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Theology in the humanities educational space

The forum brought together heads of government bodies responsible for the development and implementation of scientific and educational policy, representatives of religious traditions, rectors, professors and teachers of secular and church universities that implement educational programs in theology.

Our university was represented by the curator of the specialty “Theology”, candidate of psychological sciences, associate professor N.Ya. Bezborodova.

The audience was greeted by: Minister of Education and Science of Russia O.Yu. Vasilyeva, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation A.A. Fursenko, who read out a message from the head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation A.E. Vaino, as well as the Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Rector of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia V.M. Filippov.

Speaking at the conference, the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation O.Yu. Vasilyeva, emphasized that today in the country “all restrictions have been lifted and there are no obstacles to the development and expansion of this area of ​​scientific knowledge.”

The final resolution noted that the most important result of the forum’s work is the recognition of the completion of the process of state recognition of theology. The return of theology to the scientific and educational space of our country at all levels - from bachelor's degrees to the academic degrees of candidate and doctor of theology - is legally and actually enshrined.

Let us remind you that the theological specialty has existed at Leningrad State Pedagogical University since 2011.

June 14 - 15 with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation on the basis of the National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI" and the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies named after. St. Cyril and Methodius, the First All-Russian Scientific Conference “Theology in the Humanitarian Educational Space” was held.

As noted by the chairman of the organizing committee of the conference, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, for the first time at a scientific forum with all-Russian status, heads of government bodies responsible for the development and implementation of scientific and educational policy, representatives of religious traditions, rectors, professors gathered and teachers of secular and ecclesiastical universities, which implement educational programs in theology.

The problems and prospects for the development of theology as a branch of knowledge were considered, both in the scientific and academic aspect and in the aspect of interreligious cooperation. Attention was paid to both domestic and global experience. A discussion took place of successful models of theological education in public and private, secular and church universities.

The special tone of the conference was set by the greeting of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', which was announced by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.

“The state’s recognition of theology as a scientific specialty, the creation of dissertation councils and the expert council of the Higher Attestation Commission marks the beginning of a new stage in the history of Russian education and science. All this indicates that society is gradually freeing itself from the burden of false ideas and ideological cliches of the past, according to which knowledge that did not fit into the framework of materialistic philosophy and natural science of the 19th century remained outside science,” states the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

A convincing excursion into the difficult and sometimes dramatic history of domestic theological education was made by the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation O.Yu. Vasiliev, emphasizing that today in the country “all restrictions have been lifted and there are no obstacles to the development and expansion of this area of ​​scientific knowledge.”

Of course, there will still be a lot of discussion on this topic and “natural scientists in all media will ask questions,” the minister suggests, but theology is evolving. In 51 universities, specialized departments have been opened, and a progressive increase in the number of budget places for the specialty “theology” is envisaged.

Speaking about the most important tasks, the minister noted the need to understand the fundamental principles that this science has given us. It is necessary to understand the place of theological science among other branches of scientific knowledge, to determine the basic principles and methods of work that always provide theology with stable specificity, “not allowing theological research to be reduced to a set of related humanities disciplines.” The minister focuses special attention on training scientific personnel, strengthening departments of theology, and supporting scientific and theological projects that carry deep ideological content.

In his welcoming address to the conference participants, the head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation A.E. Vaino’s recognition of theology in our country as a comprehensive scientific educational discipline is called “an important significant result of many years of constructive interaction between government bodies, religious organizations, pedagogical expert circles, a powerful incentive for the development of humanitarian knowledge, the promotion of traditional spiritual and moral values ​​in society.” The appeal was announced by Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation A.A. Fursenko. Andrei Aleksandrovich also drew the attention of his colleagues to the pressing problem of educating younger generations, linking its solution with the development of the humanitarian space, “an important part of which is undoubtedly theology.”

Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Rector of RUDN University V.M. Filippov noted that today’s attitude in society towards theological education is based on many myths and outdated stereotypes. According to V.M. Filippov, these stereotypes are partly caused by ideological narrow-mindedness, due to the influence of many years of aggressive anti-religious propaganda, and partly by the fact that theological teachers themselves do not always take into account modern realities in the life of society and do not strive to overcome outdated stereotypes in an open discussion.

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk made a report “Theology in modern Russia: the formation of the field.”

According to Bishop Hilarion, for many decades theology was artificially thrown out of the educational space, but now this unnatural situation has been corrected, and theology has taken its rightful place in the system of humanities taught at a secular university.

At the same time, the archpastor recalled, from the very beginning the project of introducing the specialty “Theology” into the secular educational space of Russia was of an interreligious nature.

“Theology is a systematic form of expression of the doctrine of a certain religious tradition, its creed, it forms a religious worldview. The creation of a high-quality and modern system of theological education in a country like Russia, where people of different faiths have lived in peace and harmony for many centuries, is one of the factors in the sustainable development of the state and interreligious peace in it,” the DECR chairman emphasized.

Studying religious phenomena from a theological point of view means studying them in the broad context of a religious tradition, just as the study of philosophical texts and ideas requires their consideration in the context of a philosophical tradition, the hierarch recalled:

“And this requires systematic theological education, an important element of which is internal communication in the community of theologians, including both teachers and students. In this respect, theology has all the features characteristic of other scientific disciplines. The combination of personal experience and theological competencies with scientific research methodology within theology gives an effect that is impossible with an external, detached approach to religion.”

It was noted that theological competencies and theological views on the phenomena and processes being studied are useful, and sometimes necessary, for specialists in other sciences whose field of view is man, nature or society.

Recognition of the scientific status of theology corresponds to modern world experience and the strategy for integrating domestic science into the world scientific community, stated Bishop Hilarion, emphasizing: “But it is important that theology becomes open to public and social problems solved in our country, and its role in general is scientific humanitarian space was fully used for the development of interreligious dialogue and cooperation.”

At the same time, the speaker noted that talking about theology as a “new” branch of knowledge is only possible in the current Russian context. Historically, it was theology that stood at the origins of university education, and all the largest universities in Western Europe began as theological schools.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk particularly focused on the most important trend of recent years in the Russian educational space: the gradual rapprochement of the sphere of confessional spiritual education with the sphere of secular education.

“In Soviet times, these spheres were separated, a blank impassable wall was built between them,” he recalled. “Today this wall has been destroyed, as evidenced, in particular, by the state accreditation of several leading theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

One of the actions aimed at increasing the level of education in theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church was the introduction of a unified educational standard. Before this, the curriculum of one seminary or academy could be strikingly different from the programs of another theological school of a similar level.

As the bishop told the conference participants, another large-scale project that is being carried out in the Russian Orthodox Church is the creation of new textbooks for theological schools. The archpastor presented to the audience advance copies of three teaching aids, which had been approved at a meeting of the Supreme Church Council the day before.

Referring to the decision to award academic degrees not in “related” fields, as was previously assumed (philosophy, history, etc.), but in theology, the rector of the OCAD emphasized:

“This means that now in his research the theologian is no longer obliged to “tailor” theological topics to these related sciences and work with an eye to the specifics of specific scientific methodologies or academic habits common in the relevant communities of specialists. We can safely rely on theological methodology itself and the development of theological problems (including issues of dogmatic, liturgical pastoral theology, biblical studies, etc.). This poses new challenges for us to fill the field of knowledge “Theology” with real content.”

According to Metropolitan Hilarion, at the current stage it is necessary to highlight specific directions within the branch of knowledge “Theology” - Orthodox, Islamic, Jewish.

“I believe that the design of theology as a branch of knowledge should take into account the prospect of the gradual formation of full-fledged groups of specialties related to a particular religious tradition or denomination,” the hierarch continued.

“In order to develop the scientific branch of Theology, we must not mix religious traditions, but study each of them separately,” Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk expressed confidence. - At the same time, it is important to find in them, despite all the doctrinal and cultural differences, a common value and worldview core, and study it from the position of theology. This is the guarantee of interaction between different religions, ethnic groups and cultures, and in the long term, the guarantee of preserving the unity of our great multinational country, which we must preserve not only for ourselves, but also for future generations.”

Rector of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI M.N. Strikhanov expressed confidence that the addition of the department of theology to the humanitarian block of the university brings many system-forming principles for the education of students, their orientation towards universal human values ​​verified over centuries. Recalling the dire consequences that deviations from the values ​​of their ancestors led to, the rector emphasized that even in Soviet times, the ideologists of communism, in order to motivate people to great achievements, were forced to appeal to foundations rooted in religious tradition.

As the rector of NRNU MEPhI noted, at the dawn of the 21st century, religion is of great importance for billions of people precisely because it appeals to eternal values. It gives a person not just intellectual, but moral guidelines, including the tradition of self-restraint, which is very important in an environment of impending resource shortages and an acute environmental crisis.

This is a concept of moral ideals that does not allow the destruction of the guidelines of society and the individual. Assessing the situation in modern Russia, we can state that social differentiation of society, economic disintegration, and devaluation of spiritual values ​​have had a negative impact on the public consciousness of many social and age groups. It is especially important for us – for young people.

In the case of a technical university, this task becomes even more responsible, because in many ways its graduates ensure the activities of the country's technological and defense sector. Using the example of NRNU MEPhI to talk about the experience of developing the humanitarian sector of education at the university, M.N. Strikhanov noted that theology at a technical university is not an exotic educational discipline, not a whim of representatives of the Church, not an attempt to invade someone else’s space in order to impose a religious worldview, not an obstacle in teaching traditional scientific disciplines.

Rector of the Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University named after Kozma Minin A.A. Fedorov made a report “Theology and Pedagogical Education”, in which, in particular, he spoke about the network program implemented since 2004 with the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of theology, through which 200 people have already graduated.

The conference also included round table sessions on the topics: “Theology as a branch of knowledge: problems and prospects”, “Theology and educational standards”, “Theology as a space for interfaith cooperation”.

The creation of a high-quality and modern system of theological education in a country like Russia, where people of different faiths have lived in peace and harmony for many centuries, is one of the factors in the sustainable development of the state and interreligious peace in it.
June 16, 2017

Report Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, at the plenary session of the First All-Russian Conference “Theology in the Humanitarian Educational Space”, which opened in Moscow June 14, 2017

Dear guests of honor and conference participants! Dear Colleagues!

Let me, first of all, thank the leadership of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI and personally Rector Mikhail Nikolaevich Strikhanov for the opportunity for all of us to gather in this room to discuss the pressing problems of the formation of the Theology branch in modern Russia.

When five years ago we jointly opened the department of theology at this leading Russian university, many were perplexed: what does theology have to do with nuclear physics? Why should nuclear scientists study theology? The answer to these perplexities lies in the name of the educational institution, or more precisely, in one word from this name: “university”. What is a university? This is by no means a specialized institution with a narrow profile, not a vocational school. This is an educational institution that trains individuals who, being professionals in their field, are at the same time widely erudite in other fields, including the humanities.

Theology has exactly the same relationship to nuclear physics as philosophy, history, law, Russian language and literature, and other humanitarian disciplines. For many decades, theology was artificially thrown out of the educational space. The Bible, Koran and Talmud were actually forbidden literature, and people learned about Jesus Christ mainly from "The Master and Margarita".

This unnatural situation has been corrected today, and theology has taken its rightful place in the system of humanities taught at a secular university. The question of whether theology is a science or not is virtually closed: the inclusion of the specialty “Theology” in the nomenclature of the Higher Attestation Commission put an end to the debate on this topic.

This was followed by the approval in September 2015 of a passport for the scientific specialty “Theology”. The Expert Council of the Higher Attestation Commission on Theology began its work, the composition of which was formed with the support of religious organizations included in the Interreligious Council of Russia. Each of the experts included in the Expert Council has a name in a certain field of humanitarian knowledge, at the same time, these are scientists who are trusted in the corresponding religious organization.

Thus, from the very beginning, the project of introducing the specialty “Theology” into the secular educational space was of an interreligious nature. And it is no coincidence that today in this hall there are representatives of traditional confessions of Russia.

Under the auspices of the Higher Attestation Commission was The first United Dissertation Council in the history of Russia was created in the specialty “Theology”. On June 1 of this year, the first defense of a dissertation for the academic degree of candidate of theology took place in modern Russian history. This defense became a kind of test of strength for the members of the dissertation council, since atheistically minded representatives of the biologist community sent five negative reviews, accusing the dissertation author of being based on the “hypothesis of the existence of God,” and such a hypothesis supposedly contradicts the scientific worldview. However, 21 members out of 22 present voted in favor of awarding the required degree to the dissertation candidate.

This defense demonstrated, on the one hand, a high degree of unity of those involved in the formation of the scientific field of “Theology”. On the other hand, it showed that our society still retains the inertia that comes from the times of forcibly imposed atheism, when people were taught that religion is incompatible with science. And therefore, there remains a need to explain again and again what theology is and why it is needed.

Theology is a systematic form of expression of the doctrine of a certain religious tradition, its creed, it shapes a religious worldview. Creation of a high-quality and modern system of theological education in a country like Russia, where people of different faiths have lived in peace and harmony for many centuries, - one of the factors of sustainable development state and interreligious peace in it.

To study religious phenomena from a theological point of view means to study them in the larger context of a religious tradition, just as the study of philosophical texts and ideas requires viewing them in the context of a philosophical tradition. And this requires systematic theological education, an important element of which is internal communication in the community of theologians, including both teachers and students. In this regard theology has all the features characteristic of other scientific disciplines.

The combination of personal experience and theological competencies with scientific research methodology within theology gives an effect that is impossible with an external, detached approach to religion. If, for example, a religious scholar studies religious practices using the method of outside observation, then he must make a special effort to model religious consciousness, whereas the theologian is already included in religious practices and is the bearer of religious consciousness.

However, this applies not only to religious studies, which is aimed at the study of religion. It is equally important that theological competencies and theological views on the phenomena and processes being studied are useful, and sometimes necessary, for specialists in other sciences whose field of view is man, nature or society.

The theological perspective, along with the philosophical or cultural perspective, is capable of open new perspectives, approaches, and fresh perspectives on old problems to representatives of other disciplines.

In this context, we can talk about the importance of such areas of theological research as the theology of personality, theology of culture, theology of education, and pastoral psychology. They are a kind of bridge between the theoretical problems of theology and the practical realities of society.

However the most prominent mediator here is ethics, which makes it possible to perceive and analyze existing socio-political, cultural, economic and other social processes through the prism of axiological and normative attitudes, which basically - whether someone wants to admit it or not - have a religious basis. It is religious ethics that makes it possible to use a language that is understandable to modern people and does not require special theological training.

And all these possibilities are applied where theology is included in the practice of universities and scientific communities, where it is a legitimate and equal participant in scientific and academic communication.

We are moving along this path. This is evidenced by the presence here of a large number of directors, professors and teachers of numerous secular and church universities, in which theological programs are implemented. And since we are located at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, I would like to note that the five-year work of the theology department of this university shows successful experience in using the capabilities of theology as a humanities science.

Those who today try to challenge the scientific nature of theology proceed from certain stereotypes that developed during the Soviet era and have not been eradicated to this day, in particular, from the idea that scientific and religious approaches are mutually exclusive.

However, it is necessary to point out the conventional nature of scientificity. The idea of ​​what belongs to science and what remains outside it is the result of a certain convention, that is, an informal mutual agreement between scientists. Thus, before the scientific revolution of the 17th century, science was identical to scholarship as such: a philosopher, an erudite, a sage was considered a representative of science.

After the emergence of scientific natural science, criteria were established that separate science from non-science: rationality, empiricism and objectivity. These criteria remain important today, but scientific character is not determined only by them. In the process of the development of science, scientific paradigms changed, and what was previously not considered scientific acquired scientific status. In addition to the natural and exact sciences, new humanities and social sciences appeared, which did not immediately find their place in the academic space.

Some of them acquired scientific status relatively recently, for example, psychology, sociology, and cultural studies. In addition, new scientific disciplines have emerged as a result of interdisciplinary interaction: within the natural sciences (for example, biochemistry) and at the intersection of the humanities and natural sciences (cognitive science). In other words, science has grown with new disciplines, and this process will most likely continue.

It should also be noted that the recognition of new scientific disciplines was associated with their institutionalization: over time, new specialized departments and then faculties were opened at universities. It is enough to remember how difficult it was for sociology to enter the university space, and yet today no one questions its scientific status.

This also points to another important circumstance. Scientific research areas are those that are included in the organizational structure of educational and research institutions. However, such inclusion is not only recognition of the scientific nature of a particular discipline, but also a guarantee that the research and educational activities carried out within this discipline will meet scientific criteria.

Thus, the inclusion of theology in a complex of scientific disciplines is a multifactorial process. It is necessary to understand that certain theological disciplines are scientific in terms of research methodology and the procedure for qualifying it as scientific.

Recognition of the scientific status of theology is consistent with modern world experience and the strategy for integrating domestic science into the world scientific community. But it's important for theology to become open to public and social problems, being resolved in our country, and its role in the general scientific and humanitarian space is fully used to promote interreligious dialogue and cooperation.

An important issue is the lack of understanding in the academic community of the criteria that determine the scientific status of theology, which prompts some representatives of this community to criticize, far from a constructive position.

I will base my analysis and examples on the Orthodox tradition that I represent. Turning to it allows us, for convenience, to use the terms theology and theology interchangeably.

Let me remind you that in the Orthodox tradition, theology is the value-worldview core of faith. It is the basis of normativity, not related to science. However, it is studied by special theological disciplines that present, interpret and substantiate the teachings of the Church.

For example, dogmatic theology― this is a detailed presentation of the basic doctrinal truths that are binding on all members of the Church. Closely related to doctrine are such disciplines as apologetics, moral and pastoral theology, within the framework of which doctrine is applied to various areas of church life - mission, religious and moral preaching, counseling.

One more example: patrolology, engaged in the study of ancient church writing. Her subject area is theological texts and the works of ancient church writers. In this sense, it is similar to such disciplines and scientific specialties as the history of philosophy or the history of literature.

I would like to note that in recent decades a lot of independent patrolological research by secular and church scientists has appeared in Russia, many of which are in no way inferior to the works of their foreign colleagues. New translations of patristic works were made, equipped with scientific commentaries and reference materials, translated into Russian and fundamental works of foreign authors introduced into scientific circulation.

Another example would be liturgics, the subject of which is worship, and related disciplines adjacent to it, for example, the history of church singing.

I’ll complete the list of examples biblical studies, which also has its own special subject, problem field, and research methods. An interdisciplinary approach is widely used in modern biblical studies. The study of the Holy Scriptures is impossible without a deep study of ancient languages ​​(Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Syriac, Coptic, Latin, etc.) and comparative linguistics; it requires deep awareness of the history and culture of the ancient world. Studying the Bible is not just the study of an ancient text, it is also the study of the rich history of its interpretation.

Theological refers to such special disciplines studied and taught in theological schools as Church history, canon law, Christian archeology, and the history of Christian art. These disciplines are theological because they are directly related to the life of the Church, but from the point of view of internal organization and methodology they are similar to other humanities and social sciences. They can well be called theological, attributed to the scientific specialty “Theology” and included in a new branch of knowledge.

I would like to note in passing that talking about theology as a “new” branch of knowledge is possible only in the current Russian context. Historically, it was theology that stood at the origins of university education, and all the largest universities in Western Europe began as theological schools.

I would like to especially dwell on the most important trend of recent years in the Russian educational space: gradual rapprochement of the sphere of confessional spiritual education with the sphere of secular education. In Soviet times, these spheres were separated, and a blank, impassable wall was built between them. Today this wall has been destroyed, as evidenced, in particular, by the state accreditation of several leading theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In preparing our educational institutions for accreditation (and this process is still far from complete), we are taking care to bring them to the scientific level at which secular higher education is located in modern Russia. This applies not only to technical parameters (number of square meters per student, availability of a gym, etc.), but also to the requirements for scientific programs and the teaching methodology itself. Only those religious schools that fully comply with the formal criteria set by the state for higher education institutions receive accreditation.

One of the actions aimed at increasing the level of education in our religious schools was introduction of a unified educational standard. Before this, the curriculum of one seminary or academy could be strikingly different from the programs of another theological school of a similar level. Now all theological schools practice according to a single standard.

Another large-scale project that is being carried out in the Russian Orthodox Church under the direct supervision of His Holiness the Patriarch and the Supreme Church Council is creation of new textbooks for theological schools. Until recently, our students studied either from pre-revolutionary textbooks or from literature published in exile. The time has come to update the entire body of educational literature so that each discipline is taught at a modern scientific level.

Today I am pleased to present to the high assembly advance copies of three textbooks, which were discussed and approved yesterday at a meeting of the Supreme Church Council.

The first of them is called “The History of Non-Christian Religions.” This is a detailed and non-judgmental description of the religious teachings and traditions of monotheistic religions - Islam and Judaism, as well as other religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism. The textbook has already been tested in teaching at Sretensky Theological Seminary and has been highly praised by specialists, including secular ones.

Another study guide is called “The Four Gospels.” This is the first volume of a planned three-volume series. The book is intended to teach the student to independently work with the text of the Gospel, compare the parallel narratives of the Evangelists, and identify points of difference and similarity between them. The textbook introduces the student to ancient and modern interpretations of the Gospel texts.

Finally, the third textbook is an anthology of ancient Christian writing under the general title “Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church.” This is an anthology that is an appendix to a textbook on patrolology, which is still in the process of being written.

Why am I presenting these textbooks here, within the walls of the MEPhI University, where representatives of secular educational institutions have gathered? Because These textbooks are created not only for theological schools. I hope that they will be no less in demand in the departments of theology of secular universities. After all, the availability of modern teaching aids is the most important factor in the success of our common endeavor. And I I perceive the formation of the “Theology” branch as a common project of confessional educational institutions, be it Orthodox, Islamic and Jewish, and secular universities in which this scientific branch is developing.

In conclusion of my report, I would like to draw attention to what we need to do in the near future.

On the last day of May, the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission adopted a recommendation to award academic degrees not in “related” fields, as was previously assumed (philosophy, history, etc.), but in theology. This means that now in his research the theologian is no longer obliged to “tailor” theological topics to these related sciences and work with an eye to the specifics of specific scientific methodologies or academic habits common in the relevant communities of specialists. We can safely rely on theological methodology itself and the development of theological problems (including issues of dogmatic, liturgical pastoral theology, biblical studies, etc.).

This poses new challenges for us to fill the field of knowledge “Theology” with real content. As I already said, theology is not an analogue of religious studies. It cannot be impersonal from a religious and confessional point of view. The passport of the only scientific specialty 26.00.01, so similar to the passport of the religious studies discipline, does not reflect either the content or objectives of theology.

At the current stage it is necessary highlight specific areas within the field of knowledge “Theology”- Orthodox, Islamic, Jewish. I believe that the design of theology as a branch of knowledge should take into account the prospect of the gradual formation of full-fledged groups of specialties belonging to a particular religious tradition or denomination.

I am convinced that the industry should be built on religious and confessional principles. The division of theology into three groups of specialties will be similar to how, for example, philological sciences are divided into literary studies and linguistics, and physical and mathematical sciences include astronomy, mechanics, and so on. The only principle of division in this case will be belonging to a certain religious and confessional tradition.

In each of these groups at this stage it is possible to provide for one specialty of the same name. In the future, as each of the specialties is actually filled with scientific achievements and specialized specialists appear, differentiated specialties can be gradually introduced within the confessional groups of specialties, disaggregating the existing ones.

In order to develop the scientific branch of “Theology”, we must do not mix religious traditions, but study each of them separately. At the same time, it is important to find in them, despite all the doctrinal and cultural differences, a common core of values ​​and worldviews, and to study it from a theological standpoint. This is the guarantee of interaction between different religions, ethnic groups and cultures, and in the long term, the guarantee of preserving the unity of our great multinational country, which we are obliged to preserve not only for ourselves, but also for future generations.

Higher educational institutions took part in the preparation and holding of the event, on the basis of which the Joint Dissertation Council in the specialty “Theology” operates, as well as the Expert Council on Theology of the Higher Attestation Commission under the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the Federal Educational and Methodological Association in the Higher Education System UGSN “Theology”, expert group on theology under the Interreligious Council of Russia, Interdepartmental Coordination Group of the Moscow Patriarchate for teaching theology in universities.

The participants and honored guests of the conference were leaders and representatives of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science, the Higher Attestation Commission, Orthodox hierarchs and clergy, leaders of traditional religious communities of Russia, members of the Interdepartmental Coordination Group of the Moscow Patriarchate on teaching theology in universities, rectors of leading secular and religious higher educational institutions. Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University was represented by the scientific director of the “Theology” training direction, a member of the Simbirsk regional branch of the IOPS Professor Denis Makarov and Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Studies Archpriest Dmitry Savelyev.

At the beginning of the plenary meeting, held on June 14, the rector of the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies named after Saints Cyril and Methodius, Head of the Department of Theology of the National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI" (NRNU "MEPhI"), Chairman of the Interdepartmental Coordination Group for Teaching theology in Universities Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk announced a greeting message His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill conference participants.

As part of the forum program, on June 14, a round table meeting was held: “Theology as a branch of knowledge: problems and prospects.”

On June 15, as part of the conference, round tables “Theology and educational standards” and “Theology and prospects for the development of diocesan councils for theological education” were held.

After the break, a final plenary meeting was held under the chairmanship of Professor M. N. Strikhanov, which was attended by about 270 participants and guests of the conference. Speeches by the leaders of the round tables were heard with reports on the discussions that took place. At the end of the speeches, M. N. Strikhanov introduced the meeting participants to the draft resolution prepared by the program and editorial groups.

The resolution, taking into account the amendments made, was adopted during an open vote in the following wording:

“The participants of the First All-Russian Scientific Conference “Theology in the Humanitarian and Educational Space” note with satisfaction the high level of interaction between government authorities, federal educational and scientific authorities, religious organizations, as well as the academic community in the formation and development of the scientific field “Theology.”

We can state the completion of the process of state recognition of theology. The return of theology to the scientific and educational space of our country at all levels - from bachelor's degrees to the academic degrees of candidate and doctor of theology - is legally and actually secured. Preparatory work has been completed to create a multi-confessional model of theological education and theological science.