Persist in Simultaneously Advancing the Construction of Ideological-Political Courses and the Arming of the Party’s Innovative Theories

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, and especially since the Symposium for Teachers of Ideological-Political Courses in Schools, “the development environment and overall ecology of ideological-political courses have undergone a comprehensive and fundamental transformation,”[1]1 This refers to the Symposium for Teachers of Ideological-Political Courses in Schools, held on March 18, 2019, at which Xi Jinping delivered a key speech. The quotation is from Xi’s recent and the effect of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in forging souls and educating people has been evident. Recently, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions on the construction of ideological-political courses in schools, emphasizing the need to “persist in simultaneously advancing the construction of ideological-political courses and the arming of the Party’s innovative theories.”[1]1 This refers to the Symposium for Teachers of Ideological-Political Courses in Schools, held on March 18, 2019, at which Xi Jinping delivered a key speech. The quotation is from Xi’s recent

党的十八大以来，特别是学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会以来，“思政课的发展环境和整体生态发生全局性、根本性转变”，[1]习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人成效明显。近日，习近平总书记对学校思政课建设作出重要指示，强调要“坚持思政课建设与党的创新理论武装同步推进”，[1]

I. The Position of Ideological-Political Courses in the Overall Strategy of the Party Central Committee for Governing the Country Is Increasingly Prominent

一、思政课在党中央治国理政战略全局中的地位日益凸显

Ideological-political courses are an important component of the ideological-political work of the Communist Party of China and the main channel for arming young students with the theoretical achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. The history of our Party is both a history of continuously advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times and a history of continuously advancing theoretical innovation and theoretical arming. As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, the position of ideological-political courses in the overall strategy of the Party Central Committee for governing the country has become increasingly prominent. They play a unique advantage and an irreplaceable role in implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing people, consolidating social consensus on development, forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and telling China’s story well to the world.

思政课是中国共产党思想政治工作的重要组成部分，是用马克思主义中国化时代化理论成果武装青年学生的主渠道。我们党的历史，既是一部不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化的历史，也是一部不断推进理论创新和理论武装的历史。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，思政课在党中央治国理政战略全局中的地位日益凸显，在落实立德树人根本任务、凝聚社会发展思想共识、铸牢中华民族共同体意识、讲好面向世界的中国故事等方面发挥着独特优势和不可替代的作用。

Ideological-political courses are key courses for implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing people. “Throughout history, both at home and abroad, there have been many schools of thought and diverse theoretical viewpoints on education and schooling, but there is a consensus on one point: education must cultivate the people needed for social development.”[2]2 The “85 Plan,” “98 Plan,” and “05 Plan” refer to successive national curriculum reform plans for ideological-political courses in Chinese higher education, issued in 1985, 1998, and 2005 respectively, each adjusting course names and content to reflect updated Party theories.(P5) Ideological-political courses aim to “cultivate the people required for social development, knowledge accumulation, cultural inheritance, national survival, and the operation of the system.”[2]2 The “85 Plan,” “98 Plan,” and “05 Plan” refer to successive national curriculum reform plans for ideological-political courses in Chinese higher education, issued in 1985, 1998, and 2005 respectively, each adjusting course names and content to reflect updated Party theories.(P5) It can be said that in today’s world, every country cultivates and shapes people according to its own value system. As a course that highlights the bright background of a socialist country, ideological-political courses must unequivocally cultivate builders and successors of socialism. “Our country is a socialist country led by the Communist Party of China, which determines that our education must take cultivating builders and successors of socialism as its fundamental task, cultivating generation after generation of useful talents who support the leadership of the Communist Party of China and our socialist system and are determined to strive for socialism with Chinese characteristics throughout their lives.”[3]3 The “three laws” refer to the laws of Communist Party governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society, a standard formulation in CPC theoretical discourse.(P195) Ideological-political courses must always bear in mind the original aspiration and founding mission of “what kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them,” persistently use the Party’s innovative theories to forge souls, educate people, foster virtue, and nurture people, and lay a foundation of scientific thought and faith for students’ growth and success.

思政课是落实立德树人根本任务的关键课程。“古今中外，关于教育和办学，思想流派繁多，理论观点各异，但在教育必须培养社会发展所需要的人这一点上是有共识的”。[2](P5)思政课就是要“培养社会发展、知识积累、文化传承、国家存续、制度运行所要求的人”。[2](P5)可以说，在当今世界，不管哪个国家，都是按照自己的价值体系来培养和塑造人的。作为彰显社会主义国家鲜亮底色的思政课，就是要旗帜鲜明地培养社会主义建设者和接班人。“我国是中国共产党领导的社会主义国家，这就决定了我们的教育必须把培养社会主义建设者和接班人作为根本任务，培养一代又一代拥护中国共产党领导和我国社会主义制度、立志为中国特色社会主义奋斗终身的有用人才”。[3](P195)思政课要始终牢记“培养什么样的人、怎样培养人、为谁培养人”的育人初心和使命，坚持不懈用党的创新理论铸魂育人、立德树人，为学生成长成才打下科学思想基础和信仰根基。

Ideological-political courses are key courses for consolidating social consensus on development. “Facing the new situation where social ideas and value orientations are becoming increasingly active, mainstream and non-mainstream coexist simultaneously, and social trends of thought are surging and conflicting,”[4](P6) how to consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain and consolidate the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country—in short, how to consolidate social consensus on development—is a major issue of the times to be answered through ideological-political courses. The “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Upholding and Improving the System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Advancing the Modernization of the National Governance System and Governance Capacity,” reviewed and approved at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, emphasized upholding the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain and required “comprehensively implementing the adherence to the guiding role of Marxism in ideological and theoretical construction, philosophy and social science research, and all aspects of education and teaching.”[5](P283-284) This is the first time our Party has explicitly proposed the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain as a fundamental system, representing a major institutional innovation concerning the direction of progress and development path of ideology and culture, and also providing institutional guarantees and fundamental guidelines for running ideological-political courses well. Ideological-political courses should better play an important role in studying, researching, propagating, and interpreting Marxist theory, especially the latest theoretical achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and play a greater role in consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain and the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country.

思政课是凝聚社会发展思想共识的关键课程。“面对社会思想观念和价值取向日趋活跃、主流和非主流同时并存、社会思潮纷纭激荡的新形势”，[4](P6)如何巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位、巩固全党全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础，简言之如何凝聚社会发展的思想共识，这是通过思政课要回答的重大时代课题。党的十九届四中全会审议通过的《中共中央关于坚持和完善中国特色社会主义制度 推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化若干重大问题的决定》，强调坚持马克思主义在我国意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，并要求“把坚持以马克思主义为指导全面落实到思想理论建设、哲学社会科学研究、教育教学各方面”。[5](P283-284)这是我们党第一次明确把马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位作为一项根本制度提出来，是关于思想文化前进方向和发展道路的重大制度创新，也为办好思政课提供了制度保证和根本遵循。思政课要更好地在学习研究宣传阐释马克思主义理论特别是马克思主义中国化时代化最新理论成果方面发挥重要作用，为巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位、巩固全党全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础发挥更大作用。

Ideological-political courses are key courses for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. Running ideological-political courses well must be viewed from the overall situation of the development of the Party and the country’s undertakings and the strategic height of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. “To realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, it is necessary to take forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation as the main line and grasp the cause of national unity and progress as a fundamental cause.”[5](P216) “Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation means guiding people of all ethnic groups to firmly establish the community concept of sharing weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny,”[6](P245) and adding education on the “history of the development of the Chinese nation” on the basis of education on the “four histories” of Party history, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of socialist development. This provides cultural space for promoting the construction of ideological-political courses to play an important role in building the common spiritual home of the Chinese nation and forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

思政课是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的关键课程。办好思政课，要从党和国家事业发展全局和实现中华民族伟大复兴的战略高度来看待。“实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦，就要以铸牢中华民族共同体意识为主线，把民族团结进步事业作为基础性事业抓紧抓好”。[5](P216)“铸牢中华民族共同体意识，就是要引导各族人民牢固树立休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共的共同体理念”，[6](P245)在党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史“四史”教育的基础上增加“中华民族发展史”教育，这为推动思政课建设在构筑中华民族共有精神家园、铸牢中华民族共同体意识等方面发挥重要作用提供了文化空间。

Ideological-political courses are key courses for telling China’s story well to the world. Running ideological-political courses well must be viewed in the context of changes unseen in a century in the world. We are experiencing changes unseen in a century in the world, which is an inevitable result of the movement of basic social contradictions on a global scale and reflects the major trends and currents in the development of human civilization. This requires that through ideological-political courses, students be guided to comprehensively and objectively understand the development trends of contemporary China and the world and correctly understand Chinese characteristics and international comparisons. For the generation that “looks at the world on an equal footing,” under conditions of all-round opening up, students often engage in dialogue and interaction between China and the outside world, and they naturally compare China with the external world. Ideological-political courses “should be good at using domestic and international facts, cases, and materials to answer students’ doubts through comparison, neither being closed and conservative nor worshiping foreign things and fawning on foreign countries, guiding students to comprehensively and objectively understand contemporary China and view the external world, and being good at distinguishing right from wrong through critical discernment.”[7](P15) Correctly comparing China with the external world cannot be separated from telling China’s story well to the world. The ideological-political course that tells China’s story well to the world is itself an important component of constructing Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative systems, and an important manifestation of enhancing national cultural soft power and shaping a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China.

思政课是面向世界讲好中国故事的关键课程。办好思政课要将其置于世界百年未有之大变局中来看待。我们正在经历世界百年未有之大变局，这是当今世界范围内社会基本矛盾运动的必然结果，反映了人类文明发展的大潮流大趋势。这就要求通过思政课，引导学生全面客观认识当代中国和世界发展大势、正确认识中国特色和国际比较。对于“平视世界”的一代，在全方位对外开放的条件下，学生们经常面对中国和世界的对话和互动，他们会很自然地拿外部世界和中国进行比较。思政课“要善于利用国内外的事实、案例、素材，在比较中回答学生的疑惑，既不封闭保守，也不崇洋媚外，引导学生全面客观认识当代中国、看待外部世界，善于在批判鉴别中明辨是非”。[7](P15)正确比较中国和外部世界，离不开面向世界讲好中国的故事。讲好面向世界的中国故事的思政课本身也是构建中国话语和中国叙事体系的重要组成部分，是提高国家文化软实力和塑造可信、可爱、可敬的中国形象的重要体现。

II. The Construction of Ideological-Political Courses Must Continuously Deepen the Understanding of the Regular Patterns of the Party’s Theoretical Innovation

二、思政课建设要不断深化对党的理论创新的规律性认识

The guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China is Marxism. “A history of the development of Marxism is a history of Marx, Engels, and their successors continuously developing in accordance with the development of the times, practice, and cognition; it is a history of continuously absorbing all excellent ideological and cultural achievements of human history to enrich itself.” [8](P9) In its development process spanning over one hundred years, the CPC has continuously advanced theoretical innovation, continuously adapted Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and enriched and developed Marxism. With every step forward in theoretical innovation, theoretical arming follows one step further, and the construction of ideological-political courses also follows one step further. This is both a requirement of the laws of the Party’s theoretical innovation for theoretical arming and a requirement for the construction of ideological-political courses. At the same time, in the process of constructing ideological-political courses, our understanding of the laws of the Party’s theoretical innovation becomes deeper. In the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, the CPC has achieved major theoretical results such as Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. These theoretical results are both inherited in one continuous line and advanced with the times, embodying the theoretical innovation of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture. Since the founding of New China, and especially since reform and opening up, the teaching plans for ideological-political courses have undergone reform and innovation from the “85 Plan” to the “98 Plan” and then to the “05 Plan.” [2]2 The “85 Plan,” “98 Plan,” and “05 Plan” refer to successive national curriculum reform plans for ideological-political courses in Chinese higher education, issued in 1985, 1998, and 2005 respectively, each adjusting course names and content to reflect updated Party theories. Just from the changes in course names and course content, one can very intuitively see the continuous improvement in course construction. From the course offerings of “An Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought” and “An Introduction to Deng Xiaoping Theory,” to the course adjustment of “An Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, and the Important Thought of the Three Represents,” and then to the course optimization of “An Introduction to the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” and “An Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” this process itself embodies our Party’s understanding of the laws of theoretical innovation in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

中国共产党的指导思想是马克思主义。“一部马克思主义发展史就是马克思、恩格斯以及他们的后继者们不断根据时代、实践、认识发展而发展的历史，是不断吸收人类历史上一切优秀思想文化成果丰富自己的历史”。[8](P9)中国共产党在一百多年的发展历程中不断推进理论创新，不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化并丰富发展马克思主义。理论创新每前进一步，理论武装就跟进一步，思政课建设也跟进一步。这既是党的理论创新规律对理论武装的要求，也是对思政课建设的要求。同时，在思政课建设的过程中，我们对党的理论创新的规律性认识更加深刻。中国共产党在推进马克思主义中国化时代化的历史进程中，取得了毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想等重大理论成果，这些理论成果既是一脉相承的又是与时俱进的，体现了马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的理论创新。新中国成立以来特别是改革开放以来，思政课教学方案从“85方案”到“98方案”再到“05方案”的改革创新，仅就课程名称和课程内容的发展变化就能很直观地看到课程建设的不断提升。从“毛泽东思想概论”课、“邓小平理论概论”课的课程设置到“毛泽东思想、邓小平理论和‘三个代表’重要思想概论”课的课程调整，再到“毛泽东思想和中国特色社会主义理论体系概论”课、“习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想概论”课的课程优化，这一过程本身就体现了我们党对马克思主义中国化时代化的理论创新的规律性认识。

Entering the New Era and embarking on a new journey, the construction of ideological-political courses in schools must further deepen the understanding of the laws of the Party’s theoretical innovation, especially in taking on the responsibility of advancing the systematization and academization of the Party’s innovative theories. Whether for the Party’s theoretical innovation itself, or for theoretical arming and the construction of ideological-political courses, advancing the systematization and academization of theories is extremely important. Systematization and academization are both the inherent requirements and important pathways of theoretical innovation, and they are also integral parts of theoretical arming and the construction of ideological-political courses. “The reason Marxism has such a far-reaching influence lies in its use of profound academic principles to reveal the truth of the development of human society and its use of a complete system to demonstrate the scientific nature of its theory.” [9] From the perspective of the history of Marxist development, in order to better disseminate and popularize Marxism, early Marxists had already focused on organizing and summarizing the basic tenets of Marxism, supplemented by systematization and academization. Engels wrote works such as *Anti-Dühring* and the excerpted and revised *Socialism: Utopian and Scientific*, which “systematically expounded the basic tenets of Marxism, scientifically demonstrated the inherent unity among the three components of Marxism, defended and developed the scientific nature of Marxism with profound academic principles, and avoided and corrected the fragmentation and vulgarization of Marxism with a complete system.” [9] Marxists after Engels continued to advance the systematization and academization of Marxism.

进入新时代，迈上新征程，学校思政课建设更要不断深化对党的理论创新的规律性认识，特别是在推进党的创新理论的体系化和学理化方面要挺膺担当。不管对党的理论创新来说，还是对理论武装和思政课建设来讲，推进理论的体系化和学理化都是非常重要的。体系化和学理化既是理论创新的内在要求和重要途径，也是理论武装和思政课建设的题中应有之义。“马克思主义之所以影响深远，在于其以深刻的学理揭示人类社会发展的真理性、以完备的体系论证其理论的科学性”。[9]从马克思主义发展史来看，为了更好地传播和普及马克思主义，早期马克思主义者就已着重对马克思主义基本原理进行整理和概括并辅以体系化和学理化。恩格斯撰写《反杜林论》以及抽取其中重要部分改写的《社会主义从空想到科学的发展》等论著，“系统阐发马克思主义基本原理，科学论证了马克思主义三个组成部分之间的内在统一性，以深刻的学理捍卫并发展了马克思主义的科学性，以完备的体系避免和修正了对马克思主义的片段化、庸俗化”。[9]恩格斯之后的马克思主义者在马克思主义体系化学理化上持续往前推进。

School ideological-political courses bear the task of providing systematic Marxist theoretical education to university students, which requires that Marxist theory, especially the Party’s innovative theories, be systematized and academized. As an important component of educational work, ideological-political courses must align value shaping with knowledge shaping. “Emphasizing the value aspect of ideological-political courses does not mean neglecting the knowledge aspect; rather, it means strengthening values education by satisfying students’ thirst for knowledge. Only empty preaching of values, without scientific knowledge as support, will greatly diminish the effectiveness of values education.” [7](P18) In the process of teaching the Party’s innovative theories through ideological-political courses, it is necessary to prevent the phenomenon of formalization and superficiality. “There is a phenomenon worth noting in current theoretical propaganda: there are many who read from scripts mechanically, seek only superficial understanding, and stay on the surface, while there are few who convince with reason, move with emotion, and truly enter the mind and heart.” [10] These phenomena also exist in the construction of school ideological-political courses. The teaching of ideological-political courses must be based on in-depth research; the deeper the research, the more thorough and convincing the teaching of ideological-political courses can be. Therefore, the academic value of ideological-political courses is by no means inferior to any other philosophy or social science discipline, and may even require higher research standards than other philosophy and social science disciplines. For ideological-political courses, we must deepen the research and interpretation of the Party’s innovative theories, make great efforts in systematization and academization, and make due contributions as Chinese scholars to enriching and developing Marxism. At the same time, we must use easy-to-understand “everyday language” to convincingly explain the principles, academic theories, and philosophies contained in the Party’s innovative theories, achieving the goal of making vivid ideas vivid and making thorough theories thorough, and deeply promoting the Party’s innovative theories to enter the mind and heart.

学校思政课承担着对大学生进行系统的马克思主义理论教育的任务，这就要求马克思主义理论特别是党的创新理论要体系化和学理化。思政课作为教育工作的重要组成部分之一，其价值塑造必须与知识塑造同行。“强调思政课的价值性，不是要忽视知识性，而是要通过满足学生对知识的渴求加强价值观教育。只有空洞的价值观说教，没有科学的知识作支撑，价值观教育的效果也会大打折扣。”[7](P18)通过思政课进行对党的创新理论的教育教学过程中，要防止出现形式化、表面化的现象。“现在理论宣传上有一种现象值得注意，那就是照本宣科、不求甚解、浮在面上的多，以理服人、以情动人、入脑入心的少”。[10]这些现象在学校思政课建设中也是存在的。思政课教学要以深入研究为基础，研究越是深入，思政课教学才能透彻、才能说服人。所以说，思政课的学术含金量绝不亚于其他任何一门哲学社会科学，甚至比其他哲学社会科学的研究要求更高。对于思政课来说，我们要深化对党的创新理论的研究阐释，在体系化和学理化上花大气力，为丰富发展马克思主义做出中国学者的应有贡献。同时，要用通俗易懂的“家常话”把党的创新理论所蕴含的道理学理哲理讲得令人信服，做到把鲜活的思想讲鲜活，把彻底的理论讲彻底，深入推动党的创新理论入脑入心。

III. Using the Party’s Innovative Theories as Guidance to Promote the Connotative Development of Ideological-Political Course Construction

三、以党的创新理论为引领推动思政课建设内涵式发展

Persisting in advancing the construction of ideological-political courses in step with the arming of the Party’s innovative theories requires using the Party’s innovative theories as guidance to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction. The connotative development of ideological-political course construction is essentially high-quality development. On the one hand, the construction and development of the country require cultivating more new-era talents capable of shouldering the task of national rejuvenation, which places higher demands on the integrity and innovation of ideological-political courses. On the other hand, the transformation of the principal contradiction in society also requires that ideological-political courses be built better to meet the needs and expectations of students’ growth and development.

坚持思政课建设与党的创新理论武装同步推进，必须以党的创新理论为引领推动思政课建设内涵式发展。思政课建设内涵式发展本质上就是高质量发展。一方面，国家的建设和发展需要培养更多担当民族复兴重任的时代新人对思政课守正创新提出了更高要求；另一方面，社会主要矛盾的转化也要求思政课建设得更好以满足学生成长发展的需求和期待。

Using the Party’s innovative theories as guidance to promote the connotative development of ideological-political course construction is based on constructing a curriculum and textbook system with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its core content. The curriculum and textbook system is the main carrier and important foundation for the construction of ideological-political courses. An important prerequisite for constructing the curriculum and textbook system for ideological-political courses is to profoundly and comprehensively grasp the relationship between the “soul vein” of Marxism and the “root vein” of fine traditional Chinese culture within the Party’s innovative theories. “Soul vein” and “root vein” are figurative expressions. The essence of the Party’s innovative theories is to use the basic tenets of Marxism to fully excavate and scientifically analyze the idealistic and universal factors of fine traditional Chinese culture, endowing them with new contemporary connotations, “connecting the essence of Marxist thought with the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture, and integrating it with the common values that the people use daily without being fully aware of them,” [11](P18) truly promoting the modernization of traditional culture, thereby enriching and expanding the cultural foundation and civilizational form of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. At the same time, Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times injects into Chinese culture a scientific ideological connotation that conforms to China’s actual conditions and meets the requirements of the times. Understanding this point allows us to better grasp the core essence of “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the essence of the times of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit,” and to clarify the thinking for constructing a curriculum and textbook system with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its core content.

以党的创新理论为引领推动思政课建设内涵式发展，基础在于构建以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为核心内容的课程教材体系。课程教材体系是思政课建设的主要载体和重要依托。构建思政课课程教材体系，一个重要前提是深刻完整地把握党的创新理论中马克思主义的魂脉和中华优秀传统文化的根脉之间的关系。“魂脉”和“根脉”是形象的说法，党的创新理论本质是用马克思主义基本原理充分挖掘和科学分析中华优秀传统文化的理想性和普遍性因素并赋予新的时代内涵，“把马克思主义思想精髓同中华优秀传统文化精华贯通起来、同人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念融通起来”，[11](P18)真正推动传统文化的现代化，从而丰富拓展马克思主义中国化时代化的文化底蕴和文明形态。与此同时，中国化时代化的马克思主义为中华文化注入符合中国实际、顺应时代发展要求的科学思想内涵。理解了这一点，我们就能更好地领会“习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是中华文化和中国精神的时代精华”的核心要义，就能为构建以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为核心内容的课程教材体系厘清思路。

The key to promoting the connotative development of ideological and political course construction under the guidance of the Party’s innovative theories lies in making the study and implementation of the Party’s innovative theories the top priority in ideological and political course construction. The Party’s innovative theories are lofty in vision, rich in content, and broad and profound, covering all aspects of reform, development, and stability; domestic, foreign, and national defense affairs; and Party governance, national governance, and military governance. They place high demands on the comprehensive quality of teachers and pose considerable difficulty for teaching and learning ideological and political courses well. How should one study the Party’s innovative theories? “The most effective method for studying theory is to read the original works, study the original texts, and comprehend the principles; to study and memorize intensively, to constantly learn and constantly renew, to go deeper and more solidly, to go into the heart, to place oneself in the situation, to place one’s responsibilities in the situation, and to place one’s work in the situation, achieving the integration of learning, thinking, and using, and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action.”[12](P519) Xi Jinping’s requirements for young and middle-aged cadres are equally applicable to the vast number of ideological and political course teachers. We must regard reading original works, studying original texts, and comprehending principles as a learning habit, a way of life, and a spiritual pursuit. This itself is a process of tempering thought, broadening knowledge, understanding national conditions, expanding horizons, and mastering methods, as well as a process of experiencing the truth power, practical might, and spiritual charm of the Party’s innovative theories. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era “not only contains the Party’s important ideas on governing the country, but also runs through the requirements of the political character, value pursuit, spiritual realm, and work style and integrity of Chinese Communists.”[12](P521) In general, persisting in advancing the construction of ideological and political courses in step with the arming of the Party’s innovative theories requires not only integrating the achievements of the Party’s innovative theories into the content of ideological and political courses, but also taking the Party’s innovative theories of the New Era as the guide, fully leveraging the educational and motivational role of the great achievements of the New Era, enriching the teaching content of ideological and political courses, telling the stories of the New Era well, and guiding students to comprehend the truth power, practical might, and spiritual charm of the Party’s innovative theories.

以党的创新理论为引领推动思政课建设内涵式发展，关键在于把学习贯彻党的创新理论作为思政课建设的重中之重。党的创新理论立意高远、内容丰富、博大精深，涵盖改革发展稳定、内政外交国防、治党治国治军等方方面面，对教师综合素质要求很高，对讲好学好思政课来说难度不小。如何学习党的创新理论？“学习理论最有效的办法是读原著、学原文、悟原理，强读强记，常学常新，往深里走、往实里走、往心里走，把自己摆进去、把职责摆进去、把工作摆进去，做到学、思、用贯通，知、信、行统一”。[12](P519)习近平对中青年干部的要求同样适用于广大思政课教师。我们要把读原著、学原文、悟原理当作一种学习习惯、生活方式和精神追求。这本身就是淬炼思想、增长见识、了解国情、开阔视野、掌握方法的过程，也是体悟党的创新理论真理力量、实践伟力和精神魅力的过程。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，“不仅包含着党治国理政的重要思想，也贯穿着中国共产党人的政治品格、价值追求、精神境界、作风操守的要求”。[12](P521)总的来说，思政课建设与党的创新理论武装同步推进，不仅要将党的创新理论成果融入思政课的内容之中，而且要以新时代党的创新理论为引领，充分发挥新时代伟大成就的教育激励作用，丰富思政课教学内容，讲好新时代故事，引导学生感悟党的创新理论的真理力量、实践伟力和精神魅力。

The fundamental aspect of promoting the connotative development of ideological and political course construction under the guidance of the Party’s innovative theories lies in using the worldview and methodology of the Party’s innovative theories to arm students’ minds. A scientific worldview and methodology are a “master key” for observing, studying, and solving problems. Our Party attaches great importance to the issue of worldview and methodology. Arming the mind with the Party’s innovative theories ultimately comes down to using a scientific worldview and methodology to transform the objective world and the subjective world. Mao Zedong once said: “The world is originally a developing material world—this is the worldview; taking this worldview and turning around to look at the world, to study the problems of the world, to guide revolution, to do work, to engage in production, to command operations, to discuss the merits and demerits of others—this is methodology. There is no other separate methodology apart from this.”[13](P30) This statement has two meanings: first, it means that the worldview determines the methodology; whatever worldview one has, one has a corresponding methodology. Second, it means that the worldview is precisely the grasp of the objective world, especially the laws of the development of human society. Establishing a scientific worldview is very important, whether for an individual or for a political party. Our Party faces an extremely complex domestic and international environment and shoulders heavy responsibilities and missions. Without the strong support of theoretical thinking, it would be difficult to overcome various risks and difficulties, and it would also be difficult to continuously advance. “The world today is developing and changing very rapidly, and contemporary China is also developing and changing very rapidly, with new situations, new problems, and new things emerging endlessly. To properly handle various complex situations, the key is to improve the understanding of laws and be adept at using laws to deal with problems.”[14](P67) This requires us to better master a scientific worldview and methodology, temper our theoretical thinking, and deeply grasp the laws of the Communist Party’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society. The deeper a theory reveals the laws, the more significant its guiding role in the development of the times and social change becomes. The fundamental reason why Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era can become a scientific theory guiding the times also lies in this. Applied to ideological and political course teaching, we must base ourselves on the great practice of the New Era, clearly explain the scientific worldview and methodology that run through the Party’s innovative theories, and clearly elucidate the “three laws” [3]3 The “three laws” refer to the laws of Communist Party governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society, a standard formulation in CPC theoretical discourse. revealed therein. “Ideological and political course teaching is a highly creative work. One must learn dialectical materialism and historical materialism, be adept at using innovative thinking and dialectical thinking, be adept at using the method of contradiction analysis to grasp the key, identify the focus, and elucidate the laws, innovate classroom teaching, and give students a profound learning experience... No matter how it is taught, it must ultimately fall on guiding students to establish correct ideals and beliefs and learn correct methods of thinking.”[7](P14) Only in this way can the arming of students’ minds with the Party’s innovative theories be realized, thereby continuously transforming the advantages of the Party’s innovative theories into the effectiveness of fostering virtue and nurturing talent.

以党的创新理论为引领推动思政课建设内涵式发展，根本在于要用党的创新理论的世界观和方法论武装学生头脑。科学的世界观和方法论是观察问题、研究问题和解决问题的一把“总钥匙”。我们党高度重视世界观和方法论问题，用党的创新理论武装头脑最终还是要落到用科学的世界观和方法论来改造客观世界和主观世界上来。毛泽东说过：“世界本来是发展的物质世界，这是世界观；拿了这样的世界观转过来去看世界，去研究世界上的问题，去指导革命，去做工作，去从事生产，去指挥作战，去议论人家长短，这就是方法论，此外并没有别的什么单独的方法论”。[13](P30)这句话有两层意思：一是说世界观决定方法论，有什么样的世界观就有什么样的方法论；二是说世界观就是对客观世界特别是人类社会发展规律的把握。树立科学的世界观很重要，不管对于一个人来，还是对一个政党来说，都是如此。我们党面对十分复杂的国内外环境，肩负着繁重的责任与使命，如果没有理论思维的有力支撑，是难以战胜各种风险和困难，也是难以不断前进的。“当今世界发展变化很快，当代中国发展变化也很快，新情况新问题新事物层出不穷。要应对好各种复杂局面，关键是要提高对规律的认识，善于运用规律来处理问题。”[14](P67)这就要求我们要更好地掌握科学的世界观和方法论，淬炼自己的理论思维，深刻把握共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律。理论对规律的揭示越深刻，对时代发展和社会变革的引领作用就越显著。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想之所以能成为引领时代的科学理论，根本原因也在于此。落实到思政课教学上来说，我们要立足新时代伟大实践，把党的创新理论所贯穿的科学世界观和方法论讲清楚，把其中所揭示的“三大规律”讲明白。“思政课教学是一项非常有创造性的工作，要学会辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义，善于运用创新思维、辩证思维，善于运用矛盾分析方法抓住关键、找准重点、阐明规律，创新课堂教学，给学生深刻的学习体验……无论怎么讲，最终都要落到引导学生树立正确的理想信念、学会正确的思维方法上来”。[7](P14)只有这样，用党的创新理论武装学生头脑才能实现，从而不断把党的创新理论的优势转化为立德树人的成效。

(Author’s brief introduction: Song Youwen, Vice Dean, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Marxism Studies at Renmin University of China; Vice Dean of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Research Institute at Renmin University of China)

（作者简介：宋友文，中国人民大学马克思主义学院副院长、教授、博士生导师，中国人民大学习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究院副院长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心