditional Chinese culture are important cultural resources for carrying out Marxist atheist publicity and education and building a modern civilization for the Chinese nation. Participating scholars conducted in-depth discussions on Chinese civilization and atheism.
Huang Chao, deputy dean and distinguished research fellow of the School of Philosophy at Wuhan University, explored the atheist roots of fine traditional Chinese culture from three levels. The first level is traditional Chinese atheist thought; the second is humanistic thought in Chinese philosophy; and the third is humanistic thought in traditional Chinese religion. These three form a concentric circle structure with traditional Chinese atheist thought as the core, collectively constituting the atheist roots of fine traditional Chinese culture.
Meng Tao, a lecturer at the School of Criminology at the People's Public Security University of China, discussed the atheist characteristics of Chinese civilization. He argued that Chinese civilization's traditions are atheist in major aspects such as cosmology, the outlook on life, and socio-political concepts. The "God" (shen) in Chinese civilization originated from the discovery of the laws by which nature generates all things; it is an epistemological expression of this regularity and a description of the natural functions of living organisms. Chinese civilization does not use "God" to resolve contradictory relationships in life such as life and death or transcendence; there is no status for "theocratic power" in the political tradition of Chinese civilization. Yang Jiao, a doctoral student at Xinjiang Normal University, researched the logical connection and practical approach for integrating Marxist atheist thought with atheist thought in fine traditional Chinese culture. She argued that the two share certain commonalities in emphasizing human freedom, equality, and social progress.
The history of Chinese atheism is a crucial direction for the study of Marxist atheism. Conducting in-depth research into the history of Chinese atheism and excavating the atheistic "genes" of fine traditional Chinese culture is of great significance for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development [26] of fine traditional Chinese culture, as well as for atheistic propaganda and education in the New Era. Lü Jianfu, a Liberal Arts Chair Professor at the Institute of Taoism and Religious Culture of Sichuan University, examined the key elements of atheistic propaganda and education from the perspective of Mohist theism and its paradox regarding technical professions (fangji [27]). Mohism advocated honoring Heaven and serving ghosts; it was the only school among the Hundred Schools of Thought [28] to advocate theism. However, most Mohist scholars originated from the ranks of artisans and engaged in technical professions, which contradicted their theistic thought and is similar to how some contemporary scientists hold theistic beliefs. This creates a paradox between religion and science, and between thought and behavior. Investigating the cause from the perspective of the "teachings of the various masters" [28], the advocacy of theism or atheism primarily depends on one's philosophical worldview. Whether via materialism or idealism, abstract thinking forms the philosophical worldview, while figurative thinking constitutes religious concepts. Scientific and technological activities are directed at concrete, tangible objects; even if there is a process of abstract thinking, it is ultimately transformed into concrete, tangible objects, while personal characteristics are attributed to Heaven, ghosts, and gods. Consequently, he argued that the core objective of atheistic propaganda and education is to establish a Marxist scientific worldview, as the application of scientific knowledge and technology itself cannot change a religious worldview.
Guan Lijun, Associate Professor and Vice Dean of the School of Marxism at Foshan University, researched the atheistic consciousness and underlying character of Ge Hong's [29] thought. Ge Hong proposed the important proposition that "my fate lies with me, not with Heaven," which contains atheistic claims. First, Ge Hong criticized sacrificial prayer as useless, arguing that peace in the present world is not to be sought externally from ghosts and gods. Second, unlike the external transcendence pursued by other religions, the attainment of immortality is an internal, realistic transcendence of the person. Third, "my fate lies with me"—seeking immortality depends on oneself. Although Chinese Taoism belongs to theism, compared with other religions, it possesses a strong quality of anti-dependence and anti-alienation, containing an atheistic consciousness and foundation.
Han Lili, a lecturer at the School of Marxism of the Nanjing Institute of Technology, explored the "frugal burial" [30] and atheistic thought of Liu Xiao [31]. She argued that Liu Xiao’s atheistic thought is characterized by two aspects. First, his atheistic thought used Confucianism as its base point, differing from the atheistic thought of Wang Chong [32], which was influenced by Daoism. Second, his treatment of the soul was relatively grounded in "seeking truth from facts," as he believed that after death, "it is impossible to fathom where the soul goes," implying that the soul cannot exist independently of the body once a person dies.
Additionally, Research Fellow Yue Dechang, Vice Dean of the Institute for the Inheritance and Development of Chinese Culture at Huanghe S&T University, researched the "Chinese belief in the Mandate of Heaven." Yang Xiahou, a doctoral student at Sichuan University and teacher at the School of Marxism of Jiujiang Vocational and Technical College, researched the atheistic thought of Zhou Taixuan [33].
During the conference’s concluding phase, Research Fellow Jia Runguo pointed out that our next task is to further explore the construction of the "three major systems" [34] of Marxist atheism in the New Era. Professor Li Shen remarked, "We can now say this: atheism is finally being spoken of by people!" He pointed out that atheism is the ideological foundation of Marxism and the ideological foundation of Communist Party members; we must continue to remain firm in our atheistic stance. At present, although the cause of atheism has seen great development, looking at the international and domestic situation, it will be difficult to achieve rapid development in a short period. The research, propaganda, and education of atheism constitute a long-term and arduous undertaking. We must hold our ground and be prepared to persist over the long term. He also expressed hope that in this battle—resembling a spiritual "Shangganling" [35]—none of our colleagues would fall behind or retreat.