Advancing the Construction of the Disciplinary System, Academic System, and Discourse System of Contemporary Chinese Atheism

—A Study of Xi Jinping’s *Speech at a Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences*

——学习习近平《在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上的讲话》

Remaining true to our original aspiration and founding mission is an eternal subject of Party building for the Communist Party of China and a lifelong subject for all Party members and cadres. The original aspiration of Communists is built upon the scientific theory of Marxism. Actively advancing the construction of the discipline of contemporary Chinese atheism guided by Marxism is a task that consolidates the foundation for building the Party ideologically and strengthening it theoretically.

不忘初心、牢记使命，是中国共产党党的建设的永恒课题和全体党员、干部的终身课题。共产党人的初心是建立在马克思主义科学理论之上的。积极推进以马克思主义为指导的当代中国无神论学科建设，是一项为思想建党、理论强党培基固本的工作。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “To remain true to our original aspiration and founding mission, we must use the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to unify thought, will, and action.” Advancing the construction of the discipline of atheism must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This issue can be discussed from various perspectives. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences on May 17, 2016, is a programmatic document guiding China’s philosophy and social sciences work in the New Era. The author, by studying this speech, offers some preliminary insights on how to advance the construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system of atheism under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as a contribution to the discussion.

习近平总书记指出：“不忘初心、牢记使命，必须用马克思主义中国化最新成果统一思想、统一意志、统一行动。”推进无神论学科建设，必须坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导。这个问题可以从多种不同角度去讨论。习近平总书记2016年5月17日在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上的讲话，是新时代指导我国哲学社会科学工作的纲领性文件。笔者结合研读这篇讲话，就如何以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导推进无神论学科体系、学术体系、话语体系建设谈几点粗浅认识，参加讨论。

I. The Fundamental Marker of Contemporary Chinese Atheism: Adhering to the Guidance of Marxism

一、当代中国无神论学科的根本标志：坚持以马克思主义为指导

General Secretary Xi Jinping stated: “Adhering to the guidance of Marxism is the fundamental marker that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from other philosophy and social sciences; it must be upheld unequivocally.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, *Speech at a Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences* (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2016), p. 9. This distinguishes “contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences” from other philosophy and social sciences, pointing out the “fundamental marker” of the distinction. Things each have their qualitative specificity, and are distinguished as different things by their different qualities. What the “fundamental marker” embodies is the fundamental quality that makes one thing what it is and distinguishes it from other things. Compared with philosophy and social sciences of other historical eras and other countries in the world, contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences have different essential characteristics, and the fundamental marker embodying this essential characteristic is adhering to the guidance of Marxism.

习近平总书记说：“坚持以马克思主义为指导，是当代中国哲学社会科学区别于其他哲学社会科学的根本标志，必须旗帜鲜明加以坚持。”这里把“当代中国哲学社会科学”同其他哲学社会科学区別开来，指明了区别的“根本标志”。事物各有其质的规定性，因质的不同而区别为不同事物。“根本标志”所体现的，是一事物成为该事物而同其他事物区别开来的根本的质。当代中国哲学社会科学与其他历史时代、世界其他国家的哲学社会科学相比，具有不同的本质特征，体现这一本质特征的根本标志，就是坚持以马克思主义为指导。

The atheism we aim to construct is contemporary Chinese atheism, which is a part of contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences. It takes adherence to the guidance of Marxism as its fundamental marker, thereby distinguishing itself from atheism of other eras and other countries.

我们所要建设的无神论，是作为当代中国哲学社会科学之一部分的当代中国无神论，它以坚持马克思主义指导为根本标志而区别于其他时代、其他国家的无神论。

In his *Speech*, General Secretary Xi Jinping placed contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences within the grand history of world and Chinese development, reviewing and summarizing the process of their emergence and development. He pointed out that every major leap forward in human society has been inseparable from the knowledge transformation and ideological pioneering of philosophy and social sciences. The long-standing Chinese civilization left behind a vast number of monumental works rich in philosophical and social scientific content. The salvoes of the October Revolution brought us Marxism-Leninism. “Contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences took the entry of Marxism into China as their starting point and have gradually developed under the guidance of Marxism.” [2]2 Ibid., p. 4. An era of great social transformation is an era of great development for philosophy and social sciences. China is undergoing the most extensive and profound social transformation in its history. We must uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and China’s philosophy and social sciences can and should make significant contributions. Therefore, the *Speech* also refers to “contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences” as “philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics,” and sets forth the historical task of “accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.”

习近平总书记在《讲话》中把当代中国哲学社会科学放到世界和中国发展的大历史中，回顾、总结了它产生、发展的历程。他指出，人类社会每一次重大跃进都离不开哲学社会科学的知识变革和思想先导。历史悠久的中华文明留下的大量鸿篇巨制中包含着丰富的哲学社会科学内容。十月革命一声炮响送来了马克思列宁主义。“当代中国哲学社会科学是以马克思主义进入我国为起点的，是在马克思主义指导下逐步发展起来的。”社会大变革的时代是哲学社会科学大发展的时代。中国正在进行着我国历史上最为广泛而深刻的社会变革。我们要坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，我国哲学社会科学可以也应该大有作为。所以《讲话》中又把“当代中国哲学社会科学”称为“中国特色哲学社会科学”，提出了“加快构建中国特色哲学社会科学”的历史任务。

The *Speech* points the direction for our study and determination of what kind of atheism discipline should be constructed. Placing the atheism we aim to construct within the grand history of Chinese and world development, within the history of atheism and the background of contemporary Chinese and world philosophy and social sciences, we can see that, from the perspective of its historical formation process, it took the entry of Marxism into China as its starting point and gradually developed under the guidance of Marxism; from the perspective of its historical era, it is a discipline of contemporary China; from the perspective of its social form and social function, it is part of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a discipline within the system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics; from the perspective of its guiding ideology, it is a discipline guided by Marxism. If one or several names are used to characterize these features of this discipline, it can be called: “Marxist atheism,” or “contemporary Chinese atheism,” or “atheism with Chinese characteristics,” and it can also be called “scientific atheism” after clear definition. These names can all be used to refer to the atheism discipline we are constructing, applied in different contexts according to different needs.

《讲话》为我们研讨、确定应该构建什么样的无神论学科指明了方向。把我们所要建设的无神论放到中国和世界发展的大历史中，放到无神论的历史和当代中国与世界哲学社会科学的背景中去考察，可以看到，从其形成的历史过程看，它是以马克思主义进入中国为起点，在马克思主义指导下逐步发展起来的；从其所处的历史时代看，它是当代中国的一个学科；从其所属的社会形态和它的社会功能看，它是中国特色社会主义事业的一部分，是中国特色哲学社会科学体系中的一个学科；从其指导思想看，它是以马克思主义为指导的学科。如果用一个或几个名称将本学科的这些特征表征出来，可以称之为：“马克思主义无神论”，或“当代中国无神论”，或“中国特色无神论”，还可以经过明确界定称为“科学无神论”。这些名称都可以用来指称我们正在构建的无神论学科，根据不同需要分别运用在不同场合。

Human atheistic thought has undergone a long historical development. The understanding of social phenomena and social history can only become scientific when it is based on the materialist conception of history. Therefore, the birth of social science in the strict sense began with Marx’s creation of historical materialism. However, in a broad sense, that is, from the perspective of research fields and intellectual origins, the history of social science can also be traced back to ancient times. The same is true of the history of atheism. The development of atheism has gone through several stages: ancient naive atheism, modern atheism based on natural science (also called scientific atheism), and Marxist atheism. The contemporary Chinese atheism we aim to construct is Marxist atheism, that is, atheism that takes Marxism as its guiding ideology and theoretical foundation and takes adherence to the guidance of Marxism as its fundamental characteristic.

人类无神论思想经历了长期历史发展。对社会现象、社会历史的认识，只有建立在唯物主义历史观之上，才能成为科学，因而严格意义上的社会科学的诞生是以马克思创立唯物史观为起点的。但是从广义上说，即从研究领域和思想渊源来说，社会科学的历史也可以追溯到遥远的古代。无神论的历史也是如此。无神论的发展经历了古代朴素的无神论、近代以自然科学为基础的无神论（也称科学无神论）、马克思主义无神论等几个阶段。我们所要建设的当代中国的无神论，是马克思主义无神论，即以马克思主义为指导思想和理论基础、以坚持马克思主义指导为根本特征的无神论。

Science is divided into natural science and social science. Atheism belongs to social science. The designation of modern atheism as “scientific” atheism is in the sense of natural science, marking its fundamental characteristic of being based on natural science. The designation of Marxist atheism as “scientific” atheism is in a stricter sense, indicating that it not only has a foundation in natural science but also possesses a foundation in a scientific worldview and historical outlook, thus becoming a member of social science in the strict sense.

科学有自然科学和社会科学之分。无神论属于社会科学。近代的无神论之为“科学”无神论，是在自然科学的意义上说的，标志了它以自然科学为基础的根本特征。马克思主义无神论之为“科学”无神论，是在更严格的意义上说的，表明它不仅具有自然科学的基础，而且具有科学的世界观、历史观的基础，因而成为严格意义上的社会科学的一员。

Therefore, unequivocally adhering to the guidance of Marxism is the fundamental guarantee for contemporary Chinese atheism to advance in the correct direction and stand on its own among contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences. To advance the construction of the discipline of contemporary Chinese atheism, we must, as required by General Secretary Xi Jinping in his *Speech*, study and apply Marxism well. The *Speech* sets forth three requirements for this: “First, the issue of genuine understanding and genuine belief must be resolved”; “The core issue of serving whom must be resolved”; “Ultimately, it must be implemented in how to use it.” [3]3 Ibid., pp. 11, 12, 13.

所以，旗帜鲜明地坚持以马克思主义为指导，是当代中国无神论沿着正确方向前进，自立于当代中国哲学社会科学之林的根本保证。为了推进当代中国无神论学科建设，我们要按照习近平总书记在《讲话》中提出的要求，学好、用好马克思主义。《讲话》对此提出了三点要求：“首先要解决真懂真信的问题”；“核心要解决好为什么人的问题”；“最终要落实到怎么用上来”。

The Task of Constructing the Discipline of Contemporary Chinese Atheism: The Unity of Disciplinary System, Academic System, and Discourse System Construction

构建当代中国无神论学科的任务：学科体系、学术体系、话语体系建设的统一

The *Speech* makes a comprehensive deployment for accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, setting forth the task of building three systems: “Continuously advance the construction and innovation of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system, and strive to build a comprehensive, all-encompassing, and all-element philosophy and social sciences system.” [4]4 Ibid., p. 18. In accordance with the spirit of the *Speech*, constructing the discipline of contemporary Chinese atheism includes building the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system; it is the unity of the construction of these three systems.

《讲话》对加快构建中国特色哲学社会科学作出全面部署，提出了建设三大体系的任务：“不断推进学科体系、学术体系、话语体系建设和创新，努力构建一个全方位、全领域、全要素的哲学社会科学体系。”按照《讲话》精神，构建当代中国无神论学科，包括建设学科体系、学术体系、话语体系，是三大体系建设的统一。

(A) Constructing the Disciplinary System of Atheism

（一）构建无神论学科体系

Philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics are first and foremost a disciplinary system. This is a multi-level system composed of various disciplines connected horizontally and extending vertically. Atheism is one of these disciplines. Currently, China’s philosophy and social sciences system is not yet fully developed; some disciplines are relatively weak, and there is a need to fill gaps and improve the system. Atheism is precisely a weak discipline, a gap that needs to be filled.

中国特色哲学社会科学首先是一个学科体系。这是一个由多种学科横向连接、纵向伸展构成的多层级的体系。无神论是其中的一个学科。当前我国哲学社会科学体系还不够健全，一些学科比较薄弱，需要补齐短板、完善体系。无神论就是一个薄弱学科，一个需要补齐的短板。

The common object of study for all sciences is the unified material world, including the phenomena of consciousness. Each discipline distinguishes itself from others by the particularity of the contradictions in its object of study, conducting scientific research on different objects from different perspectives. In the world, there are originally no gods, but human society, at a certain stage of its development, produced the concept of gods and the opposing thought of atheism. The contradiction that there are no gods in the world yet there are “gods” in social consciousness, and that some people believe in gods while others do not, has influenced the development of social history and all spheres of social life. This is the objective object that the discipline of atheism must study. Facing this objective reality, revealing its essence and laws through complex phenomena, understanding contradictions, and exploring ways and methods to resolve contradictions are the tasks of the discipline of contemporary Chinese atheism.

一切科学共同的研究对象是包括意识现象在内的统一的物质世界。各个学科因其研究对象之矛盾的特殊性而相互区别，分别从不同角度对不同对象开展科学研究。世上本无神，但是人类社会在其发展的一定阶段产生了有神观念和与之相对立的无神思想，世上无神而社会意识中有“神”、有人信神而有人不信神的矛盾影响了社会历史发展和社会生活的各个领域。这就是无神论学科所要研究的客观对象。面对这一客观实际，透过复杂现象揭示其本质和规律，认识矛盾、探求解决矛盾的途径和方法，是当代中国无神论学科的任务。

“Disciplinary system” is a concept with relativity. Each discipline constituting the philosophical and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics is itself a disciplinary system containing sub-disciplines. To comprehensively study its own object and fulfill the tasks of the discipline, contemporary Chinese atheism needs to be constructed into a disciplinary system. Research in philosophy and social sciences should follow the principles of the unity of theory and practice, and the unity of logic and history. Generally speaking, it can be unfolded from three dimensions: history, theory, and reality. The author envisions that the basic outline of the atheism disciplinary system we need to construct can mainly include three aspects: historical research, theoretical research, and research on practical reality. Historical research is the study of concrete historical processes, including researching the history of atheism, theism, and their interrelations in China and abroad. Its method is primarily the historical method, and its outcome is systematized historical knowledge and the revelation of laws of historical development. Theoretical research must rise from the perceptual concrete reflecting the objective object to abstract thinking, and then to the concrete in thought, forming a systematic atheist theory with concepts, judgments, and reasoning as forms of thought. Its method is primarily the logical method, and its outcome is presented in an “Outline” (概论). Research on practical reality must directly confront major issues related to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, unfolding both as a whole and divided into several specific topics, coming from practice and returning to practice, serving the decision-making of the Party and the state.

“学科体系”是一个具有相对性的概念。构成中国特色哲学社会科学体系的各个学科，各自又是包含着下一级学科的学科体系。为了全面研究自己的对象，实现本学科的任务，当代中国无神论需要构建成为一个学科体系。哲学社会科学的研究都应该遵循理论和实践相统一、逻辑和历史相统一的原则，一般说来都可以从历史、理论和现实三个维度展开。笔者设想，我们所要构建的无神论学科体系的基本轮廓，可以主要包括历史研究、理论研究和现实实践研究三个方面。历史研究，是对具体历史过程的研究，包括研究中国和外国的无神论、有神论及其相互关系的历史，其方法主要是历史的方法，其成果是系统化的历史知识和对历史发展规律的揭示。理论研究，要从反映客观对象的感性具体上升到抽象思维，再上升到思维中的具体，形成以概念、判断、推理为思维形式的成体系的无神论理论，其方法主要是逻辑的方法，其成果以《概论》呈现出来。现实实践研究，要直接面对中国特色社会主义事业中相关的重大问题，既作为一个整体、又分为若干专题展开，来自实践、又回到实践中去，为党和国家决策服务。

Marxism, as a complete and rigorous scientific worldview, contains rich atheist thought. The atheist thought of classical writers such as Marx, Engels, and Lenin, and the atheist thought further enriched and developed by Chinese Communists in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, represent the highest form of atheist development. We call this “Marxist atheism.” This thought, together with the overall Marxist scientific system, serves as the guiding ideology for constructing the discipline of contemporary Chinese atheism (which can also be called the “discipline of Marxist atheism”). At the same time, it is also one of the objects requiring in-depth study within disciplinary construction and the primary resource among the three major resources for constructing the discipline (resources will be discussed further below). Therefore, the disciplinary system of contemporary Chinese atheism should also include a research field taking Marxist atheist thought as its object, studying the thought and practice of Marxist classical writers and Sinicized Marxist atheism, its historical development and theoretical composition, works, documents, policies, and so on. This should be another important component of the atheism disciplinary system.

马克思主义作为完备而严整的科学世界观包含丰富的无神论思想。马克思、恩格斯、列宁等经典作家的无神论思想，中国共产党人在推进马克思主义中国化中进一步丰富和发展了的无神论思想，是无神论发展的最高形态，我们称之为“马克思主义无神论”。这一思想与作为整体的马克思主义科学体系一道，是我们构建当代中国无神论学科（也可称为“马克思主义无神论学科”）的指导思想，同时也是学科建设中需要深入研究的对象之一和构建学科的三大资源中首要的资源（关于资源，下文还要讨论）。因此，当代中国无神论学科体系中还应该有一个以马克思主义无神论思想为对象的研究领域，研究马克思主义经典作家和中国化马克思主义无神论的思想及其实践，它的历史发展和理论构成，著作、文献和方针政策等等。这应该是无神论学科体系的又一个重要构成部分。

Research taking Marxist atheist thought as its object, and research taking the issues of atheism and theism in the material world and social life as its object—these are two closely related but distinct research tasks. In terms of research fields, the latter includes the former; the former cannot replace the latter. To distinguish them and explain their relationship, we may temporarily refer to these two aspects of work as “research on Marxist atheist thought” and “construction of the Marxist atheism discipline” (i.e., construction of the contemporary Chinese atheism discipline). Marxist atheist thought is the guiding ideology for the construction of the Marxist atheism discipline (i.e., the construction of the contemporary Chinese atheism discipline). The relationship between them is one of guidance but not substitution. Engels once criticized some friends who used the historical materialism founded by Marx to replace the study of history. He said: “Historical materialism now has many friends for whom it serves as an excuse not to study history.” [5]5 Engels, “Letter to Conrad Schmidt,” August 5, 1890, in Marx and Engels, *Selected Works* (Chinese edition), Vol. 4, p. 593. Addressing this problem, Engels emphasized: “Our conception of history is above all a guide to study, not a lever for construction after the Hegelian manner.” [6]6 Engels, “Letter to Conrad Schmidt,” August 5, 1890, in Marx and Engels, *Selected Works* (Chinese edition), Vol. 4, p. 593. He proposed: “The whole of history must be studied anew, the conditions of existence of the different formations of society must be examined in detail, and then the corresponding political, juridical, aesthetic, philosophic, religious, etc., views must be deduced from them.” [7]7 Engels, “Letter to Conrad Schmidt,” August 5, 1890, in Marx and Engels, *Selected Works* (Chinese edition), Vol. 4, p. 593. These expositions have universal guiding significance for philosophical and social science research and disciplinary construction. General Secretary Xi Jinping stated in his “Speech”: “Marxist classical writers had broad horizons and rich knowledge; the Marxist theoretical system and knowledge system are vast and profound, covering all fields of nature, human society, and human thought, involving history, economy, politics, culture, society, ecology, science and technology, military affairs, Party building, and other aspects.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences,” May 17, 2016. Marxist classical writers and the founders of the Sinicization of Marxism have put forward rich and profound thoughts in various fields such as history, economy, politics, culture, society, and ecology. To advance the construction of various disciplines in philosophy and social sciences, in-depth study and research of these thoughts should be taken as the primary task. The results can become an important component of the discipline’s system, but they cannot replace the study of the discipline’s objective object and the construction of its disciplinary system. The “Outline” of the atheism discipline that we need to develop and write should have as its object the entire objective object of the atheism discipline, including but not limited to the study of the atheist thought of classical writers and the founders of the Sinicization of Marxism.

以马克思主义无神论思想为对象的研究，以物质世界和社会生活中的无神和有神问题为对象的研究，这是两个密切相关但又相互区别的研究任务。就研究的领域而言，后者包括前者，前者不能代替后者。为了加以区别并说明其间的关系，这里暂且将这两方面的工作分别称为“马克思主义无神论思想研究”和“马克思主义无神论学科建设”。马克思主义无神论思想是马克思主义无神论学科建设（即当代中国无神论学科建设）的指导思想，二者之间的关系是指导但并不替代的关系。恩格斯曾经批评有些朋友用马克思创立的唯物史观代替对历史的研究，他说：“唯物史观现在也有许多朋友，而这些朋友是把它当作不研究历史的借口的。”针对这样的问题，恩格斯强调：“我们的历史观首先是进行研究工作的指南，并不是按照黑格尔学派的方式构造体系的杠杆。”他提出：“必须重新研究全部历史，必须详细研究各种社会形态的存在条件，然后设法从这些条件中找出相应的政治、司法、美学、哲学、宗教等等的观点。”这些论述对于哲学社会科学研究和学科建设具有普遍指导意义。习近平总书记在《讲话》中说：“马克思主义经典作家眼界广阔、知识丰富，马克思主义理论体系和知识体系博大精深，涉及自然界、人类社会、人类思维各个领域，涉及历史、经济、政治、文化、社会、生态、科技、军事、党建等各个方面”。马克思主义经典作家和马克思主义中国化开创者在历史、经济、政治、文化、社会、生态等等各个领域都提出了丰富的、精深的思想。推进哲学社会科学各学科的建设，都应该把深入学习、研究这些思想作为首要任务，其成果可以成为本学科体系的重要构成部分，但是不能以此代替对本学科客观对象的研究和学科体系的构建。我们所要研制、撰写的无神论学科的《概论》，其对象应该是整个无神论学科的客观对象，其中包括但并不只是对经典作家和马克思主义中国化开创者的无神论思想的研究。

The disciplinary system is inseparable from the teaching system and the textbook system. If the idea of establishing an atheism major in universities and cultivating specialized atheism talents is realized, then the issues of how to construct the teaching system, curriculum system, and textbook system for this major need to be explored in connection with the construction of the disciplinary system. The construction of the atheism disciplinary system and teaching system, academic theoretical research and talent cultivation, are two aspects of work that are closely linked and mutually reinforcing. Today, when we discuss the composition of the disciplinary system, we should consider the requirements for disciplinary construction posed by the curriculum design, teaching arrangements, and textbook compilation for the atheism major.

学科体系同教学体系、教材体系是密不可分的。如果在高校设置无神论专业、培养无神论专门人才的构想得以实现，那么如何构建该专业的教学体系、课程体系、教材体系的问题需要同学科体系的构建联系起来探讨。无神论的学科体系建设和教学体系建设、学术理论研究和人才培养，是紧密联系、相互促进的两方面的工作。今天当我们探讨学科体系的构成时，应该考虑到无神论专业的课程设置、教学安排和教材编写对学科建设的要求。

(II) Constructing the Academic System and Discourse System of the Atheism Discipline

（二）构建无神论学科的学术体系和话语体系

Each discipline is a unity constituted by its own academic system and discourse system.

每个学科都是由自己的学术体系和话语体系构成的统一体。

General Secretary Xi Jinping stated in his “Speech”: “Different disciplines have their own knowledge systems and research methods.” He also said: “Each discipline must construct a systematic disciplinary theory and concepts.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences,” May 17, 2016. The author believes that the academic system of a discipline is constituted by its “own knowledge system” and “systematic disciplinary theory.” Among these, theory is also knowledge, but knowledge is not merely theory. Besides theory, knowledge of concrete facts—knowledge of the objective facts that are the object of study of a discipline and the historical facts of the discipline’s own development, including historical facts and the historical materials recording them—are also important components constituting the academic system. Theory is the advanced stage of knowledge development, so “systematic disciplinary theory” is the most important component of the academic system. Knowledge and theory are both expressed using words and phrases; the words and phrases a discipline uses to express its knowledge and theory constitute the discourse system of that discipline. This article here only discusses the relationship between the academic system and the discourse system from the perspective of the relationship between theory and concepts.

习近平总书记在《讲话》中说：“不同学科有自己的知识体系和研究方法。”他又说：“每个学科都要构建成体系的学科理论和概念。” 笔者认为，一个学科的学术体系，就是由它“自己的知识体系”和“成体系的学科理论”构成的。其中，理论也是知识，而知识不仅仅是理论。除理论外，对具体事实的认识，对作为一个学科之研究对象的客观事实和学科自身发展历史事实的认识，包括史实和记载史实的史料，也是构成学术体系的重要内容。理论是知识发展的高级阶段，所以“成体系的学科理论”是学术体系最重要的构成部分。知识和理论都是用语词来表达的，一个学科表达自己的知识和理论的语词，构成了该学科的话语体系。本文在这里仅从理论和概念的关系来讨论学术体系和话语体系的关系。

The author believes that the relationship between the systematic theory of each discipline and its systematic concepts is the relationship between the academic system and the discourse system. This is because concepts are the cells of rational thought, and theory is thought expressed through concepts. Mao Zedong elucidated the status and role of concepts in the development of human cognition in *On Practice*. He pointed out that the emergence of concepts marks “a sudden change (i.e., a leap) in the process of cognition.” Rational cognition is “the work of using concepts in the brain to make judgments and inferences.” Concepts are forms of thought that reflect the specific attributes of things, expressing the content of thought in the form of words. In terms of their content, concepts are the expression of theory; in terms of their linguistic form, they are discourse. Therefore, the relationship between theory and concepts is the relationship between academic content and the discourse that expresses that content. The unity of the systematic theory and concepts of a discipline is the unity of the academic system and the discourse system.

笔者认为，每个学科的成体系的理论和它的成体系的概念的关系，是学术体系和话语体系的关系。这是因为，概念是理性思维的细胞，理论是用概念表达的思想。毛泽东在《实践论》中阐明了概念在人的认识发展中的地位和作用。他指出，概念的产生，标志着“认识过程中的突变（即飞跃）”。理性认识就是“人在脑子中运用概念以作判断和推理的工夫”。概念是反映事物特有属性的思维形态，它以语词的形式表达思想的内容。概念就其内容来说是理论的表达，就其语言形式来说就是话语。所以理论和概念的关系，就是学术内容和表达学术内容的话语的关系。一个学科的成体系的理论和概念的统一，就是学术体系和话语体系的统一。

The discipline of atheism, whether taken as a whole or in terms of any of its sub-disciplines, is an academic system expressed through a discourse system. To advance disciplinary construction, the first issue to explore is the construction of the academic system and discourse system of the discipline of atheism as a whole. The results of this construction can be presented in the form of an *Introduction* to the discipline. In this *Introduction*, the academic system we aim to construct is a systematic theory of atheism expressed through concepts; its discourse system is the systematic concepts that express this theory. The relationship between its academic system and discourse system is the relationship between theoretical content and the concepts that express it. The content and form of things are combined; they are both opposed and unified, each possessing relative independence. They can be distinguished in thought, but in reality, they cannot exist independently of each other in some separate manner. The relationship between the theory and concepts of atheism, and between its academic system and discourse system, is precisely of this kind.

无神论学科无论就其整体或就其中某个下一级学科而言，都是以话语体系表达的学术体系。推进学科建设，首先需要探讨的，是作为整体的无神论学科的学术体系和话语体系的构建问题。构建的成果，可以作为本学科的《概论》呈现出来。在《概论》中，我们所要构建的学术体系，就是用概念表达出来的成体系的无神论理论；它的话语体系，就是表达这一理论的成体系的概念。它的学术体系和话语体系的关系，是理论内容和表达理论的概念的关系。事物的内容和形式是结合在一起的，二者既对立又统一，各自具有相对独立性，可以在思维中将它们区分开来，但是在现实中，二者不能离开对方而分别以某种独立的方式存在。无神论的理论和概念、学术体系和话语体系之间正是这样的关系。

The study of atheism has developed to the point where it is necessary to follow the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s exposition on “doing more ‘integration’ and ‘final assembly,’ doing more ‘independent innovation’ and ‘comprehensive innovation,’” [10]10 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences,” *People’s Daily*, May 19, 2016. This is the source of the “Three Major Systems” framework and the call for “integration,” “final assembly,” “independent innovation,” and “comprehensive innovation.” using the compilation of an *Introduction* as a lever. On the basis of “integrating” existing achievements, through further research, comprehensive innovation can be realized, and an academic system and discourse system for this discipline can be initially created. In terms of theoretical content, this academic system can revolve around the basic contradiction of this discipline—atheism versus the existence of “gods,” belief in gods versus disbelief in gods—and be discussed mainly from three aspects. First, the issue of cognition or truth, i.e., the question of which of atheism and theism conforms to objective reality and possesses truth; second, the issue of the social role or value of atheism and theism; third, the issue of practical reality, i.e., how to uphold and propagate atheism, and how to treat theism and religion. Elaborating these academic theories requires the use of a series of interrelated concepts, forming a discourse system with an internal logical structure for this discipline. Existing relevant works contain many terms commonly used in this discipline, such as: god, atheism, theism, religion, the origin, cause, and root of theism and religion, the conditions for the existence of theism and religion, the path to their disappearance, freedom of religious belief, belief in gods, disbelief in gods, the characteristics of religion, the basic policy on religious work, religious policy, and so on. The precision and maturity of these various terms differ; some have inconsistent meanings among different authors. They need to be selected, refined, clarified, and defined through research, and combined with the basic categories common to historical materialism and the philosophy and social sciences—such as nature, society, human beings, social formation, social system, social existence and social consciousness, economic base and superstructure, productive forces and relations of production, class struggle and social revolution, economy, politics, culture, science, morality, ethnicity, and so on—to be “final assembled” into the discourse system of this discipline, expressing its academic system.

无神论研究发展到今天，需要遵循习近平总书记关于“多搞‘集成’和‘总装’，多搞‘自主创新’和‘综合创新’”的论述精神，以编写《概论》作为抓手，在“集成”已有成果的基础上，经过进一步研究，实现综合创新，草创一个本学科的学术体系和话语体系。就理论内容而言，这一学术体系可以围绕着无神和有“神”、信神和不信神这一本学科的基本矛盾，主要从三个方面展开讨论。一是认识问题或真理问题，即无神论和有神论何者符合客观实际、具有真理性的问题；二是无神论和有神论的社会作用问题或价值问题；三是现实实践问题，即如何坚持和宣传无神论、如何对待有神论和宗教的问题。阐述这些学术理论，需要运用一系列相互关联的概念，形成本学科具有内在逻辑结构的话语体系。现有相关论著中有许多本学科常用的术语，例如：神，无神论，有神论，宗教，有神论和宗教的起源、原因、根源，有神论和宗教存在的条件、消亡的途径，宗教信仰自由，信神，不信神，宗教的特性，宗教工作基本方针，宗教政策等等，各种术语的精确性和成熟程度不同，有些在不同论者那里含义也不尽一致，需要经过研究，加以选择、提炼、厘清、界定，并同唯物史观和哲学社会科学通用的基本范畴如自然、社会、人、社会形态、社会制度、社会存在和社会意识、经济基础和上层建筑、生产力和生产关系、阶级斗争和社会革命、经济、政治、文化、科学、道德、民族等等结合在一起，“总装”成本学科的话语体系，表达本学科的学术体系。

III. The Path to Constructing Contemporary Chinese Atheism: Integrating Three Major Resources to Achieve Theoretical Innovation

三、构建当代中国无神论的途径：融通三大资源，实现理论创新

The *Speech* [11]11 Refers to Xi Jinping’s “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences” (May 17, 2016), which laid out the framework for constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. not only set the task of constructing the three major systems of contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences but also proposed the requirements to be met and the path to achieving them. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must work to construct philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, following the line of thinking of basing ourselves on China, drawing on foreign experience, mining history, grasping the contemporary, caring for humanity, and facing the future.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences.” He proposed that constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics should grasp three main characteristics. The first is “embodying inheritance and national character”; the second is “embodying originality and contemporaneity”; the third is “embodying systematicity and professionalism.” The author, in conjunction with studying the *Speech*, offers two insights on the basic path for constructing the discipline of atheism.

《讲话》不仅提出了构建当代中国哲学社会科学三大体系的任务，而且提出了应该达到的要求和实现这些要求的途径。习近平总书记指出：“要按照立足中国、借鉴国外，挖掘历史、把握当代，关怀人类、面向未来的思路，着力构建中国特色哲学社会科学”。他提出，构建中国特色哲学社会科学应该把握住三个方面的主要特点。第一是“体现继承性、民族性”；第二是“体现原创性、时代性”；第三是“体现系统性，专业性”。笔者结合学习《讲话》，就构建无神论学科的基本途径谈两点认识。

First, constructing contemporary Chinese atheism requires integrating three major resources.

第一，构建当代中国无神论，要融通三大资源。

The development of philosophy and social sciences has its own laws, and advancing disciplinary construction must follow these laws. Marxism revealed that “it is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness,” [13]13 Karl Marx, “Preface to *A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy*,” in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 29 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 263. achieving a fundamental transformation in the view of social history. At the same time, it elucidated the relative independence of social consciousness, pointing out that various ideological departments have their own historical inheritance and relatively independent development. Engels provided an in-depth exposition from the perspective of the division of labor. Taking philosophy as an example, he pointed out: “Every philosophy of a particular age has as its premise definite thought material handed down to it by its predecessors, from which it starts.” [14]14 Friedrich Engels, “Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy,” in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 26 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1990), p. 382. He also noted that in all fields “belonging to society rather than to nature alone,” such as politics, law, philosophy, and theology, “in every scientific field there is a definite material which is formed independently from the thought of previous generations and has gone through its own independent course of development in the brains of these successive generations.” [15]15 Friedrich Engels, “Letter to Franz Mehring,” July 14, 1893, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 50 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 2004), p. 165. In their development, each discipline of philosophy and social sciences inherits the achievements passed down within the discipline, processes existing thought materials to reflect new changes in real social life, forms new ideas and viewpoints, and then transmits them to the next generation. Engels summarized: “Once an ideology has arisen, it combines with the existing material of ideas and develops further, processing this material further; otherwise it would not be an ideology.” [16]16 Friedrich Engels, “Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy,” p. 382. The *Speech* inherits, enriches, and develops Marxist thought on the laws of development of philosophy and social sciences. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed: “We must be adept at integrating various resources from ancient and modern times, both at home and abroad.” [17]17 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences.” He pointed out: “The actual form of philosophy and social sciences is the result of the integration of various kinds of knowledge, ideas, theories, methods, etc., from ancient and modern times.” [18]18 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences.” The “resources” referred to in the *Speech* include the knowledge, ideas, theories, methods, etc., inherited in various disciplines, which are precisely what Engels called “thought material” and “material of ideas.” The *Speech* summarizes these into three types of resources: “first, the resources of Marxism”; “second, the resources of fine traditional Chinese culture”; “third, the resources of foreign philosophy and social sciences.” [19]19 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences.”

哲学社会科学发展有其自身的规律，推进学科建设必须遵循这些规律。马克思主义揭示了，“不是人们的意识决定人们的存在，相反，是人们的社会存在决定人们的意识”，实现了社会历史观上的根本变革，同时又阐明了社会意识的相对独立性，指出意识形态各部门有其自身的历史继承性和相对独立的发展。恩格斯从社会分工的观点做过深入阐述。他以哲学为例指出：“每一时代的哲学作为分工的一个特定的领域，都具有由它的先驱传给它而它便由此出发的特定的思想材料作为前提。”他还指出，在政治、法律、哲学、神学等“一切属于社会而不单纯属于自然界的领域”，“在每一学科领域中都有一定的材料，这些材料是从以前的各代人的思维中独立形成的，并且在这些世代相继的人们的头脑中经过了自己的独立的发展道路。” 哲学社会科学各学科在其发展中都要继承本学科传承下来的成果，通过对已有思想材料的加工来反映现实社会生活的新变化，形成新思想、新观点，再传递给下一代。恩格斯概括说：“任何意识形态一经产生，就同现有的观念材料相结合而发展起来，并对这些材料作进一步的加工；不然它就不是意识形态了”。《讲话》继承并丰富、发展了马克思主义关于哲学社会科学发展规律的思想。习近平总书记提出：“要善于融通古今中外各种资源”。他指出：“哲学社会科学的现实形态，是古往今来各种知识、观念、理论、方法等融通生成的结果。”《讲话》中所说的研究“资源”，包括各学科中传承的知识、观念、理论、方法等，这些也就是恩格斯所说的“思想材料”、“观念材料”。《讲话》将其概括为三个方面的资源：“一是马克思主义的资源”；“二是中华优秀传统文化的资源”；“三是国外哲学社会科学的资源”。

The “Speech” [20]20 Refers to Xi Jinping’s speech at the symposium on philosophy and social sciences work on May 17, 2016, which laid out guidelines for developing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. both emphasizes that Marxism is the guiding ideology of China’s philosophy and social sciences and proposes that Marxism is a resource for constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. This has methodological significance for our in-depth reflection on how to uphold Marxism in various branches of philosophy and social sciences. Adhering to Marxism as the guiding ideology does not exclude it from also being a resource for research; listing Marxism as a resource for constructing disciplines does not negate or replace its status as the guiding ideology, nor does it reduce the guiding ideology to a mere research resource. Rather, it establishes a dual positioning of Marxism as both the guiding ideology and the primary resource. The works of the classical Marxist writers and the achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context provide a scientific worldview and methodology for the construction of the contemporary Chinese atheism discipline, serving as the guiding ideology and theoretical foundation for all research work. At the same time, they contain rich knowledge, concepts, theories, and methods concerning issues of religion and atheism. For example, they elucidate that the world is a unified material world, excluding any creator or deities; they expound on the essence, origins, historical development, social functions, and pathways to the extinction of religion; and they clarify the position of religious work within the overall situation of the proletarian revolution led by the Party and the socialist cause, as well as how to uphold atheism and oppose theism. We should, through earnest study and research, systematically organize the relevant theories, knowledge, and concepts in these documents, making them the most important components of our disciplinary system and discourse system. This will form the basic framework of the system, ensuring that contemporary Chinese atheism becomes a social science genuinely marked by adherence to the guidance of Marxism.

《讲话》既强调马克思主义是我国哲学社会科学的指导思想，又提出马克思主义是构建中国特色哲学社会科学的资源，这对于我们深入思考如何在各门哲学社会科学中坚持马克思主义具有方法论意义。坚持以马克思主义为指导思想，并没有排除它也是研究的资源；把马克思主义列为构建学科的资源，并没有否定或替代它作为指导思想的地位，不是把指导思想降低为研究资源，而是做出了马克思主义既是指导思想又是首要资源的双重定位。马克思主义经典作家的著作和中国化马克思主义的成果既为当代中国无神论学科建设提供了科学的世界观、方法论，成为全部研究工作的指导思想和理论基础，同时又包含着关于宗教和无神论问题的丰富的知识、观念、理论、方法，例如，阐明了世界是统一的物质世界，排除了造物主和一切神，阐述了宗教的本质、根源、历史发展、社会作用、消亡的途径，宗教工作在党领导的无产阶级革命和社会主义事业全局中的位置，应该如何坚持无神论、反对有神论等等。我们应该通过认真学习、研究，对这些文献中的相关理论、知识、概念加以梳理，作为我们学科体系和话语体系最重要的组成部分，以此构成体系的基本骨架，确保当代中国无神论成为名副其实的以坚持马克思主义指导为根本标志的社会科学。

The dual positioning of Marxism as both the guiding ideology and a research resource determines that Marxism cannot be treated on an equal footing with other resources but must be placed in the position of the primary resource. However, constructing the discipline of atheism cannot rely solely on Marxist resources. Lenin sharply pointed out: “It would be the greatest and worst mistake a Marxist could make to think that the millions of people (especially the peasants and artisans) who are condemned by the whole of modern society to ignorance and prejudice can be extricated from this ignorance only by the path of purely Marxist education.” [21]21 V. I. Lenin, “On the Significance of Militant Materialism,” 1922. Engels once said that in France, to propagate atheism, “the simplest thing would be to try to spread among the workers the excellent French materialist literature of the last century.” He highly praised these 18th-century works as “the highest achievement of the French spirit.” [22]22 Friedrich Engels, “The Development of Socialism from Utopia to Science,” 1880. Lenin also commended “the pungent, lively, and talented polemics written by the old atheists of the 18th century, which wittily and openly attacked the prevailing clericalism,” and called for following Engels’ instructions to “translate the literature of the militant atheism of the late 18th century and widely disseminate it among the people.” [23]23 V. I. Lenin, “On the Significance of Militant Materialism,” 1922. Lenin also proposed the idea of two “alliances,” demanding that militant materialism and militant atheism under the banner of Marxism should “form an alliance with thoroughgoing materialists who have not joined the Communist Party” and “form an alliance with modern natural scientists.” [24]24 Ibid.

马克思主义既是指导思想又是研究资源的双重定位，决定了不能将马克思主义同其他资源同等看待，而应当放在首要资源的位置。但是，构建无神论学科，仅仅采用马克思主义的资源是不够的。列宁尖锐地指出：“一个马克思主义者如果以为，被整个现代社会置于愚昧无知和囿于偏见这种境地的亿万人民群众（特别是农民和手工业者）只有通过纯粹马克思主义的教育这条道路，才能摆脱愚昧状态，那就是最大的而且是最坏的错误。”恩格斯曾经说，在法国宣传无神论，“最简单的做法莫过于设法在工人中广泛传播上一世纪卓越的法国唯物主义文献。”他高度评价18世纪的这些文献是“法兰西精神的最高成就”。列宁也称赞“18世纪老无神论者所写的那些泼辣的、生动的、有才华的政论，机智地公开地抨击了当时盛行的僧侣主义”，要求遵照恩格斯的嘱咐，“把18世纪末战斗的无神论的文献翻译过来，在人民中间广泛传播”。列宁还提出了两个“联盟”的思想，要求在马克思主义旗帜下的战斗的唯物主义和战斗的无神论，既要“同没有加入共产党的彻底的唯物主义者结成联盟”，又要“同现代自然科学家结成联盟”。

The idea of “integrating various resources, both ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign,” proposed in the “Speech,” inherits the thoughts of Engels and Lenin and further clarifies that we must not only make good use of Marxist resources but also correctly handle the resources of traditional Chinese and foreign philosophy and social sciences. The “Speech” particularly emphasizes that Chinese culture, spanning several thousand years, is the deep foundation for the growth and development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. It is a very precious and rare resource and a unique advantage of our country. We must strengthen confidence in our culture, enhance the excavation and elucidation of fine traditional Chinese culture, and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese civilization. Regarding resources from foreign philosophy and social sciences, the “Speech” calls for opening up research, absorbing the positive achievements of philosophy and social sciences from all countries in the world as beneficial nourishment for philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, it points out that foreign theories, concepts, discourses, and methods must be analyzed and differentiated; those that are applicable should be adopted, while those that are not should not be mechanically copied.

《讲话》提出的“融通古今中外各种资源”的思想，继承了恩格斯和列宁的思想，进一步明确指出了，既要运用好马克思主义的资源，又要正确对待中国传统的和国外哲学社会科学的资源。《讲话》特别强调，绵延几千年的中华文化是中国特色哲学社会科学成长发展的深厚基础，是十分宝贵、不可多得的资源，是我国的独特优势，我们要坚定文化自信，加强对中华优秀传统文化的挖掘和阐发，推动中华文明创造性转化、创新性发展。对于国外哲学社会科学的资源，《讲话》要求开门搞研究，吸收世界所有国家哲学社会科学取得的积极成果，成为中国特色哲学社会科学的有益滋养，同时又指出，对国外的理论、概念、话语、方法要有分析、有鉴别，适用的就拿来用，不适用的不要生搬硬套。

Second, constructing contemporary Chinese atheism requires adhering to a problem-oriented approach and achieving theoretical innovation.

第二，构建当代中国无神论，要坚持问题导向，实现理论创新。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the “Speech”: “Only by taking China’s actual conditions as the starting point for research, putting forward theoretical viewpoints with subjectivity and originality, and constructing a disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system with its own characteristics can China’s philosophy and social sciences form their own features and advantages.”

习近平总书记在《讲话》中指出：“只有以我国实际为研究起点，提出具有主体性、原创性的理论观点，构建具有自身特质的学科体系、学术体系、话语体系，我国哲学社会科学才能形成自己的特色和优势。”

Social consciousness has only relative independence; it is ultimately determined by social existence. Although the development of philosophy and social sciences is achieved through the processing of traditional intellectual materials, how this processing occurs is ultimately determined by the actual conditions of material life. In discussing the processing of conceptual materials, Engels pointed out: “This thought process that takes place in people’s minds is ultimately determined by the conditions of their material life.” [25]25 Friedrich Engels, “Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy,” 1886. He specifically discussed that the processing of traditional materials in the development of religion is caused by actual economic relations: “Once a religion is formed, it always contains some traditional materials, because in all ideological fields, tradition is a great conservative force. However, the changes that these materials undergo are caused by the class relations, i.e., economic relations, of the people who bring about these changes.” [26]26 Ibid. Constructing the discipline of atheism should also take the actual conditions of contemporary China as the starting point for research, proceeding from this reality. The fundamental driving force for advancing the development of the atheism discipline lies in the practical social reality. Atheist research, propaganda, and education are part of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. To exercise comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and strengthen the Party’s ideological and organizational construction, it is necessary to educate Party members to be steadfast Marxist atheists, firmly establish a Marxist worldview and view of history, and strictly observe the political discipline that Party members must not believe in religion. Doing a good job in religious work, fully implementing the policy of freedom of religious belief, managing religious affairs according to law, adhering to the principle of independence and self-management, upholding the Sinicization of China’s religions, and actively guiding religions to adapt to the socialist society all require a profound understanding and conscious adherence to Marxist atheism. To advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, it is necessary to uphold the major principle of Marxist atheism in legislation, administration, judiciary, and all aspects of the economy, politics, culture, society, and ecology. Only by recognizing the position and role of upholding atheism in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, consciously treating the construction of the atheism discipline as part of the great cause, and conducting scientific research centered on what we are doing can we gain strong momentum and maintain the correct direction.

社会意识只具有相对的独立性，它终究是由社会存在决定的。虽然哲学社会科学的发展是通过对传统思想材料的加工实现的，但是如何加工归根到底取决于现实的社会存在。恩格斯在论述对观念材料的加工时指出：“人们头脑中发生的这一思想过程，归根到底是由人们的物质生活条件决定的”。他专门论述了，宗教发展中对传统材料的加工是由现实的经济关系引起的：“宗教一旦形成，总是要包含某些传统的材料，因为在一切意识形态领域内传统都是一种巨大的保守力量。但是，这些材料所发生的变化是由造成这些变化的人们的阶级关系即经济关系引起的。”构建无神论学科也应该以当代中国实际为研究起点，从这个实际出发。推进无神论学科发展的根本动力，存在于现实社会实践之中。无神论研究、宣传、教育，是中国特色社会主义事业的一部分。坚持全面从严治党，加强党的思想建设和组织建设，必须教育共产党员做坚定的马克思主义无神论者，牢固树立马克思主义世界观、历史观，严守共产党员不得信仰宗教的政治纪律。做好宗教工作，全面贯彻宗教信仰自由政策，依法管理宗教事务，坚持独立自主自办原则，坚持我国宗教的中国化方向，积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应，都离不开对马克思主义无神论的深刻理解和自觉坚持。推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，要在立法、行政、司法以及经济、政治、文化、社会、生态等方方面面都坚持马克思主义无神论这个大原则。只有认识到坚持无神论在中国特色社会主义事业中的地位、作用，自觉把无神论学科建设作为伟大事业的一部分，以我们正在做的事情为中心开展科学研究，才能获得强大动力，保持正确方向。

The “Speech” points out: “Theoretical innovation can only begin from problems.” Only by adhering to a problem-oriented approach, facing social reality and practical practice to discover, screen, study, and solve problems, can theoretical innovation be achieved. How to always maintain Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology occupying a dominant position among the people, how to reduce the rate of increase of religious believers, and how to resist religion’s spiritual enticement and ideological infiltration of the masses are the major issues facing atheist propaganda, education, and ideological work at the present stage, and are also the focal points for advancing the construction of the atheist discipline. In recent years, many issues hotly debated and even fiercely contested in China’s atheism and religious studies have been raised from real social practice and practical work. For example, can Communist Party members believe in religion? Can religious believers join the Party? Should atheist propaganda and education be limited only to within the Communist Party, or can it be directed at the broad masses and conducted on mass media? Does the Constitution grant Chinese citizens the freedom to propagate atheism? Should atheism in contemporary China hold the status of mainstream ideology? And so on. The discussions surrounding these issues, facing practical reality, have powerfully propelled the deepening of theoretical research and the development of the discipline. The source of theory is social practice; the ideological achievements of predecessors are the flow, not the source. How to select, evaluate, and process historically inherited intellectual materials ultimately depends on the demands of practical practice for the development of the discipline. Therefore, only by taking China’s reality as the starting point for research can the atheist discipline embody originality and contemporaneity.

《讲话》指出：“理论创新只能从问题开始。”只有坚持问题导向，面向社会实际和现实实践发现问题、筛选问题、研究问题、解决问题，才能实现理论创新。如何始终保持马克思主义无神论作为主流意识形态在人民群众中占据主导地位，如何减轻宗教信众增加速度，如何抵御宗教对群众的精神诱惑和思想渗透，就是现阶段无神论宣传、教育和意识形态工作面临的重大课题，也是推进无神论学科建设的着力点。近年来我国无神论和宗教研究中热烈讨论乃至激烈争论的许多问题，都是从现实社会实践、实际工作中提出来的。例如，共产党员能不能信教、教徒能不能入党？无神论宣传教育是否只能限于共产党内，能不能面向广大群众、能不能在大众化媒体上进行？宪法是否赋予了我国公民宣传无神论的自由？无神论在当代中国是否应该具有主流意识形态的地位？等等，围绕这些问题展开的面对现实实践的讨论，有力地推动了理论研究的深入和学科的发展。理论的源头是社会实践，前人的思想成果是流而不是源。对历史传承的思想资料如何选择、评价、加工，归根到底取决于现实实践对学科发展的要求。所以，只有以我国实际为研究起点，无神论学科才能体现原创性、时代性。

The process of disciplinary construction is a process of theoretical innovation. The “Speech” elaborates on theoretical “innovation,” pointing out: “Innovation in philosophy and social sciences can be large or small; revealing a law is innovation, proposing a doctrine is innovation, clarifying a truth is innovation, and creating a method for solving a problem is also innovation.” Over the years, scholars in China who uphold atheism have done a great deal of work in deeply studying and researching the atheist thought of Marxist classical writers and the Sinicization of Marxism, excavating and elucidating the three major resources, and studying major practical issues, achieving fruitful results. The collected papers *Research on Religious Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Marxist Atheist Thought* [27]27 This refers to a collection of papers resulting from a major research project on religious theory and Marxist atheist thought under socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era., the concluding achievement of a major project undertaken by the China Atheism Society, and *Principles of Scientific Atheism* [28]28 This is a book by Li Shen, a prominent Chinese scholar of atheism, outlining the fundamental principles of scientific atheism., written by Professor Li Shen and also a concluding achievement of a project undertaken by the China Atheism Society, are the latest representative results. If, on the existing foundation, we organize research forces to gather existing achievements, carry out “integration” and “final assembly,” and roughly establish a disciplinary system of contemporary Chinese atheism that unifies the academic system and discourse system, this itself is a kind of comprehensive innovation. Advancing comprehensive innovation will encounter many issues that have not been deeply studied in the past or are newly emerging. This will be a process of continuously raising, sorting out, and solving problems. Through the discussion and exchange of various academic theories and practical issues, we can form some new ideological achievements, realize various innovations large and small, enrich the disciplinary system, and promote the development of this discipline.

学科建设的过程是理论创新的过程。《讲话》对理论“创新”做了阐释，指出：“哲学社会科学创新可大可小，揭示一条规律是创新，提出一种学说是创新，阐明一个道理是创新，创造一种解决问题的办法也是创新。”多年来，我国坚持无神论的学者在深入学习、研究马克思主义经典作家和马克思主义中国化无神论思想，挖掘、阐发三大资源，研究重大现实问题等各方面已经做了大量工作，取得了丰硕成果。由中国无神论学会承担的重大项目的结项成果《新时代中国特色社会主义宗教理论与马克思主义无神论思想研究》论文集和由中国无神论学会承担、李申教授执笔的结项成果《科学无神论原理》，就是最新的代表性成果。如果我们在现有基础上组织科研力量汇集已有成果，进行“集成”“总装”，草创一个学术体系和话语体系相统一的当代中国无神论学科体系，这本身就是一种综合创新。推进综合创新，会遇到许多过去尚未深入研究过的或新产生的问题，这将是一个不断提出问题、梳理问题、解决问题的过程。我们可以通过对各种学术理论和现实实践问题的研讨、切磋，形成一些新的思想成果，实现各种可大可小的创新，充实到学科体系中来，推动本学科的发展。

(Author: Researcher at the Social Science Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China)

（作者：教育部高等学校社会科学发展研究中心研究员）

Online Editor: Rainbow

网络编辑：彩虹