Home page News
Primate of Russian Orthodox Church: Theology shoul…

Primate of Russian Orthodox Church: Theology should be regarded not only as a set of subjects taught at seminaries, but also as a serious science

In his address at the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia raised the topic of theology as a science and theological education. His Holiness told about the activities of the coordinating centre that unites efforts of theological institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church and is responsible for the promotion of theology as a science. The centre was established in compliance with the decisions of the Bishops’ Council of 2013, and is supported in its work by the secretariat of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission.

“As the result of the long-term work, theology was included in the list of branches of science by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation, and later in the Nomenclature of Branches of Science. Almost a year later, the dissertation council for theology, first in the history of the Russian state, was established, and this year the first candidate dissertation on theology has been defended,” the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said.

As His Holiness noted, there is a similar opportunity in Ukraine, whose legislation envisages not only the inclusion of theology in the list of branches of science, but also the possibility, under certain conditions, the recognition by the state of the degree of theology, received at a theological educational institution. In a number of countries in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church, local governments have certified the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes. However, it is only in Lithuania that there is an opportunity to defend candidate or doctoral theses. There the programme was drawn up, based on the Catholic doctrine.

According to His Holiness, all the current opportunities must be used to the full extent in order to develop theology as a serious science. Theology should be regarded not only as a set of subjects taught at seminaries, but also as a serious science, the Primate emphasized.

His Holiness also informed the participants in the Council of the implementation of yet another decision concerning the promotion of cooperation with theological departments at secular higher education institutions and the allocation of more stated-funded places, at least in Russia, for students of theology. Considerable success has been achieved in fulfilling this latter task: while in the 2013/2014 academic year there were 293 such places, in the current 2017/2018 academic year the number has increased to 558.

The achievements of diocesan councils for theology have been less evident, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill noted. “In cooperation with the Interdepartmental Working Group for Teaching Theology at Universities, the diocesan councils for theology need to engage more actively in the scientific life of their regions,” the Primate of the Russian Church said.

Bishops’ Council Information Service

Share:
Congratulations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the President of Turkey on his 70th birthday

26.02.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill's condolences in connection with the murder of the monks of the Ziquala Abo Monastery in Ethiopia

24.02.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the XII Christmas Parliamentary Meetings at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation

23.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Patriarch of Constantinople is not a free man

07.01.2024

Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Rus’

06.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill had phone conversation with Metropolitan Ioann of Belgorod and Stary Oskol

02.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expresses condolences over deadly earthquake in northwest China

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his re-election as President of Egypt

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill welcomes the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the decoration of the Church of St Sava in Belgrade

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presides over jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Patriarchal greetings on the occasion of 60th anniversary of the Diocese of Vienna and Austria

26.11.2023

Primate of Russian Church presents historic miracle-working Kazan Icon of the Mother of God to the faithful and celebrates Liturgy in the Kremlin Dormition Cathedral

04.11.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to the participants of the World Conference of Compatriots Living Abroad

01.11.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East

31.10.2023

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب