China, Christianity, and the Question of Culture

8. Six Problem Domains in Western Marxists' Theory on Religion

113 CHAPTER EIGHT six probleM doMains in western Marxists’ theory on religion Ever since the twentieth century, Émile Durkheim’s “functional differentiation ” has been a classical thesis. In Peter Berger’s words, this means “part of society and culture has got rid of the religious system and its distribution of symbol.”1 In Jose Casanova’s book Public Religion in the Modern World, this “functional differentiation” was defined as “secularization ” and was described as the “privatization of religion.”2 In accordance with this, the connection between Western thought and Christianity seems to have changed. As Slavoj Žižek said, “The old liberal slander draws on the parallel between the Christian and Marxist ‘Messianic ’ notion of history as the process of the final deliverance of the faithful ,” but there is no need of “adopting a defensive stance,” “what one should do is to reverse the strategy by fully endorsing what one is accused of: yes, there is a direct lineage from Christianity to Marxism.”3 In this light, Christianity is treated not only as a faith tradition, but more as a cultural discourse, and its typical meaning structure has attracted the interest and attention of many contemporary scholars. Furthermore, a new theory has been formed on the relationship between Christianity and Marxism. We should, however, also recognize one situation that although some scholars call themselves “Western Marxists,” they may take completely different positions and approaches. Some of them make use of only certain 114 China, Christianity, and the Question of Culture Marxist propositions to expand their own thinking. It is therefore hard to include these scholars within the theoretical heritage of Marxism. If we take a serious consideration of the deep impact of Marxism on Western society, some “alien” texts may also carry certain unique values. We should think over two questions here: Since both Marxism and Christianity are rooted in Western culture, is it possible that there are some common concerns for Marxism and Christian theology? In what aspects do Marxist theories and approaches keep stimulating Western thought so that these problems seem to be more and more hotly discussed in religious studies today? In order to explore the related discussions in the Western academia more efficiently, we might summarize these intermingled issues from six aspects. Although such analysis awaits further and deeper studies, briefly investigating the mentality and ideas might also bring us some insights. Revolution, Liberation, and Salvation A traditional thesis in Marxist and Christian studies has been the understanding that the birth and development of primitive Christianity has provided a legitimate basis for the proletarian revolution. The history of Christianity overcoming ancient religions has proved that “intellectual production changes its character in proportion as material production is changed.” Accordingly, the legitimacy of Christianity obtained an explanation through the Marxist discourse. The reason that themes such as revolution, liberation, and salvation could sustain and keep dynamic for such a long time is because they are related to this unique and special historical process: the “ideas of religious liberty and freedom of conscience merely gave expression to the sway of free competition within the domain of knowledge.”4 As “the material production is changed,” when capitalism “gave birth to its own grave-digger out of its ribs,” how can revolution, liberation , and salvation escape from being overturned by itself? According to Umberto Eco, “Intuitively we know that the answer in the Communist Manifesto should be ‘we should eliminate religion,’ but when it comes to this delicate topic, the Communist Manifesto simply glossed over it, making us feel that all changes come with a cost. For the sake of goodness as such we had better not start such a delicate topic promptly.” Eco called this kind of “answer to religious problems” a “silent masterpiece .” The “historical bird’s-eye view on class struggles” and, to Eco, the two “exciting, easy-to-be-understood, easy-to-remember and Six Problem Domains in Western Marxists’Theory on Religion 115 destined-to-prosper slogans” at the end of the Manifesto have surpassed the historical destiny of Christianity. Therefore, Eco claimed that the Manifesto has radically and fundamentally influenced history: “After all, Dante’s entire oeuvre was not enough to restore a Holy Roman Empire to the Italian city-states. But . . . Communist Manifesto of 1848, a text that certainly has exercised a major influence on the history of two centuries subverted the whole world.”5 Revolution, liberation, and salvation have appeared numerous...