Grasping the Core Essence of “Those Who Have Faith Should Be Allowed to Teach about Faith”

In his important speech at the symposium for teachers of ideological and political theory courses in schools, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Ideological and political courses must resolve the issue of students’ ideals and beliefs. Those who have faith should be allowed to teach about faith. Only when faith in Marxism and conviction in socialism and communism first take root in the hearts of ideological and political course teachers can they blossom and bear fruit in the hearts of students.” This not only clarifies the core connotation of the requirement that ideological and political course teachers must be politically strong as a basic quality, but also resolves the historical problems that have plagued the construction of the ideological and political course teacher contingent, providing a value orientation for that construction.

习近平总书记在学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会上的重要讲话中强调：“思政课要解决学生理想信念问题。要让有信仰的人讲信仰。对马克思主义的信仰，对社会主义和共产主义的信念，只有首先在思政课教师心中扎下根，才能在学生心中开花结果。”这不仅明确了思政课教师基本素养中政治要强的核心内涵，也破解了困扰思政课教师队伍建设的历史性问题，为思政课教师队伍建设提供了价值导向。

I. Establishing Scientific Ideals and Beliefs Is the Core Task of Ideological and Political Education and Teaching

一、树立科学的理想信念是思政课教育教学的核心任务

First, education in ideals and beliefs is the fundamental task of ideological and political education. Ideological and political education is work that satisfies people’s spiritual needs and undertakes the task of cultivating students’ scientific ideals and beliefs. First, it guides students to establish faith in Marxism. Marxism reveals the general laws of the development of human society and the special laws of the development of capitalism. At the same time, Marxism is a doctrine for the liberation of humanity. Marxism is a scientific theory, possessing scientific explanatory power and guiding force; Marxism is a theory for the people, and the Communist Party of China, guided by Marxism, represents the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the people, embodying both class character and value character. How to clearly explain the scientific nature and value character of Marxism and lay a scientific ideological foundation for students’ lifelong growth is an important goal of education in ideals and beliefs. Second, it guides students to establish the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics. People always need ideals; this is determined by people’s spiritual attributes and spiritual needs. From the perspective of the relationship between the individual and society, social ideals determine individual ideals. The lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics are the basic content of China’s social ideals. The lofty ideal of communism is a scientific conclusion drawn from Marxism, aimed at achieving great harmony for humanity, that is, pointing toward poetry and the distant horizon, providing people with spiritual motivation. The common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics is based on China’s reality, outlining phased expected goals from dimensions such as prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony, and beauty. The lofty ideal guides the common ideal, and the common ideal is the foundation of the lofty ideal; together, they influence young people’s life goal choices.

第一，理想信念教育是思想政治教育的根本任务。思想政治教育是满足人的精神需要的工作，承担着培育学生科学理想信念的工作。其一，引导学生树立马克思主义信仰。马克思主义揭示了人类社会发展的一般规律和资本主义发展的特殊规律。同时，马克思主义是为人类求解放的学说。马克思主义是科学的理论，具有科学的解释力和引领力；马克思主义是人民的理论，以马克思主义为指导的中国共产党代表了最广大人民群众的根本利益，体现了阶级性和价值性。如何讲清楚马克思主义的科学性和价值性，为学生一生成长奠定科学的思想基础，是理想信念教育的重要目标。其二，引导学生树立共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想。人总是要有理想，这是由人的精神属性和人的精神需要决定的。从个人与社会的关系而言，社会理想决定了个人理想。共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想是我国社会理想的基本内容。共产主义远大理想是马克思主义得出的科学结论，是为人类求大同的，即指向诗与远方，给人提供精神动力。中国特色社会主义共同理想立足我国现实，从富强、民主、文明、和谐和美丽等向度勾勒出阶段性预期目标。远大理想是共同理想的指引，共同理想是远大理想的基础，二者共同影响着青少年的人生目标选择。

Second, youth is a critical period for education in ideals and beliefs. In the stages of individual life development, youth is extremely important. On one hand, youth is a critical period for the formation of individual self-awareness. The question “Who am I?” has, in the eyes of young people, shifted from curiosity to self-confirmation, from the reflection in the mirror of the self to the image marker of the actual self. On the other hand, the contradiction between ideals and reality becomes more prominent. For young people eager to enter society and gain social recognition, reality is complex. The complexity of reality is manifested not only in the diversity of the real environment but also in the volatility of society. This leads some young people to experience confusion in social adaptation. Faced with the coexistence of truth and falsehood, difficulties in scientific judgment arise; faced with the coexistence of good and evil, difficulties in moral judgment arise; faced with increased uncertainty, developmental difficulties arise. “Ideals are plump, but reality is skinny” is a vivid description of the contradiction between ideals and reality. Faced with these confusions, those with firm ideals and beliefs can find a way out. Conversely, those without ideals and beliefs, or with unstable ideals and beliefs, easily lose their direction and their selves.

第二，青年人处于理想信念教育的关键时期。在个体人生发展阶段上，青年期至关重要。一方面，青年期是个体自我意识形成的关键时期。“我是谁”这个问题在青年人眼里已经从好奇变成自我确证，从镜中我的折射变成了现实我的形象标识。另一方面，理想与现实的矛盾更加突出。对于渴望进入社会并得到社会认可的青年人，现实是复杂的。复杂的现实不仅表现在现实环境的多样性，也表现在社会的多变性。由此导致部分青年人产生社会适应性困惑。面对真假并存，出现了科学判断困扰；面对善恶并存，出现了道德判断困扰；面对不确定性增强，出现了发展性困扰。“理想是丰满的，现实是骨感的”，就是理想与现实矛盾的形象描述。面对这些困惑，理想信念坚定的人，能够走出来。反之，没有理想信念，或者理想信念不坚定的人就容易迷失方向，迷失自我。

Third, the task of education in ideals and beliefs for university students in the New Era is increasingly urgent. Faced with the interweaving and interaction of the “two overall situations” [1]1 The “Four Confidences” (四个自信) are confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a guiding slogan promoted by the CPC., the relationship between the historical mission of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the fundamental plan of having qualified successors is becoming increasingly close. The United States, using the so-called Thucydides Trap as a pretext, has been wildly propagating the China threat theory. Through ideological infiltration, it creates an emotional reversal strategy, so-called cutting off the Communist Party of China from the Chinese people, attempting to cultivate “bananas” [2]2 “Being able,” “working,” and “being good” (能、行、好) is a shorthand for the proposition that the CPC is capable, Marxism works, and socialism with Chinese characteristics is good.—yellow on the outside, white on the inside—focusing the sinister schemes to contain the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on successive generations of young people. On one hand, the realization of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires the continuous struggle of generations of young people; on the other hand, the United States and Western countries have also focused their talent strategy to contain the Chinese Dream on young people. Consequently, the difficulty of education in ideals and beliefs is increasing.

第三，新时代大学生理想信念教育任务日益迫切。面对“两个大局”的交织互动，中华民族伟大复兴的历史使命同后继有人根本大计之间关系日益密切。美国以所谓的修昔底德陷阱为借口，大肆渲染中国威胁论。通过意识形态渗透，制造所谓的将中国共产党同中国人民切割开的情感逆反策略，试图培植黄皮白心的香蕉人，将遏制中华民族伟大复兴的阴谋诡计聚焦在一代代青少年身上。一方面，中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦的实现，需要一代代青年人接续奋斗；另一方面，美国和西方国家以人才战略遏制中国梦的着力点也放在了青年人身上。由此，理想信念教育的难度越来越大。

II. Only When Ideals and Beliefs First Take Root in the Hearts of Teachers Can They Blossom and Bear Fruit in the Hearts of Students

二、理想信念只有首先在教师心中扎下根才能在学生心中开花结果

First, ideological and political course teachers must be politically strong. The ancients said, “To teach is to set an example from above, which is imitated below”; “To educate is to nurture children so that they do good.” Teaching and educating people is the fundamental mission of teachers. Among the qualities of ideological and political course teachers, relative to knowledge quality, moral quality, and ability quality, ideological and political quality is the primary quality. Ideological and political quality mainly includes political cognitive ability, political comprehension ability, political analytical ability, political judgment ability, and political critical ability. Political cognitive ability is the foundation. The theoretical literacy of Marxism is the ideological and theoretical foundation for forming political cognitive ability. One must possess a systematic theoretical foundation in Marxism, the ability to study original works, read original texts, and comprehend principles, and deeply understand the laws of the Communist Party of China’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society. Furthermore, one must clearly explain the reasons why the Communist Party of China “can,” why Marxism “works,” and why socialism with Chinese characteristics “is good.”

第一，思政课教师政治要强。古人云，“教者，上所施，下所效”；“育者，养子使作善也”。教书育人是教师的根本使命。在思政课教师的素质中，相对于知识素质、道德素质、能力素质而言，思想政治素质是首要素质。思想政治素质主要包括政治认知力、政治理解力、政治分析力、政治判断力、政治批判力等。政治认知力是基础。马克思主义理论素养是形成政治认知力的思想理论基础。具备系统的马克思主义理论基础，具备学原著读原文悟原理的能力，深刻认识中国共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律。进而，说清楚中国共产党为什么“能”、马克思主义为什么“行”、中国特色社会主义为什么“好”的道理。

Second, teachers play a demonstrative and leading role. First, teachers are models for people. The tendency to emulate the teacher is a basic pattern in the teacher-student relationship, most evident in the primary school stage. Teachers are, on one hand, transmitters of knowledge, and on the other hand, demonstrators of behavior. What is referred to as “being a model of virtue for others” and “teaching by precept and example” points to the demonstrative role of teachers in ideological and moral character, conduct in society, and so forth. Consequently, every word and action of a teacher not only represents individual will but also embodies the basic requirements of the professional attributes of teachers. Thus, the tendency to emulate the teacher extends from an individual psychological inclination to a social psychological expectation, acquiring the attribute of value guidance. Second, teachers are guardians of social conscience. If parents are the natural foundation for the continuation of the human race, then teachers are the key to the transmission of human civilization and cultural innovation. The function of education is the transmission of knowledge and the inheritance of culture, as well as technological innovation and value guidance. Some say that in the world, three professions guard social conscience: doctors, police, and teachers. Doctors, with the spirit of humanitarianism, heal the wounded, rescue the dying, treat illnesses, treat people, and treat the world; police promote good and punish evil, maintaining social justice; teachers, with the love of education and the spirit of gardeners, water the hopes of humanity and nurture the growth of talent. Once the sanctity of the teaching profession is desecrated, the bottom line of social conscience will be impacted, and students’ respect and admiration for teachers will vanish.

第二，教师发挥着示范引领作用。其一，教师是人之模范。向师性是师生关系的基本样态，这种特征在小学阶段最为明显。教师一方面是知识的传授者，另一方面是行为的示范者。所谓为人师表、言传身教所指就是教师在思想品德、为人处世等方面的示范作用。因而，教师的一言一行不仅代表着个人意志，也体现教师职业属性的基本要求。由此，向师性从一种个体的心理倾向拓展为社会的心理期待，具有了价值引领属性。其二，教师是社会良知的守护者。如果说，父母是人类种族生命延续的自然基础的话，教师则是人类文明传承与文化创新的关键。教育的功能是知识传递与文化传承，是科技创新与价值引领。有人说，在世界上有三种职业守护着社会良知，即医生、警察和教师。医生以人道主义精神，救死扶伤，医病医人医天下；警察扬善惩恶，维护社会正义；教师则以教育之爱、园丁精神浇灌着人类的希望，呵护着人才成长。一旦教师职业的神圣性被亵渎，社会良知的底线就会受到冲击，学生对教师的尊重和敬仰之情也会荡然无存。

Third, only those with faith can teach about faith well. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only when ideological and political course teachers themselves have firm faith, highly identify with the content they teach, and become models for studying and practicing Marxism, can they teach with confidence, teach deeply and thoroughly, and effectively guide students to truly learn, truly understand, truly believe, and truly apply it.” Marxist faith is established on the basis of understanding and grasping the laws of the development of human society; it is a scientific faith. Marxist faith is also established on the basis of adhering to the supremacy of the people; it is a faith established on the moral high ground. Educators must not only possess a scientific spirit and thoroughly explain the Way of Marxism, but also possess the Party spirit quality of serving the people wholeheartedly, truly understanding and truly believing. Only in this way can they exert the demonstrative and leading role of educators.

第三，有信仰的人才能讲好信仰。习近平总书记指出：“思政课教师只有自己信仰坚定，对所讲内容高度认同，做学习和实践马克思主义的典范，才能讲得有底气，讲深讲透，才能有效引导学生真学、真懂、真信、真用。”马克思主义信仰建立在对人类社会发展规律的认识和把握基础上，是科学信仰。马克思主义信仰也建立在坚持人民至上基础上，是建立在道义制高点的信仰。教育者不仅要具备科学精神，把马克思主义之道讲透，还要具备全心全意为人民服务的党性品质，真懂真信。只有这样才能发挥出教育者的示范引领作用。

III. The Faith of Ideological and Political Course Teachers Originates from Self-Confidence

三、思政课教师的信仰源于自信

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “To run ideological and political courses well, there are many problems to solve, but the most important is to solve the problem of confidence. ‘If you want others not to doubt, you must first be confident.’ If ideological and political course teachers themselves do not believe, how can they teach students?” Specifically, the Four Confidences [3]3 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in 2012, marked the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership., disciplinary confidence, and confidence in student growth are the basic connotations of ideological and political course teachers’ self-confidence.

习近平总书记强调：“办好思政课，有不少问题需要解决，但最重要的是解决好信心问题。‘欲人勿疑，必先自信。’思政课教师本身都不信，还怎么教学生？”具体而言，“四个自信”、学科自信、学生成长自信是思政课教师自信的基本内涵。

First, the “Four Confidences”[1]1 The “Four Confidences” (四个自信) are confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a guiding slogan promoted by the CPC. are the ideological foundation of educational confidence. The central item of the “Four Confidences” is socialism with Chinese characteristics. Confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, confidence in the system, and confidence in the culture define the value of socialism with Chinese characteristics from different angles. Upholding confidence in the path means firmly adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; this is the only way to realize socialist modernization, an objective truth repeatedly proven by history, the fundamental guarantee for the Party leading the people from victory to victory, and also the fundamental guarantee for the Chinese nation to move toward prosperity and strength and for the Chinese people to live a happy life. Upholding confidence in the theory means being confident in the scientific nature, truthfulness, and correctness of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics; it means being confident in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and creating a better life for the people. Upholding confidence in the system means believing that the socialist system possesses great superiority, that the socialist system can promote development and maintain stability, and that it can safeguard the people’s rights to freedom, equality, and personal and property rights. Upholding confidence in the culture means inspiring the Party and the people’s historical pride in fine traditional Chinese culture and forming a general consensus and value identification with the core socialist values throughout society. The “Four Confidences” reveal the foundation of “being able,” “working,” and “being good”[2]2 “Being able,” “working,” and “being good” (能、行、好) is a shorthand for the proposition that the CPC is capable, Marxism works, and socialism with Chinese characteristics is good.; they are also the ideological foundation for establishing confidence in the teaching of ideological and political courses.

第一，“四个自信”是教育自信的思想性基础。“四个自信”的中心项是中国特色社会主义。道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信从不同角度明确了中国特色社会主义价值。坚持道路自信就是要坚定走中国特色社会主义道路，这是实现社会主义现代化的必由之路，是历史反复证明的客观真理，是党领导人民从胜利走向胜利的根本保证，也是中华民族走向繁荣富强、中国人民幸福生活的根本保证。坚持理论自信就是要坚定对中国特色社会主义理论体系的科学性、真理性、正确性的自信，就是要坚定实现中华民族伟大复兴、创造人民美好生活的自信。坚持制度自信就是要相信社会主义制度具有巨大优越性，相信社会主义制度能够推动发展、维护稳定，能够保障人民群众的自由平等权利和人身财产权利。坚持文化自信就是要激发党和人民对中华优秀传统文化的历史自豪感，在全社会形成对社会主义核心价值观的普遍共识和价值认同。“四个自信”揭示了“能”“行”“好”的基础，也是确立思政课教育教学自信的思想性基础。

Second, disciplinary confidence is the subjective foundation of educational confidence. The discipline of Marxist theory and the discipline of Party history and Party building for the CPC are the supporting disciplines for ideological and political courses. The key issues addressed by disciplinary construction are team building, scientific research, talent cultivation, and social services. Among these, team building is the key. Without solid disciplinary support, it is impossible to fundamentally solve the difficulties faced in team building for ideological and political courses. Since reform and opening up, and especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC,[3]3 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in 2012, marked the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. disciplinary construction serving ideological and political courses has achieved historic accomplishments. This is mainly manifested in: historic breakthroughs in the work of fully staffing and strengthening the team of ideological and political course teachers; notable results in the scientific research and teaching capabilities of ideological and political course teachers; and notable results in the strategic project for cultivating talent in Marxist theory. As disciplinary construction becomes increasingly complete, disciplinary confidence grows ever stronger, and the sense of disciplinary responsibility and educational mission of ideological and political course teachers also continuously strengthens.

第二，学科自信是教育自信的主体性基础。马克思主义理论学科和中共党史党建学是思政课的支撑学科。学科建设重点解决的是队伍建设、科学研究、人才培养、社会服务等问题。其中，队伍建设是关键。没有扎实的学科支撑，就无法从根本上解决思政课队伍建设面对的难题。改革开放以来，特别是党的十八大以来，服务于思政课的学科建设取得了历史性成就。主要表现在：配齐建强思政课教师队伍工作取得历史性突破；思政课教师的科研教研能力成果显著；马克思主义理论人才培养战略工程成果显著等方面。随着学科建设的日趋完善，学科自信愈发增强，思政课教师的学科责任感和育人使命感亦不断增强。

Third, confidence in students’ needs for growth and success is the foundation of educational confidence. Teachability is an important prerequisite for education. The basic need of young people is to grow and succeed. From the perspective of the relationship between the individual and society, the individual’s need for growth and success is closely related to the state of social development. The socialist system pursues the liberation of humanity. The free development of each individual is the prerequisite for constructing an association of free individuals. Socialism with Chinese characteristics provides every young person pursuing growth and success with an opportunity to shine in life. The youth dream aligns with the Chinese dream. Strengthening young people’s confidence in their need for growth and success means strengthening confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

第三，对学生成长成才需求的自信是教育自信的根本。可教性是教育的重要前提。青少年的基本需求是成长成才。从个人与社会关系而言，个人对成长成才的需求同社会发展状况密切相关。社会主义制度追求人类的解放。每个人的自由发展是构建自由人联合体的前提。中国特色社会主义为每一位追求成长成才的青少年提供了人生出彩的机会。青春梦同中国梦相契合。坚定青少年对成长成才需求的自信也就是坚定对中国特色社会主义制度的自信。

Letting those who have faith teach faith is not only a requirement for the construction of ideological and political courses but also a requirement for education. Only in this way can we grasp the key that the teacher is the key, and grasp the foundation of the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education.[4]4 “Fostering virtue through education” (立德树人) is a core principle of Chinese education policy, emphasizing moral cultivation as the foundation of talent development.

要让有信仰的人讲信仰既是对思政课建设的要求，也是教育的要求。只有这样，才能把握好关键是教师的关键，把握好立德树人根本任务之根本。

[This article is a phased result of the Ministry of Education’s major project for the research of ideological and political course teachers in higher education institutions, “Research on the Laws of Education and Teaching, Students’ Cognitive Laws, and Characteristics of Acceptance in Ideological and Political Courses in the New Development Stage” (21JDSZKZ04).]

【本文系教育部高校思想政治理论课教师重大课题攻关项目“新发展阶段思政课教育教学规律、学生认知规律和接受特点研究”（21JDSZKZ04）阶段性成果】

(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Sun Yat-sen University.)

（作者系中山大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧