Xin Xiangyang: Promoting the Disciplinary Construction of Marxist Religious Studies Under the Guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era
On May 17, 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the Symposium on the Work of Philosophy and Social Sciences, where he proposed the major strategic task of accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. Philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics constitute a disciplinary system composed of multiple disciplines, including religious studies. On December 3, 2021, in his speech at the National Conference on Religious Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly stated: "We must cultivate a team of religious studies researchers who are politically steadfast, adhere to the Marxist view of religion, possess an excellent style of study, and are adept at innovation, in order to strengthen the development of the discipline of Marxist religious studies." On April 25, 2022, during his inspection of Renmin University of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics ultimately comes down to constructing China’s independent knowledge system. We must take China as our coordinate and the era as our coordinate, base ourselves on Chinese reality, solve Chinese problems, continuously promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and constantly advance innovation in knowledge, theory, and methodology, so that philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics can truly stand tall among the world's academic forests." These speeches fully reflect the high importance General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches to constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics and his earnest expectations for the development of Marxist religious studies. Below, I would like to share a few of my views on promoting the disciplinary development of Marxist religious studies under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
I. Deeply study Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and truly "adhere to the guidance of Marxism"
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the Symposium on the Work of Philosophy and Social Sciences: "Adhering to the guidance of Marxism is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from other philosophy and social sciences, and it must be upheld with a clear-cut stand." Marxist religious studies is a discipline within the contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences and philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics that we seek to construct. To strengthen the disciplinary development of Marxist religious studies, we must adhere to the guidance of Marxism with a clear-cut stand, and consciously integrate Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era throughout the entire process of disciplinary development, transforming it into clear theoretical self-awareness, firm political conviction, and scientific methods of thinking. Marxism provides us with a scientific worldview and methodology for studying the laws of development of various disciplines in the philosophy and social sciences, including religious studies. "Adhering to the guidance of Marxism" is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from other philosophy and social sciences, and it is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes Marxist religious studies from all other forms of religious studies. This logic is just as General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The adherence of our country's philosophy and social sciences to the guidance of Marxism is a requirement and a necessity bestowed by the course of our country's development since modern times. In our country, if we do not adhere to the guidance of Marxism, philosophy and social sciences will lose their soul, lose their direction, and ultimately fail to play their due role. As the saying goes, 'The Dao [1] does not desire complexity; complexity leads to multiplicity, multiplicity leads to disturbance, disturbance leads to anxiety, and anxiety leaves one beyond rescue.'"
How, then, can we achieve "guidance by Marxism"? We need to perform well in the following areas. First, we must earnestly study the Marxist classics. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that we should read the classics and grasp the principles. The basic principles of Marxism are contained within the Marxist classic works; we need to study and repeatedly pore over these classic texts. In what way should we read the classic Marxist texts? First, read them in connection with the integrity of the basic principles of Marxism. The understanding of a particular sentence or discourse by a classic author must be consistent with the basic viewpoints they expressed; one cannot extract that discourse from its context and historical background to interpret the text merely at face value. Second, read them in connection with current reality. We study and research Marxism today because it provides guidance for solving current problems. If we do not connect with current reality and read Marxism merely for the sake of meticulous pedantry, it holds little significance. Third, read them in connection with the development of practice. Marxism is an open theoretical system that constantly develops along with the times, practice, and science. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In treating Marxism, one cannot adopt a dogmatic attitude, nor a pragmatic attitude. If we disregard changes in historical conditions and reality and cling to certain individual judgments and specific action programs made by Marxist classic authors under specific historical conditions and for specific situations, we will fail to advance smoothly and even make mistakes because our thinking is divorced from reality. To speak using nothing but quotations from Marxist classic authors, and to say nothing that they did not say, is not a Marxist attitude. At the same time, finding a pile of quotations based on needs and claiming everything was said by Marx and Engels years ago, while crudely 'cropping' the living development and innovation of practice, is also not a Marxist attitude." Therefore, we must view Marxism with a developmental perspective and treat the specific viewpoints proposed by Marxist classic authors at different stages scientifically. We cannot use the early views of Marx and Engels to negate the subsequent development of their views; nor can we use the later innovations and developments of Marxism to negate the basic viewpoints of early Marxism.
Secondly, we must persist in using Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods to research and solve problems within the discipline. Marxism is both the guiding ideology and the primary academic resource for disciplinary development. The discourses of Marxist classic authors on religious issues are very rich, providing precious resources for the study of Marxist religious studies. What we need to do is go to the Marxist classics to find the stance, viewpoints, and methods, rather than being limited to the specific discourses of classic authors on a certain problem—especially avoiding the phenomenon of quoting certain words while deviating from the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method. Whether Marxist religious studies research has succeeded in adhering to the guidance of Marxism does not depend on whether it quotes certain words from classic authors regarding religion, but on whether it applies the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method to research and solve problems related to religion.
Engels pointed out: "Marx’s whole way of thinking is not a doctrine but a method. It provides not ready-made dogmas, but points of departure for further investigation and the method for such investigation." Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is not only a system of thought and theory but also possesses important methodological significance. The systems thinking and strategic thinking, historical thinking, bottom-line thinking, and scientific thinking within Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era provide important methodological guidance for our research in philosophy and social sciences.
Thirdly, we must deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. To adhere to the guidance of Marxism, the most important thing in the New Era is to adhere to the guidance of the latest achievement in the Sinicization of Marxism—Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The historic shifts and achievements since the 18th Party Congress [2] were, in the final analysis, achieved under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism; it is a powerful ideological weapon and guide for action leading the cause of the Party and the country from victory to ever-new victory. The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century pointed out: "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism; it is the essence of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit in our times, and it represents a new leap in the Sinicization of Marxism."
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era adheres to the Marxist stance, viewpoints, and methods; adheres to dialectical materialism and historical materialism; and integrates the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific reality and fine traditional Chinese culture. It answers the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, and has made a series of original contributions to Marxist philosophy, political economy, and scientific socialism in order to develop Marxism.
The fact that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era "has realized a new leap in the Sinicization of Marxism" demonstrates the powerful vitality of Marxism. Therefore, in the New Era, we must comprehensively, accurately, and deeply study and grasp Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, truly using it to guide the practice and promote the work of philosophy and social sciences. We must consciously integrate Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into every link of philosophy and social sciences, including Marxist religious studies research.
At the same time, we must accurately grasp the essence and core tenets of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, studying it in its original form and authentic flavor. Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to religious issues, convening two National Conferences on Religious Work and making many new discourses and judgments regarding religion and related work. This requires us to deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speeches in conjunction with the entirety of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Only in this way can we truly "adhere to the guidance of Marxism" to construct China’s Marxist religious studies discipline.
II. Base ourselves on Chinese reality and solve Chinese problems
The New Era is the new historical coordinate of our country's development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must take China as our coordinate and the era as our coordinate, base ourselves on Chinese reality, solve Chinese problems, continuously promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and constantly advance innovation in knowledge, theory, and methodology, so that philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics can truly stand tall among the world's academic forests." Our construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics is intended to serve the solution of Chinese problems.
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era possesses a strong sense of risk and hardship awareness, always emphasizing the prevention and resolution of risks in the process of advancing the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. These risks include major risks in the religious field. Marxist religious studies must not only provide academic interpretations of the developments and changes in China concerning religion, but also provide strong theoretical support for preventing and resolving major risks in the religious field and for promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "At present, the theory and practice of persisting in and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics have raised a large number of new problems in urgent need of solution. The world is undergoing changes unseen in a century [3], which are accelerating, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change. There is an urgent need to answer the questions of the era: 'What is happening to the world?' and 'Where is humanity going?' We must base ourselves on the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world’s changes unseen in a century, and continuously promote the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. Accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics ultimately comes down to constructing China’s independent knowledge system." In this knowledge system, Marxist religious studies should occupy its rightful place. In the process of answering the two great questions of the era—"What is happening to the world?" and "Where is humanity going?"—Marxist religious studies must participate.
III. Strengthen the alliance between Marxist theorists and religious studies scholars
As our country enters a new stage of development and embarks on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, a series of brand-new major theoretical and practical problems have been raised, urgently requiring philosophy and social sciences to conduct in-depth research and provide persuasive, scientific answers. This also presents us with a series of major theoretical and practical problems that need in-depth research. These major propositions are comprehensive, holistic, and strategic; applying the "lone wolf" approach [4] and relying on knowledge from a single disciplinary field makes it difficult to provide scientific answers.
General Secretary Xi Jinping said that we are still in the historical era delineated by Marxism. This is where our confidence in adhering to the guidance of Marxism lies. However, compared to the background of the era in which Marxism was born, the specific conditions and circumstances of China today have undergone great changes. Therefore, we continuously promote theoretical innovation to answer the questions of the era. As researchers of philosophy and social sciences in China, we must consciously take answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times as our academic responsibility, demonstrating true ability and achieving good results in researching and solving major issues concerning the overall, fundamental, and critical interests of the Party and the country.
The religious question has always been a major issue that our Party must handle properly in the governance of the country; religious work holds a special importance within the overall context of the Party and state’s operations. Therefore, we cannot discuss the religious question in isolation; rather, we must consider it within the strategic overarching context of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation [5]. Consequently, research into religious issues requires the participation of multiple disciplines. For instance, philosophy, economics, sociology, political science, history, and literature all involve the study of religious issues. Furthermore, Marxist religious studies is itself a comprehensive and interdisciplinary field that encompasses multiple sub-disciplines.
The religious question should likewise be brought into the field of vision of researchers in Marxist theory. It is an obligatory responsibility for Marxist theorists to pay attention to and study religious issues. The Institute of Marxism Studies currently possesses a research team of over 110 scientific researchers. Their research content includes not only the basic principles of Marxism, the Sinicization of Marxism, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, but also comprehensive research on foreign Marxism and the international communist movement. Our disciplinary categories under the umbrella of Marxist theory are relatively complete, allowing us to conduct research in Marxist religious studies from many angles. At the same time, we have established the Research Office of Marxist Atheism, which specializes in the study of religion and atheism. They can all become an important force within the research ranks of Chinese Marxist religious studies.
In the 19th century, Marx and Engels founded Marxist religious studies, and Lenin and Soviet scholars developed this discipline. Early Chinese Marxists expressed many views on the religious question. Mao Zedong and other members of the older generation of Communists also produced many works discussing religion. In particular, after the founding of New China, Comrade Mao Zedong issued an instruction "on strengthening the research of religious issues." A group of Marxist scholars, represented by Mr. Ren Jiyu [6], developed a Chinese Marxist religious studies through systematic research into religious issues. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, research in Marxist religious studies in the New Era will achieve even greater progress.
I expect that young talents in the field of Marxist religious studies, on the basis of deeply studying the works of the classical writers [7], will strengthen their study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and implement it in their research on religious issues. They should build Marxist religious studies into a philosophy and social science discipline that truly possesses Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese ethos [8], and which is capable of playing a supporting role.
(Author profile: Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Dean of the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
Net Editor: Tongxin Source: Science and Atheism, Issue 4, 2022