Religion is a form of social consciousness which has developed for thousand years. During its existence and development, intentionally or not, religion has had deep and comprehensive impacts on all aspects of social life, from political institutions to law; from socio-culture to psychology, morality and lifestyle; from philosophical views on the world to social behaviors; and from art forms to customs and habits … In Vietnam, religion is a great issue relating to the national policy that has always received special attention from the Party and State have.
Like many other countries, the religious life in Vietnam is very diverse with the presence of almost all major religions in the world such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Baha'i and Brahminism, and some native religions were raised in Vietnam such as Cao đài Religion, Pure Land Buddhism Home – Practice Association, Hòa Hảo Buddhism, Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương, Tứ Ân Hiếu Nghĩa. Each religion has its own history, ideology, philosophy, morality and culture ... The profound study to have an overall view of religions not only in the country but also around the world, for State management, is a foundation for making sound religious policies, and for religious organizations, is to consolidate and develop their religions with humanity, solidarity and friendship. Such a study is very necessary in the current social context, especially for promoting highly human values of religions for peaceful life and social development.
That is the reason why the Government Committee for Religious Affairs decided to supplement and reprint the book “Some Religions in Vietnam”' by Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Xuân. In all earlier editions, the book has received warm response from a great number of readers who contributed many sincere comments. This edition is meet readers’ increasing demands and suit the social development together with the access to new guidelines, policies of the Party and laws of the State. In addition to expanding the main contents on religions in Vietnam, the author added contents of legal documents regarding State management on religions to his book including the Ordinance on Belief and Religion (2004), Decree 92/2012/NĐ-CP issued by the Government detailing and providing measures to implement the Ordinance on Belief and Religion, Instruction 01/2005/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on some tasks regarding Protestantism, and Instruction 1940/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on religion-related housing and land.
During the process of compiling the book "Some Religions in Vietnam," Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Xuân studied a lot of books on religions published in Vietnam and foreign countries so as to provide readers, managers, officials in charge of religious affairs and especially religious dignitaries and believers a vivid panorama of religions in the world and Vietnam in particular. The author did not divide the book into chapters but into parts naturally. Each part is about one religion covering many aspects including its formation and development, dogmas and rituals organizational apparatus to introduction and development in Vietnam, its international relations and the current situation of the religion. With experience and professional prudence of a manager, a researcher and a teacher, Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Xuân provides readers with a list of nearly 80 original and reference publications in both Vietnamese and foreign languages in the last pages of the book. This helps readers find it easier to look up information in other books with relevant contents. The book “Some Religions in Vietnam” is a scientific work with valuable information. With a simple and easy-to-undertand but profound style of writing, the author will bring readers to a vivid and interesting religious picture in Vietnam. This is a valuabe reference book for researchers, scholars, managers, religious dignitaries and believers as well as all people who are interested in Vietnam religious.
The book was published by the Religion Publishing House in the first quarter of 2013. We would like to introduce it to the readers.
Anchorite Yên Sơn
