Fully Implement the Party’s Theory on Religious Work in the New Era

The important theoretical achievement of the National Conference on Religious Work held in December 2021 was the clear and timely proposal of “the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era.” In his important speech at the conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era must be fully implemented.” The summarization and proposal of this theory clarified the guiding ideology, strategic objectives, key tasks, and policy measures for religious work in the New Era. The academic community must earnestly study and fully implement the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, deeply understand its core essence, spiritual substance, rich connotations, and practical requirements, and strengthen the disciplinary construction of Marxist religious studies.

2021年12月召开的全国宗教工作会议的重要理论成果是旗帜鲜明、与时俱进地提出了“新时代党的宗教工作理论”。习近平总书记在会议上的重要讲话中强调，“要全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论”。这一理论的概括和提出，明确了新时代宗教工作的指导思想、战略目标、重点任务和政策举措。学术界要认真学习、全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论，深刻理解其核心要义、精神实质、丰富内涵和实践要求，加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设。

I. Grasping the Positioning of the Party’s Theory on Religious Work in the New Era

一、把握新时代党的宗教工作理论的定位

The Communist Party of China is a Marxist political party that places great emphasis on summarizing practical experience and on theoretical thinking and theoretical innovation. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, the main tasks of the Party’s religious work were to oppose imperialism and love the country, to carry out democratic reforms of the religious system, to establish the principle of freedom of religious belief in law, and to build and develop a patriotic united front with religious circles. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the main tasks of the Party’s religious work were to bring order out of chaos, to end the destruction caused by the “Cultural Revolution,” and to gradually form an institutional and legal framework for religious policy. In 1982, the Party Central Committee issued “The Basic Views and Basic Policies on the Religious Question during the Socialist Period in Our Country,” the famous “1982 Document No. 19.” In 1990, the National Conference on Religious Work proposed that the government manage religious affairs according to law. In 1993, the National Conference on United Front Work proposed actively guiding religion to adapt to the socialist society, forming the famous “three sentences” of the Party’s basic policy on religious work, namely: fully implement the Party’s policy of freedom of religious belief, manage religious affairs according to law, and actively guide religion to adapt to the socialist society. This basic policy received unanimous approval and support from both inside and outside the Party, including religious circles. Entering the 21st century, with the further expansion of opening up, China’s religious circles faced a complex struggle against hostile forces abroad that used religion for infiltration and sabotage activities. In 2001, the National Conference on Religious Work developed the Party’s basic policy on religious work from the “three sentences” into “four sentences,” adding the content of “adhering to the principle of independence and self-management,” thereby forming a relatively complete and internally unified basic policy on religious work. In 2007, the 17th National Congress of the CPC wrote the Party’s basic policy on religious work into the Party Constitution. In 2016, the National Conference on Religious Work proposed upholding and developing the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religious work and continuously advancing the Sinicization of Marxist religious theory. Reviewing the course of the Party’s religious work theory and policies in their development and improvement in practice helps us grasp the historical, epochal, and scientific positioning of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, and correctly understand and recognize the following three relationships.

中国共产党是一个十分重视总结实践经验，十分重视理论思维、理论创新的马克思主义政党。在社会主义革命和建设时期，党的宗教工作的主要任务是反帝爱国和实行宗教制度民主改革，在法律上确立了宗教信仰自由的原则，建立和发展了党同宗教界的爱国统一战线。在改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，党的宗教工作的主要任务是拨乱反正，结束“文化大革命”造成的破坏，逐步形成宗教政策的制度和法律框架。1982年，党中央印发了《关于我国社会主义时期宗教问题的基本观点和基本政策》，即著名的“1982年19号文件”。1990年，全国宗教工作会议提出政府依法对宗教事务进行管理。1993年，全国统战工作会议提出积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应，形成了党的宗教工作基本方针著名的“三句话”，即全面贯彻党的宗教信仰自由政策，依法管理宗教事务，积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应。这一基本方针得到了包括宗教界在内的党内外的一致赞成和拥护。进入21世纪，对外开放进一步扩大，中国宗教界面临着与利用宗教进行渗透破坏活动的境外敌对势力的复杂斗争。2001年，全国宗教工作会议把党的宗教工作基本方针从“三句话”发展为“四句话”，增加了“坚持独立自主自办原则”的内容，从而形成了较为完整、内在统一的宗教工作基本方针。2007年，党的十七大把党的宗教工作基本方针写入党章。2016年，全国宗教工作会议提出，坚持和发展中国特色社会主义宗教理论，不断把马克思主义宗教理论中国化推向前进。 回顾党的宗教工作理论和方针政策在实践中发展完善的历程，有助于我们把握新时代党的宗教工作理论的历史、时代、科学定位，正确认识和理解如下三个关系。

First, the relationship between the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC elucidated the three major theoretical achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, established by the Party in the four historical stages of its century-long struggle. [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee, held in November 2021, adopted a landmark resolution on the Party’s achievements over its first century. The “four historical stages” refer to the periods of the New Democratic Revolution, Socialist Revolution and Construction, Reform and Opening Up and Socialist Modernization, and the New Era. The Party’s religious work and related theories and policies have always been part of the Party’s overall work and theoretical achievements. The Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era is an important content and component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, constituting its “chapter on religious work theory in the New Era.”

一是新时代党的宗教工作理论与习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的关系。党的十九届六中全会阐明了党在百年奋斗四个历史阶段中创立的马克思主义中国化三大理论成果。党的宗教工作和相关理论方针政策历来是党的全局工作和理论成果的一部分。新时代党的宗教工作理论是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要内容和组成部分，是其中的“新时代宗教工作理论篇”。

Second, the relationship between the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era and the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religious work. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has put forward a series of new concepts and new measures regarding religious work, answering major theoretical and practical questions such as how to understand religion, how to handle religious issues, and how to do the Party’s religious work well in the New Era, and proposing the “Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era” with the “Nine Musts” as its main content. [2]2 The “Nine Musts” are a numbered set of principles for religious work in the New Era, first articulated by Xi Jinping at the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work. The Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era is both in the same lineage as the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religious work and advances with the times, demonstrating the political will to effectively strengthen the Party’s leadership over religious work in the New Era, and showing that the historic changes since the 18th National Congress of the CPC have endowed religious work in the New Era with profound theoretical connotations and clear action orientation.

二是新时代党的宗教工作理论与中国特色社会主义宗教理论的关系。党的十八大以来，党中央提出一系列关于宗教工作的新理念新举措，回答了新时代怎样认识宗教、怎样处理宗教问题、怎样做好党的宗教工作等重大理论和实践问题，提出了以“九个必须”为主要内容的“新时代党的宗教工作理论”。新时代党的宗教工作理论既和中国特色社会主义宗教理论一脉相承，又与时俱进，表明了新时代切实加强党对宗教工作领导的政治意志，显示了党的十八大以来的历史性变革赋予新时代宗教工作以深刻的理论内涵和鲜明的行动导向。

Third, the relationship between the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era and the Marxist view on religion and Marxist religious studies. The Marxist view on religion includes not only the basic views and attitudes towards various religious phenomena, issues, and the laws of the emergence, development, and extinction of religion, guided by the worldview and methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, but also the principles and policies for the proletariat (working-class) party to understand and handle religious issues under its guidance. Marxist religious studies, as Comrade Ren Jiyu pointed out, “must study not only the history, current situation, sects, doctrines, scriptures of various religions, and the role of religion in social history, but also scientific atheism, the principles of Marxist religious studies, and the policies of the proletariat towards religion, among other aspects.” [3]3 Ren Jiyu (1916–2009) was a prominent Chinese philosopher and historian of religion, known for his work in establishing Marxist religious studies in China.

三是新时代党的宗教工作理论与马克思主义宗教观、马克思主义宗教学的关系。马克思主义宗教观不仅包括以辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义的世界观和方法论为指导的对宗教的各种现象、问题和宗教发生、发展和消亡的规律的基本看法和态度，而且包括在其指导下无产阶级（工人阶级）政党认识和处理宗教问题的原则和政策。马克思主义宗教学，正如任继愈先生指出的，“既要研究各种宗教的历史、现状、教派、教义、经典以及宗教在社会历史上的作用，也要研究科学无神论、马克思主义宗教学原理、无产阶级对待宗教的政策等方面”。

In terms of both basic principles and religious work, the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era focuses on the theoretical summarization and elaboration of the Party’s religious work practices and policies. It is the latest achievement of combining the Marxist view on religion with the concrete reality of religious work in China in the New Era and with the fine traditional Chinese culture. It is the latest development of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religious work and the general outline for doing religious work well in the New Era. Compared with some previous theoretical summaries, the summarization and elaboration of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era are clearer, more precise, and more accurate, reflecting the characteristics of the times, dominance, practicality, and guidance, and embodying the features, connotations, and driving forces of the New Era.

在基本原理和宗教工作两个方面，新时代党的宗教工作理论侧重于对党的宗教工作实践和方针政策进行理论概括和阐述，是马克思主义宗教观同新时代中国宗教工作具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的最新成果，是中国特色社会主义宗教理论的最新发展，是做好新时代宗教工作的总纲要。与以往的一些理论概括相比，新时代党的宗教工作理论的概括和阐述更加明确清晰、更加精准到位，体现了时代性、主导性、实践性、指导性，反映了新时代的特征、内涵和动力。

II. Fully Understanding the Core Essence, Spiritual Substance, and Practical Requirements of the Party’s Theory on Religious Work in the New Era

二、全面理解新时代党的宗教工作理论的核心要义、精神实质和实践要求

The Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era focuses on studying and solving problems, “profoundly answering a series of major theoretical and practical questions on religious work in the New Era, and is the latest summary of the Party’s religious work practice.” Its main content is centrally embodied in the “Nine Musts” summarized in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the National Conference on Religious Work, namely: must deeply understand the importance of doing religious work well in the overall work of the Party and the state; must establish and improve a strong leadership mechanism; must uphold and develop the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religious work; must adhere to the Party’s basic policy on religious work; must adhere to the direction of Sinicizing religions in China; must unite the broad masses of religious believers around the Party and the government; must build a positive and healthy religious relationship; must support religious groups in strengthening their own construction; and must raise the level of law-based governance of religious work. The “Nine Musts” are an internally connected unified whole, covering a wide range of aspects, from importance, leadership mechanisms, basic theory, and basic policies to key tasks, important measures, and basic requirements. Each aspect contains rich content and can be developed into a major theme, and must be studied in depth and understood thoroughly.

新时代党的宗教工作理论着眼于研究问题、解决问题，“深刻回答了新时代宗教工作一系列重大理论和实践问题，是党的宗教工作实践的最新总结”。其主要内容集中体现为习近平总书记在全国宗教工作会议上的讲话中概括的“九个必须”，即必须深刻认识做好宗教工作在党和国家工作全局中的重要性，必须建立健全强有力的领导机制，必须坚持和发展中国特色社会主义宗教理论，必须坚持党的宗教工作基本方针，必须坚持我国宗教中国化方向，必须坚持把广大信教群众团结在党和政府周围，必须构建积极健康的宗教关系，必须支持宗教团体加强自身建设，必须提高宗教工作法治化水平。“九个必须”是一个具有内在联系的统一整体，涵盖面很宽，从重要性、领导机制、基本理论、基本方针到重点工作、重要举措、基本要求，每一个方面都包含着丰富的内容，都能做出大文章，必须深入学习、贯通领会。

From the “three sentences” and “four sentences” of the basic policy on religious work to the “nine musts” of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, the Party’s religious policy has maintained continuity and been continuously enriched and improved in practice. What is the core essence of the “nine musts” of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era? Our socialist market economy gives play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and to the better role of government; our socialist democratic politics combines freedom, democracy, and individual ease of mind at the micro level with discipline, centralization, and unity of will at the macro level. The core essence and spiritual substance of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era is the combination of freedom of religious belief at the individual level—that is, respecting and protecting every citizen’s freedom to believe in a religion, not to believe, and to propagate atheism—with education, management, and guidance at the social level, where the Party and government grasp the direction and maintain the overall situation. If we abstract the relationship between the individual and society, the micro and the macro, and freedom of belief and education, guidance, and management, our understanding of the core essence and spiritual substance of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era will become deeper and more conscious. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must comprehensively implement the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, comprehensively implement the Party’s basic policy on religious work, and comprehensively implement the Party’s policy on freedom of religious belief.” The emphasis on comprehensiveness arises because religious work itself is a complex matter that is multi-dimensional, multi-subject, multi-functional, multi-level, and constantly changing. In the practice of religious work since the founding of New China, different forms of one-sidedness have appeared in different periods. To comprehensively implement the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, we must guard against relaxing or even abandoning education, management, and guidance at the social and macro levels when emphasizing “freedom of belief” at the individual and micro levels, and also guard against neglecting or even disrespecting “freedom of belief” at the individual and micro levels when emphasizing education, management, and guidance at the social and macro levels. “Comprehensiveness” does not mean having no mainstream or no leading force. To achieve “comprehensiveness,” we must speak both the “theory of two points” and the “theory of key points.” Whether “comprehensiveness” is achieved must be tested in practice, with emphasis on practical results.

从宗教工作基本方针的“三句话”“四句话”到新时代党的宗教工作理论的“九个必须”，党的宗教政策保持了连续性，并在实践中不断充实和完善。新时代党的宗教工作理论“九个必须”的核心要义是什么？我们的社会主义市场经济是发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用和更好发挥政府作用；我们的社会主义民主政治，把微观上的自由、民主和个人心情舒畅，与宏观上的纪律、集中和统一意志相结合。新时代党的宗教工作理论的核心要义和精神实质，是个人层面上的宗教信仰自由，即尊重和保护每一个公民都有信教、不信教和宣传无神论的自由，与社会层面上党和政府把握方向、维护大局的教育、管理、引导相结合。如果把个人与社会，微观与宏观，信仰自由与教育、引导、管理的关系抽象出来，我们对新时代党的宗教工作理论的核心要义和精神实质的理解就会更深入、更自觉。习近平总书记强调，“要全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论，全面贯彻党的宗教工作基本方针，全面贯彻党的宗教信仰自由政策”。强调全面，是由于宗教工作本身是多维度、多主体、多功能、多层次且不断变化的复杂事务。在新中国成立以来的宗教工作实践中，不同时期曾出现过不同表现形式的片面性。全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论，既要防止在强调个人、微观层面的“信仰自由”时放松甚至放弃了社会、宏观层面的“教育、管理、引导”，同时也要防止在强调社会、宏观层面的“教育、管理、引导”时忽视甚至不尊重个人、微观层面的“信仰自由”。“全面”不是无主流、无主导。要做到“全面”，既要讲“两点论”，也要讲“重点论”。衡量是否“全面”，要经过实践检验，重在实践效果。

To comprehensively implement the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era and do a good job of religious work in the New Era, attention must be paid to correctly understanding and handling the following issues.

全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论，做好新时代宗教工作，要注意正确认识和处理好以下几个问题。

First, comprehensively understand and grasp the “dual nature” of the social role of religion. Because religion has the characteristics of long-term nature, mass nature, ethnic nature, international nature, and complexity, as well as the dual nature of its social role, it is necessary to objectively and dialectically understand and view the social role of religion, and “guide religion to strive to serve economic development, social harmony, cultural prosperity, ethnic unity, and the unification of the motherland.” It is necessary to “respect the laws of religion and religious work, incorporate the management of religious affairs into the national governance system, grasp the appropriate measure in work, adjust specific policies and work strategies according to the continuous development and change of practice, and always adhere to the correct work direction.” The superficial, one-sided understanding of the kind that sees flowers through a mist or touches an elephant like a blind man [4]4 “Seeing flowers through a mist” (雾里看花) and “touching an elephant like a blind man” (盲人摸象) are Chinese idioms. The former describes a blurred or unclear view; the latter refers to the parable of blind men touching different parts of an elephant and each mistaking his partial perception for the whole, illustrating one-sided understanding. is an important cognitive and ideological root cause of the past policies that alternated between being too tight and too loose. Second, comprehensively understand and grasp the “essence” of religion and religious work. On the issue of religion, there are two summaries concerning “essence”: the first is that the essence of religion is illusoriness; the second is that the essence of religious work is mass work. Engels profoundly pointed out in Anti-Dühring, “All religion, however, is nothing but the fantastic reflection in men’s minds of those external forces which control their daily life.” The renowned Chinese philosopher and religious scholar Ren Jiyu pointed out, “As an ideology, religion also has illusoriness, intuitiveness, exclusivity, and penetrability. These four natures have their own laws of ideological movement,” and “with illusoriness as the core, it is only with illusoriness that it becomes religion.” What is the relationship between the “four natures” Ren Jiyu spoke of and the “five natures” of religion we often refer to—long-term nature, mass nature, ethnic nature, international nature, and complexity? The author believes that the two are summaries of the characteristics and features of religion from different aspects. The “four natures” are a summary of the attributes of religion as an ideology, with illusoriness as the core; the “five natures” are a summary of the social attributes of religion, with mass nature as the core. The “two summaries” of the essence of religion and the essence of religious work cannot replace each other, nor can they negate each other; just because the essence of religious work is mass work does not mean denying that the essence of religion is illusoriness, and just because the essence of religion is illusoriness does not mean denying that the essence of religious work is mass work. An important distinction between religion and other social ideologies lies in its mass nature. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The fundamental interests of religious believers and non-believers are identical in politics and economy; both are part of the Party’s mass base of governance. We must both protect the right of religious believers to freedom of religious belief, unite religious believers to the greatest extent, and also do patient and meticulous work with religious believers.” Religious work should focus on religious believers, strengthen propaganda and education, comprehensive governance, and united front work, and take whether the broad masses of religious believers can be united around the Party and government as the fundamental criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of religious work.

一是全面认识和把握宗教社会作用的“两重性”。由于宗教具有长期性、群众性、民族性、国际性、复杂性的特征和宗教社会作用的两重性，因此必须客观、辩证地认识和看待宗教的社会作用，“引导宗教努力为促进经济发展、社会和谐、文化繁荣、民族团结、祖国统一服务”。要“尊重宗教和宗教工作规律，把宗教事务管理纳入国家治理体系，把握好工作的尺度，根据实践的不断发展变化调整具体政策和工作策略，始终坚持正确的工作方向”。那种雾里看花、盲人摸象式的表面的、片面的认识，是导致以往政策忽紧忽松的一个重要的认识根源、思想根源。 二是全面认识和把握宗教和宗教工作的“本质”。在宗教问题上，有两个关于“本质”的概括：第一个是宗教的本质是虚幻性；第二个是宗教工作本质上是群众工作。恩格斯在《反杜林论》中深刻指出，“一切宗教都不过是支配着人们日常生活的外部力量在人们头脑中的幻想的反映”。我国著名哲学家、宗教学家任继愈先生指出，“作为意识形态，宗教还有幻想性、直观性、排他性、渗透性，这四种性质，有它思想运动的规律”，“以幻想性为核心，有了幻想性才是宗教”。任继愈所说的这“四性”，与我们经常说的宗教“五性”即长期性、群众性、民族性、国际性、复杂性是什么关系呢？笔者认为，两者是从不同方面对宗教特征和特点的概括。“四性”是对宗教意识形态属性的概括，核心是虚幻性；“五性”是对宗教社会属性的概括，核心是群众性。 对宗教的本质和宗教工作的本质的“两个概括”，不能互相代替，也不能互相否定；既不能因为宗教工作本质上是群众工作，就否认了宗教的本质是虚幻性，也不能因为宗教的本质是虚幻性，就否认宗教工作本质上是群众工作。宗教同其他社会意识形态的一个重要区别，就在于其群众性。习近平指出：“信教群众和不信教群众在政治上经济上的根本利益是一致的，都是党执政的群众基础。既要保护信教群众宗教信仰自由权利，最大限度团结信教群众，也要耐心细致做信教群众工作。”宗教工作要着眼于信教群众，加强宣传教育、综合治理和统战工作，要把能不能把广大信教群众团结在党和政府周围作为评价宗教工作成效的根本标准。

Third, comprehensively understand and grasp the long-term nature of religion and the task requirements of the New Era. In 2021, the National Conference on Religious Work added new content and new requirements of “adapting to the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics” after “actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society,” which became a highlight of the conference. The long-term nature of religion is spoken of in terms of religion as a whole as a social and historical phenomenon; at the same time, religion is not a static or isolated phenomenon but is determined by society and adapts to society. To actively guide religion to adapt to the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must proceed from the “two overall situations” of the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the changes unseen in a century in the world. Currently, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered a critical period. The more developed and stronger the Chinese nation becomes, the greater the resistance and pressure it will encounter. The United States and other Western countries are imposing all-round containment and suppression on our country, using every means at their disposal. Playing the “ethnic card” and the “religious card” is their habitual tactic. When they play economic, trade, technological, diplomatic, and other cards, they often have to bear corresponding consequences and costs themselves, but playing the “ethnic card” and the “religious card,” setting agendas, creating incidents, spreading “century-old lies,” attempting to sow discord among China’s domestic ethnic and religious relations, and containing, curbing, and delaying China’s development and rise, costs them very little and has little impact on themselves; moreover, through the Western media tools they control, they can stigmatize China, occupy a so-called “moral high ground,” form cliques, and gang up against China. The “two overall situations” are interconnected; national rejuvenation is an important feature, important content, and important driving force of the century-old changes. This is precisely the era background, practical significance, guiding role, and innovative value of proposing to actively guide religion “to adapt to the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” This new content and new requirement of religious work externally highlights the strategic measures to respond to the United States and Western countries playing the “ethnic card” and the “religious card,” fundamentally preventing and defusing major risks in the ethnic and religious fields; internally, it highlights the political wisdom of maintaining a high-pressure crackdown on ethnic separatist forces, religious extremist forces, and violent terrorist forces, striking as soon as they appear, rallying people’s hearts, and using righteousness to dispel evil, so as to better organize and guide religious believers to strive together with the broad masses of the people to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

三是全面认识和把握宗教的长期性和新时代的任务要求。2021年，全国宗教工作会议在“积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应”之后，又增加了“与中国特色社会主义新时代相适应”的新内容新要求，这成为会议的一个亮点。宗教的长期性，是从宗教作为社会历史现象的整体上说的，同时，宗教不是静止的、孤立的现象，而是由社会所决定，与社会相适应的。积极引导宗教与中国特色社会主义新时代相适应，就要从中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局的“两个大局”出发。当前中华民族伟大复兴进入关键时期。中华民族越发展强大，遇到的阻力和压力就会越大。美国等西方国家对我国进行全方位遏制打压，手段无所不用其极。打“民族牌”“宗教牌”就是他们惯用的伎俩。他们打经济、贸易、科技、外交等其他牌，自身往往也要承担相应的后果和代价，而打“民族牌”“宗教牌”，设置议题，制造事端，散布“世纪谎言”，企图挑拨中国国内民族、宗教之间的关系，牵制、遏制、延缓中国的发展崛起，这对他们来说成本极低，对其自身也没有什么影响，而且还可以通过他们所控制的西方舆论工具，污名化中国，占据所谓的“道德制高点”，拉帮结伙，对付中国。“两个大局”相互联系，民族复兴是百年变局的重要特征、重要内容和重要动力。这正是提出积极引导宗教“与中国特色社会主义新时代相适应”的时代背景、现实意义、指导作用和创新价值所在。宗教工作的这一新内容新要求，对外凸显了应对美国和西方国家打“民族牌”“宗教牌”，从根本上防范化解民族、宗教领域重大风险的战略举措；对内凸显了对民族分裂势力、宗教极端势力、暴力恐怖势力高压严打、露头就打，凝聚人心、以正祛邪的政治智慧，以利于更好组织和引导信教群众同广大人民群众一道为全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦而团结奋斗。

Fourth, comprehensively understand and grasp the individual and social attributes of religion. Regarding religious belief, there are two levels of concept: one is the individual attribute as a personal choice of belief, and the other is the social attribute as a community of believers. From the perspective of the individual attribute as a personal choice of belief, the essence of “freedom of religious belief” is to treat belief or non-belief in religion as a “private matter” of the citizen’s free personal choice. In 1844, Marx and Engels pointed out in *The Holy Family*: “When the individual no longer treats religion as a public matter but as his own private matter, he has then been politically liberated from religion.” From the perspective of the social attribute as a community of believers, religion is not only manifested as an ideology but also constitutes religious organizations maintained by the common beliefs, common taboos and prohibitions, and common interests of the faithful, thereby assembling it into an organized social group that becomes a social force capable of influencing other aspects of society, rather than merely a personal belief. Beyond the scope of personal belief, when it involves the social public sphere, religious affairs, like other social affairs, must comply with laws and regulations; this is also the basic basis for managing religious affairs according to law.

四是全面认识和把握宗教的个体属性和社会属性。关于宗教信仰，有两个层面的概念：一个是作为个人信仰选择的个体属性，另一个是作为信仰者群体的社会属性。从作为个人信仰选择的个体属性来看，“宗教信仰自由”的实质就是，要把信仰宗教和不信仰宗教作为公民个人自由选择的“私事”。1844年，马克思恩格斯在《神圣家族》中指出：“当单个的人不再把宗教当做公共事务而当做自己的私人事务来对待时，他在政治上也就从宗教中解放出来了。”从作为信仰者群体的社会属性来看，宗教不仅仅表现为一种意识形态，而且还组成了由信徒共同的信仰、共同的禁忌制度和共同的利益维系的宗教组织，从而使它集合成一个有组织的社会群体，成为可以影响社会其他方面的一种社会力量，而非仅仅是个人的信仰。超出个人信仰的范围，涉及社会公共领域，宗教事务就与其他社会事务一样，必须遵守法律法规，这也是依法管理宗教事务的基本依据。

The view that advocates a “laissez-faire” attitude toward religion stems from only addressing the individual attribute of belief while ignoring the social attribute, only seeing the surface phenomenon without seeing the essence, and neglecting the complex social and political factors behind religion as well as the social functions that have been endowed upon religion which it itself does not and should not possess. Therefore, it is one-sided and incorrect. As a complex social phenomenon, religion has, from ancient times to the present, possessed distinct group characteristics and broad social influence. Whether one believes, how many people believe, and how they believe have never been merely personal private matters but are important social affairs. In contemporary China, where the separation of church and state has long been realized and the individual attribute of belief choice is respected and protected, as the ruling party, our Party should focus its understanding of religious issues and the focus of its religious work on the social attribute of religion, incorporating the management of religious affairs into the national governance system.

那种主张对宗教采取“放”的态度，根源是只讲信仰的个体属性而不讲社会属性，只看到表象而没有看到本质，忽视了宗教背后包含的复杂社会政治因素以及宗教被赋予的一些本身没有也不应该有的社会功能，因而是不全面的，也是不正确的。宗教作为一种复杂的社会现象，从古至今都具有鲜明的群体特征和广泛的社会影响。信不信教、多少人信教、怎样信教，从来就不只是个人的私事，更是重要的社会事务。在早已实现政教分离、信仰选择的个体属性得到尊重和保护的当代中国，作为执政党，我们党更应该把认识宗教问题、做好宗教工作的着眼点和着力点放在宗教的社会属性上，把宗教事务管理纳入国家治理体系。

Fifth, comprehensively understand and grasp the “Sinicization” and “legalization” of religion. Adhering to the direction of Sinicization for all religions in China is an innovative concept that, combined with the ideological attribute of religion, achieves effective guidance; raising the level of legalization in religious work is an innovative measure that, combined with the social entity attribute of religion, achieves effective regulation. We cannot separate “Sinicization” and “legalization” as two unrelated matters, but must recognize the internal connection between them. “Sinicization” is the ideological construction of the religious circles themselves, led by the core socialist values; “legalization” is the legal norms and behavioral compliance of the broader society. Promoting through “Sinicization” on one hand, and regulating through “legalization” on the other, these are two mutually reinforcing focal points for realizing the key of “guidance” and achieving the goal of “managing well and controlling effectively.”

五是全面认识和把握宗教的“中国化”“法治化”。坚持我国各宗教的中国化方向，是结合宗教意识形态属性，实现导之有方的创新理念；提高宗教工作法治化水平，是结合宗教社会实体属性，实现导之有效的创新举措。我们不能把“中国化”“法治化”割裂开来，看成互不相关的两码事，而要认识两者间的内在联系。“中国化”是以社会主义核心价值观引领的宗教界自身的思想建设，“法治化”是社会范围的法律规范和行为遵循。一方面用“中国化”推动，另一方面用“法治化”规范，这是实现关键在“导”、实现“管住管好”目标的两个互相配合的着力点。

Sixth, comprehensively understand and grasp the principle of maintaining independence and self-management and resisting overseas religious infiltration. Adhering to the principle of independence and self-management does not mean severing normal contacts with foreign religious circles, but rather supporting and encouraging religious circles to conduct international exchanges on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and friendship. China’s religions have no subordinate relationship with foreign religions, and China’s religious groups and religious affairs are not subject to the domination of foreign forces. This is a constitutional principle that must always be upheld. The practice of religious work since the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, tells us that behind major risks in the religious field, there are often activities of infiltration and sabotage by international anti-China and containment forces using religion against our country. Under the conditions of reform and opening up, it is necessary to uphold a holistic approach to national security, adhere to the principle of independence and self-management, resist overseas religious infiltration, strengthen the management of religious affairs on the internet, build a positive and healthy religious relationship, and prevent and defuse potential major risks in the religious field.

六是全面认识和把握坚持独立自主自办原则和抵御境外宗教渗透。坚持独立自主自办原则，不是要断绝同外国宗教界的正常联系，而是要支持和鼓励宗教界在相互尊重、平等友好的基础上开展对外交往。我国宗教同外国宗教不存在隶属关系，我国宗教团体和宗教事务不受外国势力支配。这是一条宪法原则，必须始终坚持。新中国成立以来特别是改革开放以来宗教工作的实践告诉我们，宗教领域重大风险的背后往往都有国际反华遏华势力利用宗教对我国进行的渗透破坏活动。在改革开放的条件下，要坚持总体国家安全观，坚持独立自主自办原则，抵御境外宗教渗透，加强互联网宗教事务管理，构建积极健康的宗教关系，防范化解宗教领域潜在的重大风险。

Seventh, comprehensively understand and promote the construction of a governance pattern for religious affairs featuring Party committee leadership, government management, social coordination, and religious self-discipline. Incorporating the management of religious affairs into the national governance system is a strategic goal and requirement. A prominent highlight of the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work [5]5 The National Conference on Religious Work is a high-level meeting convened by the CPC Central Committee to set policy guidelines for religious affairs. The 2021 conference was the most recent such meeting. was that, in the governance of religious affairs, on the one hand, it clarified the responsibilities and requirements of the religious circles themselves, requiring them to raise their level of self-management, promote the patriotic spirit, emphasize the overall situation, the rule of law, science, and love, and continuously enhance their identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics; on the other hand, it also clarified that Party and government departments should support and guide religious circles to strengthen self-education, self-management, and self-restraint, comprehensively and strictly govern religion, take the lead in abiding by laws and regulations, and enhance religious cultivation. Respect and leverage the role of religious groups in internal religious affairs, promoting the healthy inheritance of China’s religions. Formulations such as “comprehensive and strict governance of religion,” “religious self-discipline,” and “healthy inheritance of religion” are both reflections on the problems exposed within religious circles under the new situation and requirements linking the rights and obligations of religious circles. Religious circles enjoy the right and freedom to believe in religion according to law, while simultaneously bearing and fulfilling the responsibilities and obligations of patriotism, law-abiding, rule-abiding, building a positive and healthy religious relationship, and promoting the healthy inheritance of religion.

七是全面认识和推动构建党委领导、政府管理、社会协同、宗教自律的宗教事务治理格局。把宗教事务管理纳入国家治理体系，是一个战略性的目标和要求。2021年全国宗教工作会议的一个突出亮点是在宗教事务治理上，一方面明确了宗教界自身的责任和要求，要求提高宗教界自我管理水平，弘扬爱国精神，讲大局、讲法治、讲科学、讲爱心，不断增进对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同；另一方面也明确了党政部门要支持引导宗教界加强自我教育、自我管理、自我约束，全面从严治教，带头守法遵规、提升宗教修为。尊重和发挥宗教团体在宗教内部事务中的作用，促进我国宗教健康传承。“全面从严治教”“宗教自律”“宗教健康传承”等提法，既是对新形势下宗教界自身暴露问题的反思，也是对宗教界权利和义务相联系的要求。宗教界依法享有信教的权利和自由，同时要承担和履行爱国守法遵规、构建积极健康的宗教关系、促进宗教健康传承的责任和义务。

Eighth, comprehensively understand and grasp the contest between atheism and theism in the ideological sphere. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on upholding and propagating Marxist atheism at the 2016 and 2021 National Conferences on Religious Work are very rich in content, with two key points. First, it profoundly points out that the shift in some people’s purpose for believing in religion from utilitarianism and pragmatism to spiritual pursuit and spiritual sustenance has brought new problems and new challenges to our Party’s ideological work, ideological and political education, and the publicity and education of core socialist values. There is also a contest in the ideological sphere between atheism and theism, a certain form of struggle for people’s hearts. If theism spreads unchecked in our country and the number of people believing in various religions continues to increase, it will ultimately affect our Party’s guiding ideology, ruling foundation, and so on. This is a political awareness, political security, and political responsibility raised from the height of maintaining ideological security. Second, it explicitly states that Communist Party members must uphold and propagate Marxist atheism. It particularly emphasizes the political discipline that Communist Party members cannot believe in religion, requiring Communist Party members to be firm Marxist atheists, strictly abide by the Party Constitution and Party regulations, and firmly uphold ideals and convictions. It further proposes that, as believers in Marxism, Communist Party members must of course uphold atheism; not upholding atheism means not being a Marxist, nor a thorough materialist. We must not only uphold Marxist atheism but also actively propagate Marxist atheism. It authoritatively proposes that upholding Marxist atheism is a major principle, and all aspects of our country’s legislation, administration, and judiciary, as well as the economy, politics, society, culture, and ecology, must adhere to this major principle and not intentionally or unintentionally violate it. This is raised from the height of Party building, emphasizing the Party’s political discipline, political responsibility, and political principles.

八是全面认识和把握意识形态领域无神论和有神论的较量。习近平总书记在2016年、2021年全国宗教工作会议上关于坚持和宣传马克思主义无神论的重要论述，内容非常丰富，其中有两个重点。首先，深刻地指出，现在一些民众信仰宗教的目的从功利主义、实用主义向精神追求、精神寄托的变化，给我们党的意识形态工作、思想政治教育、社会主义核心价值观宣传教育都带来了新的问题、新的挑战。无神论和有神论之间也有意识形态领域的较量，是某种形式的争夺人心。如果让有神论在我国蔓延开来，信仰各种宗教的人越来越多，最终会对我们党的指导思想、执政基础等产生影响。这是从维护意识形态安全的高度提出的政治意识、政治安全、政治担当。其次，旗帜鲜明地提出共产党员要坚持和宣传马克思主义无神论。特别强调共产党员不能信教这一政治纪律，要求共产党员做坚定的马克思主义无神论者，严守党章党规，坚定理想信念。同时进一步提出，作为马克思主义信奉者，共产党员当然要坚持无神论，不坚持无神论就不是马克思主义者了，也就不是彻底的唯物论者了。我们不仅要坚持马克思主义无神论，而且要积极宣传马克思主义无神论。高屋建瓴地提出坚持马克思主义无神论是大原则，我国立法、行政、司法，以及经济、政治、社会、文化、生态等方方面面都要坚持这个大原则，不要有意无意违背。这是从党的建设高度，强调了党的政治纪律、政治责任、政治原则。

The above two points can be summarized in two sentences: safeguard ideological security, and shoulder the responsibility of Communist Party members. The former concerns political consciousness and political stance; the latter concerns political responsibility and practical requirements. We must not only uphold Marxist atheism but also actively propagate Marxist atheism, popularize scientific and cultural knowledge, help and guide people to draw clear distinctions between materialism and idealism, atheism and theism, science and superstition, civilization and ignorance, and always maintain the dominant position of Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology in the minds of the people. Reviewing survey research in recent years, there are three main ideological and theoretical obstacles to strengthening the propaganda and education of atheism among the people. First, insufficient attention is paid to atheist propaganda and education. Some comrades engaged in ideological and political education and theoretical propaganda often believe that we are conducting Marxist propaganda and education every day, and that propagating materialism is propagating atheism, so there is no need to emphasize atheism separately. Theoretically, the Marxist worldview is dialectical materialism and historical materialism; thoroughgoing materialism is also thoroughgoing atheism. Therefore, Marxist dialectical materialism and historical materialism indeed inherently contain the premises and conclusions of atheism. However, this does not mean that everyone who generally acknowledges and believes in Marxism recognizes the atheist ideological content it contains. Marxism contains rich atheist content, which is self-evident to those who deeply understand Marxism, but not all others are aware of it. Atheism still needs to be demonstrated, and this requires propaganda and education. Therefore, we must propagate both dialectical materialism and historical materialism, as well as Marxist atheism.

上述两点可以概括为两句话：维护意识形态安全，肩负共产党员责任。前者是政治意识、政治站位，后者是政治责任、实践要求。我们不仅要坚持马克思主义无神论，而且要积极宣传马克思主义无神论，普及科学文化知识，帮助和引导人们划清唯物论和唯心论、无神论和有神论、科学和迷信、文明和愚昧的界限，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思想中的主导地位。 梳理近年来的调查研究可知，加强对人民群众的无神论宣传教育在思想理论方面的障碍主要有三个。 一是不重视无神论宣传教育。一些从事思想政治教育和理论宣传的同志往往认为，我们天天都在进行马克思主义宣传教育，宣传唯物论就是宣传无神论，没有必要再去强调无神论。从理论上说，马克思主义世界观是辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义，彻底的唯物主义也是彻底的无神论，因此，马克思主义辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义的确内在地包含着无神论的前提和结论。但是，这并不意味着总体上承认和相信马克思主义的人都认识到了它所包含的无神论的思想内容。马克思主义包含着丰富的无神论的内容，这对深入了解马克思主义的人来说是不言而喻的，但其他一些人并不是都意识到了。无神论仍然需要展示出来，这就需要进行宣传教育。所以，我们既要宣传辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义，也要宣传马克思主义无神论。

In July 2021, the Party Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Strengthening and Improving Ideological and Political Work in the New Era" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), which pointed out the need to "strengthen education in Marxist materialism and atheism." The "Marxist materialism" mentioned here already includes atheism in terms of its ideological connotation, but the "Opinions" immediately follow with "atheist education," which is entirely necessary. Such wording reflects the requirement of the Party Central Committee and the State Council to correctly understand and handle the relationship between Marxist materialism and atheist education in ideological and political work in the New Era.

2021年7月，党中央、国务院印发《关于新时代加强和改进思想政治工作的意见》（以下简称《意见》），指出要“加强马克思主义唯物论和无神论教育”。这里所说的“马克思主义唯物论”，按其思想内涵来说已经包含了无神论，但是，《意见》紧接着又讲“无神论教育”，这是完全必要的。这样的表述，体现了党中央、国务院对于在新时代思想政治工作中正确认识和处理马克思主义唯物论和无神论教育之间关系的要求。

In his article "On the Significance of Militant Materialism," Lenin pointed out: "A Marxist who thinks that the hundreds of millions of people (especially the peasants and artisans) who are placed by the whole of modern society in a state of ignorance and prejudice can only escape from this state of ignorance through the straight path of purely Marxist education is committing the greatest and worst mistake. They should be provided with various atheist propaganda materials, told facts from all aspects of actual life, approached by various means, to arouse their interest, awaken them from their religious slumber, and stir them up from all sides by various methods, and so on." In contemporary China, general theoretical propaganda and education cannot replace the propaganda and education of Marxist atheism. We should also provide the people with various atheist propaganda materials, especially by making good use of examples from everyday life, telling the people facts and principles from all aspects of actual life, and conducting vivid and effective propaganda and education through facts and comparisons, rather than confining atheist propaganda and education to theories, principles, and concepts.

列宁在《论战斗唯物主义的意义》一文中指出：“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直路，才能摆脱愚昧状态，那就是最大的而且是最坏的错误。应该向他们提供各种无神论的宣传材料，告诉他们实际生活各个方面的事实，用各种办法接近他们，以引起他们的兴趣，唤醒他们的宗教迷梦，用种种方法从各方面使他们振作起来，如此等等。”在当代中国，一般的理论宣传教育不能代替马克思主义无神论的宣传教育。我们也应向人民群众提供各种无神论的宣传材料，特别要善于运用身边发生的事例，告诉人民群众实际生活各个方面的事实和道理，用事实和对比进行生动有效的宣传教育，而不是把无神论宣传教育仅仅停留在理论、原则和概念上。

Second, some believe that propagating atheism is useless. Some comrades say: Those who believe in atheism do not need you to propagate atheism to them; they are already atheists. Those who believe in theism will not be convinced even if you propagate to them. The conclusion is that there is no need to propagate atheism. This view actually limits the target audience of atheist propaganda and education and narrows the scope within which atheism can play a role.

二是认为宣传无神论没有用。有的同志说：信无神论的，你不必向他宣传无神论，他就是无神论；信有神论的，你向他宣传也没用；结论就是不必宣传无神论。这种观点，实际上是限制了无神论宣传教育的对象，缩小了无神论发挥作用的范围。

Atheist propaganda and education should indeed not target the religious circles and religious believers. Party policy stipulates that "one should not conduct atheist propaganda in religious venues or initiate debates between theism and atheism among religious believers." However, these policies and requirements should not be misunderstood or misread as applying to the entire society. Because atheist propaganda and education do not target the religious circles and religious believers, one should not abandon the conduct of rational, beneficial, and effective atheist propaganda and education in mass media and propaganda and education aimed at society as a whole.

无神论的宣传教育的确不应该把宗教界和信教群众作为对象。党的政策规定，“不应当到宗教场所进行无神论的宣传，或者在信教群众中发动有神还是无神的辩论”。但不能把这些政策和要求误解、误读为对全社会的政策和要求，不能因为不以宗教界和信教群众为对象宣传无神论，就放弃在面向社会的大众传媒和宣传教育中开展有理有利有效的无神论宣传教育。

The key targets of atheist propaganda and education are, first and foremost, Party members and leading cadres at all levels who hold power and resources, i.e., the "key minority." [6]6 "Key minority" (关键少数) refers to leading cadres at and above the county and department level, who hold significant power and responsibility and are therefore the primary focus of Party governance and ideological work. The long-term nature of the existence of theism determines that the atheism opposed to it must also be long-term. History has not ended, nor can it be ended; atheism will not end either, but will deepen continuously with the development of practice. Atheist propaganda and education is a process that requires constantly studying new situations and solving new problems; it should not and cannot be accomplished once and for all. Even Party members and leading cadres who have initially established a dialectical materialist and historical materialist worldview, and who believe in and uphold atheism, must continuously learn new knowledge and answer new questions in practice, resisting the spiritual temptations and ideological infiltration of theism and feudal superstition. The typical cases of "asking not about the people but about ghosts and gods" [7]7 "Asking not about the people but about ghosts and gods" (不问苍生问鬼神) is a classical allusion from a poem by the Tang dynasty poet Li Shangyin, criticizing Emperor Wen of Han for consulting a scholar on spiritual matters rather than on governance; here it is used to condemn corrupt officials who turn to superstition instead of serving the people. exposed in the anti-corruption tide since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [8]8 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in November 2012, marking the beginning of a major anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping's leadership. are profound and vivid cautionary examples for propagating atheism in the New Era. Practice shows that the view that there is no need to conduct atheist propaganda and education for atheists is a mistaken view that looks at problems in a static and isolated manner.

无神论宣传教育对象的重点，首先是掌握权力和资源的各级党员领导干部，即“关键少数”。有神论存在的长期性决定了与之相对的无神论也必然具有长期性。历史没有终结，也不可能被终结，无神论也不会终结，而会随着实践的发展而不断地深化。无神论宣传教育是一个需要不断研究新情况、解决新问题的过程，不应也不可能一劳永逸。即使是初步树立了辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义世界观，相信和坚持无神论的党员领导干部也要在实践中不断学习新知识、回答新问题，抵御有神论和封建迷信的精神诱惑和思想渗透。党的十八大以来在反腐大潮中揭露出来的“不问苍生问鬼神”的典型案例，就是新时代宣传无神论的深刻、生动的警示教育。实践说明，那种认为对无神论者没有必要再进行无神论宣传教育的观点，是一种静止孤立地看问题的错误观点。

Atheist propaganda and education must not only be carried out but also be carried out unremittingly from generation to generation. This is because the continuously emerging new generation of young people has not experienced the previous process of social consciousness development. "If they are not given a 'basic' education, they will become ignorant and foolish on issues concerning the 'basics,' passively or actively remaining at the bottom of social consciousness in areas beyond the reach of education." In the New Era, we must confidently and unremittingly carry out atheist propaganda and education, ensuring that atheist education enters textbooks, enters classrooms, and enters the minds of the vast number of young people.

无神论宣传教育不仅要进行，而且要坚持不懈地一代一代地进行。这是因为，不断出生的新一代年轻人，没有经历以前社会意识的发展过程，“如果不对他们进行‘基础’教育，他们就会在有关‘基础’的问题上成为无知者和愚昧者，被动地或主动地在教育所不及的领域处于社会意识的底层”。在新时代，要理直气壮、坚持不懈地开展无神论宣传教育，让无神论教育进教材、进课堂、进广大青少年的头脑。

Third, there is a fear of difficulty. Propagating atheism requires studying religion and criticizing theology; it requires studying the various manifestations of idealism and criticizing theism and feudal superstition. One of the difficulties here is criticizing theology: without touching on specific theological viewpoints, criticism easily becomes vague; when specific theological viewpoints are touched upon, it easily provokes resistance and exploitation from certain people within particular religions. Therefore, in civic education and social propaganda, there is often a fear of difficulty regarding the propagation of atheism, with the belief that atheism is hard to explain, and that explaining it poorly can easily trigger incidents and affect social stability. In this regard, there have been successful experiences and cases in history. For example: Mr. Ren Jiyu, whom Mao Zedong called “as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns,”[9]9 “As rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns” (凤毛麟角) is a Chinese idiom used to describe something extremely rare and precious. Mao Zedong used this phrase to praise the scholar Ren Jiyu (1916–2009) for his pioneering work in Marxist religious studies. in his research on Buddhist thought of the Han and Tang dynasties, placed each type of Buddhist thought that emerged in Chinese history into its specific historical context, analyzing the background and causes of its emergence, its development and characteristics, as well as its historical limitations and negative impacts. Mr. Ren Jiyu thereby became the pioneer and exemplary model for studying religion and criticizing theology under the guidance of Marxism. Marxist atheism is not a simple negation of theism, but rather uses a scientific worldview and methodology to correctly explain it from various aspects. The criticism of theism must be strictly limited to the ideological sphere. Politically uniting with religious figures and believers, and ideologically criticizing idealism and theism, are two aspects that cannot be neglected. The means of criticizing theism is propaganda and education, not simply adopting administrative measures. Criticizing theism does not mean criticizing religion, nor is it aimed at the social entities that believe in religion. Even within the ideological sphere, the connections, permeations, and interweavings of religion with other forms of consciousness must be distinguished. For example: religion and art permeate each other; they must be scientifically inherited and protected, taking the essence and discarding the dross. Policy and strategy must be emphasized, distinguishing between occasions and targets. Do not launch debates between theism and atheism within religious venues or among believers. There are differences between inside and outside the Party, and differences between different targets. If the theory is clarified, the policy is distinguished, religion is explained through history, religion is explained through facts, religion is studied, theology is criticized, and atheism is well explained, then it is possible to achieve results, and it is possible to explain clearly with reason, benefit, and effectiveness. These three ideological obstacles need to be clarified and eliminated. The struggle between infiltration and anti-infiltration, and between disorderly expansion and anti-disorderly expansion in the field of religious work, plays an important role in national security, social stability, and economic development. Strengthening the propaganda and education of atheism among the masses is an important foundational task for preventing and defusing major risks in the religious field within the ideological sphere. Doing this work well requires both profound theoretical and academic accumulation and great political wisdom; this will become a difficult but meaningful task in carrying out propaganda and education on atheism and building the disciplinary system of atheism. To fully implement the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, we must adhere to the principle of combining goal orientation with problem orientation, and always firmly grasp the direction of religious work’s progress.

三是有畏难情绪。宣传无神论就要研究宗教，批判神学；就要研究唯心论的种种表现，批判有神论和封建迷信。其中的一个难点是批判神学：不涉及具体的神学观点，批判就容易流于空泛；涉及具体的神学观点，又容易引起特定宗教中某些人的抵触和利用。因此，在公民教育和社会宣传时，对宣传无神论往往有畏难情绪，认为无神论不好讲，讲不好就容易引发事端，影响社会稳定。 在这方面，历史上有过成功的经验和案例。例如：被毛泽东称为“凤毛麟角”的任继愈先生，对汉唐佛教思想的研究，是把每一种在中国历史上产生的佛教思想放到具体的历史场景中，分析它产生的背景和原因、发展和特点以及历史局限性和负面影响。任继愈先生由此成为以马克思主义为指导研究宗教、批判神学的开创者和大家典范。 马克思主义无神论并不是对有神论的简单否定，而是运用科学的世界观和方法论从各个方面对之进行正确的说明。对有神论的批判，要严格限制在意识形态领域。在政治上团结宗教界人士和信教群众与在意识形态上批判唯心论、有神论，是不可偏废的两个方面。批判有神论的手段是宣传教育，而不是简单地采取行政措施。批判有神论，不是批判宗教，不是针对信仰宗教的社会实体。即使是在意识形态领域中，对宗教与其他意识形式的联系、渗透、交织也要加以区分。比如：宗教和艺术相互渗透，要科学地继承和保护，取其精华，去其糟粕。要讲政策、讲策略，区分场合和对象。不在宗教场所和信教群众中发动有神和无神的争论。党内党外有别，不同对象有别。理论上说清楚，政策上分清楚，用历史说明宗教，用事实说明宗教，研究宗教，批判神学，讲好无神论是可以有所作为的，是可以有理有利有效地讲清楚说明白的。 这三个思想障碍，需要澄清，需要破除。宗教工作领域中的渗透和反渗透，无序扩张和反无序扩张的较量，对于国家安全、社会稳定和经济发展具有重要作用。加强对人民群众的无神论宣传教育，是在思想领域、意识形态领域防范和化解宗教领域重大风险的一项重要的基础性工作。做好这项工作，既需要深厚的理论学术积淀，也需要极大的政治智慧，这将成为开展无神论宣传教育、构建无神论学科体系中艰难而有意义的工作。全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论，要坚持目标导向和问题导向相结合的原则，始终牢牢把握宗教工作前进的方向。

III. Guided by the Party’s Theory on Religious Work in the New Era, Seize the Opportunity to Strengthen the Construction of the Marxist Academic Discipline of Religious Studies

三、以新时代党的宗教工作理论为指导，抓住机遇，加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes the need to cultivate the “three teams” of political, governmental, and academic personnel in religious work: to cultivate a team of Party and government cadres who are proficient in the Marxist view on religion, familiar with religious work, and skilled in doing work among believers; to cultivate a team of representative figures from religious circles who are politically reliable, accomplished in religion, morally convincing, and effective in critical moments; and to cultivate a team of religious studies researchers who are ideologically and politically steadfast, adhere to the Marxist view on religion, have a good academic style, and are good at innovation, and to strengthen the construction of the Marxist academic discipline of religious studies.

习近平总书记强调要培养宗教工作政教学界的“三支队伍”：要培养一支精通马克思主义宗教观、熟悉宗教工作、善于做信教群众工作的党政干部队伍；要培养一支政治上靠得住、宗教上有造诣、品德上能服众、关键时起作用的宗教界代表人士队伍；要培养一支思想政治坚定、坚持马克思主义宗教观、学风优良、善于创新的宗教学研究队伍，加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设。

General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the construction of Marxist religious theory. In his speech at the 2016 National Conference on Religious Work, he proposed to “develop the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religion, and comprehensively improve the level of religious work under the new circumstances”; on May 17, 2016, at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, he also proposed to “accelerate the improvement of disciplines that have a supporting role for philosophy and social sciences,” and listed religious studies as one of the 11 supporting disciplines, requiring “the creation of a disciplinary system with Chinese characteristics and universal significance”; at the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work, he explicitly proposed for the first time “strengthening the construction of the Marxist academic discipline of religious studies.” This is an important opportunity to strengthen the construction of the Marxist academic discipline of religious studies. The development process of Chinese Marxist religious studies since the founding of New China illustrates the importance and difficulty of adapting Marxist religious theory to the Chinese context. In 1956, Mr. Ren Jiyu published “The Political Role of the ‘Prajñā’ and ‘Nirvāṇa’ Doctrines of Buddhism in the Southern Dynasties, Jin and Song Periods,” beginning to study religious issues under the guidance of Marxism. Subsequently, Mr. Ren Jiyu successively published multiple papers, including brief discussions on the philosophical thought of the Chan, Tiantai, Huayan, and Dharmalakṣaṇa schools, and in 1962 compiled them into the collection *Essays on Buddhist Thought of the Han and Tang Dynasties*, marking the birth of Chinese Marxist religious studies. In October 1959, Mao Zedong had an all-night conversation with Mr. Ren Jiyu on religious issues. Mao Zedong said, “We have all been engaged in atheism and revolution in the past, and have not had time to attend to this issue. The issue of religion is very important, and research must be carried out,” proposing for the first time the importance of studying religion. Mao Zedong also said, “Studying religion requires outsiders to do it; religious believers have superstitions, that won’t do, and studying religion cannot have superstitions either,” emphasizing the importance of a scientific worldview for religious research. On December 30, 1963, Mao Zedong issued an important instruction on “strengthening research on religious issues.” The conversation and instruction had two key points: first, requiring that our research institutions and publications be “led by Marxists,” and that research articles be “written from the standpoint of historical materialism”; second, stating that “without criticizing theology, one cannot write a good history of philosophy, nor a good history of literature or world history.” This means that if one does not insist on studying religion and criticizing theology from an atheist standpoint, one cannot correctly understand the historical facts related to religion, nor correctly understand the role religion played in them, thereby affecting the scientific understanding of the history of philosophy, literature, and world history. This is an extremely profound judgment. Based on Mao Zedong’s instruction, with the support of relevant departments and universities, Mr. Ren Jiyu in 1964 planned and established the first research institution in New China led by Marxists, using the standpoint of historical materialism to study religion and criticize theology—the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences—initiating Chinese Marxist religious studies.

习近平总书记高度重视马克思主义宗教理论建设。在2016年全国宗教工作会议上的讲话中，他提出要“发展中国特色社会主义宗教理论，全面提高新形势下宗教工作水平”；2016年5月17日在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上又提出“加快完善对哲学社会科学具有支撑作用的学科”，并把宗教学列为11个具有支撑作用的学科之一，要求“打造具有中国特色和普遍意义的学科体系”；在2021年全国宗教工作会议上，第一次明确提出“加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设”。这是加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设的重要机遇。 新中国成立以来中国马克思主义宗教学的发展过程，说明了推进马克思主义宗教理论中国化的重要性和艰巨性。1956年，任继愈先生发表《南朝晋宋间佛教“般若”“涅槃”学说的政治作用》，开始以马克思主义为指导研究宗教问题。此后，任继愈先生又连续发表禅宗、天台宗、华严宗、法相宗哲学思想略论等多篇论文，并于1962年集结为《汉唐佛教思想论集》出版，这标志着中国马克思主义宗教学的诞生。 1959年10月，毛泽东与任继愈先生就宗教问题彻夜长谈。毛泽东说，“我们过去都是搞无神论，搞革命的，没有顾得上这个问题。宗教问题很重要，要开展研究”，第一次提出了研究宗教的重要性。毛泽东还说，“研究宗教需要外行来搞，宗教徒有迷信，不行，研究宗教也不能有迷信”，强调了科学世界观对宗教研究的重要性。1963年12月30日，毛泽东就“加强宗教问题的研究”作出重要批示。谈话和批示有两个要点：一是要求我们的研究机构和刊物是“由马克思主义者领导”的，研究文章是“用历史唯物主义观点写的”；二是说“不批判神学就不能写好哲学史，也不能写好文学史或世界史”。这就是说，如果不坚持站在无神论立场上研究宗教、批判神学，就不仅不能正确认识同宗教相关的史实，而且不能正确认识宗教在其中所起的作用，从而影响对哲学史、文学史、世界史的科学认识。这是极其深刻的论断。根据毛泽东的批示，在有关部门和高校的支持下，任继愈先生于1964年筹建创办了新中国第一个由马克思主义者领导、用历史唯物主义观点研究宗教、批判神学的研究机构——中国科学院世界宗教研究所，开启了中国马克思主义宗教学的研究。

Mr. Ren Jiyu’s 1979 article “Strive for the Development of Marxist Religious Studies” was the declaration and clarion call for the development of Chinese Marxist religious studies after reform and opening up. In the early 1980s, Mr. Ren Jiyu taught a course on the principles of religious studies at Peking University, later compiling the lecture notes into the *Lectures on Religious Studies* for publication. In 1986, Chen Linshu’s edited *Principles of Religious Studies* was published, and in 1999, it was revised and published as a national university textbook for the humanities; in 1989, Lü Daji’s edited *General Theory of Religious Studies* was published. The textbooks and teaching reference materials on religious studies published in the 1980s all took the construction of Marxist religious studies as their mission, laying a good foundation. Entering the 1990s, religious studies research showed a tendency toward theologization and Westernization, with ideological decline and a talent gap appearing in the field of religious studies, and Marxism gradually became marginalized, vague, and labeled in the field of religious studies.

1979年任继愈先生发表的《为发展马克思主义的宗教学而奋斗》,是改革开放以后发展中国马克思主义宗教学的宣言和号角。20世纪80年代初，任继愈先生在北京大学讲授宗教学原理课程，后将讲义整理为《宗教学讲义》出版。1986年，陈麟书主编的《宗教学原理》出版，1999年，该书修订后作为全国高校文科教材出版；1989年，吕大吉主编的《宗教学通论》出版。20世纪80年代出版的宗教学教材和教学参考材料，都以构建马克思主义宗教学为己任，打下了很好的基础。进入20世纪90年代后，宗教学研究出现了神学化、西方化倾向，宗教学界出现了思想滑坡和人才断档，马克思主义在宗教学领域逐渐被边缘化、空泛化、标签化。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has emphasized: “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 stance.” [10]10 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012 and marked the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. The disciplinary construction of Marxist religious studies has also seen encouraging new developments. In recent years, the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Zhejiang Institute of Socialism have successively convened three sessions of the Marxist Religious Studies Symposium. The Department of Religious Studies in the School of Philosophy at Wuhan University is currently compiling a textbook titled *Marxist Religious Studies* and has held a dedicated academic symposium. In recent years, Professor Lü Jianfu’s team at Sichuan University has compiled Mr. Ren Jiyu’s lecture notes on religious studies, his academic papers on religious studies, and other related writings into the *New Compilation of Ren Jiyu’s Lecture Notes on Marxist Religious Studies*, which consists of three parts: Part One, Principles of Religious Studies; Part Two, Historical Forms of Religion; and Part Three, Religion and Other Ideologies. This work is soon to be published. The China Atheism Society has in recent years held multiple academic annual meetings and forums, repeatedly discussed the outline for compiling *An Introduction to Marxist Atheism*, and offered a course titled “Introduction to Marxist Atheism” in the academic master’s program at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It should be said that Marxist religious studies and Marxist atheism research have both accumulated a certain academic and talent base, with a number of senior experts and scholars who adhere to the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method in studying religion and atheism playing a leading and academic guiding role.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央强调：“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。”马克思主义宗教学学科建设也出现了令人鼓舞的新气象。近年来，中国社会科学院世界宗教研究所与浙江社会主义学院已经连续召开了三届马克思主义宗教学研讨会。武汉大学哲学学院宗教学系正在着手编写《马克思主义宗教学》教材，并召开了专题学术研讨会。近年来，四川大学吕建福教授团队将任继愈先生的宗教学讲义、宗教学论文以及其他相关著述合编为《任继愈马克思主义宗教学讲义新编》，共三编，即第一编宗教学原理、第二编宗教的历史形态、第三编宗教与其他意识形态，即将公开出版。中国无神论学会近年来多次召开学术年会和论坛，多次研讨《马克思主义无神论概论》编写提纲，并在中国社会科学院大学学术硕士班开设了“马克思主义无神论概论”课程。应该说，马克思主义宗教学、马克思主义无神论研究都积累了一定的学术基础和人才基础，有一批坚持以马克思主义立场观点方法研究宗教、研究无神论的老专家、老学者发挥引领和学术带头人作用。

The core of disciplinary construction in Marxist religious studies is theoretical construction. In the process of implementing the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work, the academic community should seize the historical opportunity, inherit and carry forward the academic style and tradition of Marxist religious studies with Chinese characteristics pioneered by Mr. Ren Jiyu, and write a new chapter in the disciplinary construction of Sinicized Marxist religious studies in the New Era!

马克思主义宗教学学科建设的核心是理论建设。在贯彻落实全国宗教工作会议精神的过程中，学术界要抓住历史机遇，继承和发扬任继愈先生开创的中国特色马克思主义宗教学的学风和传统，书写新时代中国化马克思主义宗教学学科建设的新篇章！

(Author’s brief biography: Zhu Xiaoming, Honorary Chair of the China Atheism Society, Advisor to the Center for Studies of Scientism and Atheism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, former Party Secretary of the China Tibetology Research Center)

（作者简介：朱晓明，中国无神论学会荣誉理事长，中国社会科学院科学与无神论研究中心顾问，中国藏学研究中心原党组书记）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心