The appearance of the dissertation Council on theology with Ministry of education and science gives theologians the opportunity to obtain academic degrees
To become a doctor of theology (or theological) Sciences until recently in Russia was impossible. Of course, degrees awarded dissertation academic councils of the theological academies and universities of the Russian Orthodox Church, but no legal force on the territory of the Russian Federation they had.
However, in September last year by the decision of the Higher attestation Commission (VAK) of Russia, theology has become a new academic specialty, having the code “26.00.01”. And may 30 in the system of the Ministry of education established the first United Council on protection of dissertations on competition of a scientific degree of candidate and doctor of Sciences in the specialty “theology”. And now in a completely legal framework to protect research work in theology and to obtain the scientific degree of candidate or doctor of theology.
Now under the WAC formed the Advisory Council on theology. As previously, the agreement on creation of joint dissertation Council on theology was signed by the rectors of the Ranepa, Moscow state University. M. V. Lomonosov, Institute of post-graduate and doctoral studies name of saints Cyril and Methodius (CMI) and St. Tikhon Orthodox humanitarian University (pstgu).
In Russia, about 50 public and private universities are accredited in the specialty “theology”. This year will be released about 200 students at the undergraduate level and approximately the same number of masters. How many of them will choose graduate school, it is not yet clear. But in the dissertation in theology ready to accept scientific papers.
— The Council has the authority to make the protection work, to consider them and to make a recommendation, — explained the “Izvestia” in the Council.
Disputes about whether theology is a science or not, has been conducted since 1991, when the government initially included theology in the list of scientific specialties, and then expelled her.
— I Express a personal opinion as a doctor of philosophical Sciences and academician of the Academy of education, — said the first Deputy Chairman of the education Committee of the state Duma Oleg Smolin. — From my point of view, secular theology as a science is not and can not be. Science can be religious studies and other disciplines that study religion. I fully understand, for example, that St. Tikhon’s University successfully carries the weight of the word of God using modern technology. But I did not understand when nuclear University opened the Department of theology. Lomonosov in the EIGHTEENTH century formulated the idea of a dual truth. Its meaning is simple: theologians have nothing to do in science, and scientists should not study theology. Everyone needs to do their work.
Meanwhile, the appearance of the dissertation Council on theology will make life easier for scientists whose work did not fit into the framework of philosophy or history of religion.
— I the Deputy Chairman of the dissertation Council in philosophy of religion and religious studies at the Ranepa. Religious studies in Russia related to the philosophical Sciences, as well as historical, ” says religious scholar, Professor, Department of national and Federative relations of the Institute of state service and management of the Ranepa, head of the Interuniversity Department of religious studies, ethnoculturology and problems of the Eurasian integration Moscow Orthodox Institute of St. John the theologian Russian Orthodox University William Schmidt. And due to the nature of our Board, we have traditionally accepted works that were at the intersection of science. For example, cultural studies, sociology, political science, law. Sometimes they were hard to qualify as a philosophical work, because religious discourse has indicated that this subject area of theology. But theology was not, therefore, doctoral candidate and was returned for revision. And some even rejected.
With such a situation Schmidt faced personally, when in 2000, at MSU, and then in 2007 to the civil registry office defended the work on the legacy of the Patriarch Nikon, — master’s and doctoral.
— Some doctors of Sciences have put forward to her claim — they believed that the theological component is strengthened. And said: “why should we defend it on the philosophical Sciences, even if the subject area is religious studies?”, “Schmidt said.
As emphasized by experts in the field of theology and religious studies, we are talking not only about Christian theology, but Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist etc.
— Not just theology — theology is always concrete and corresponds to a particular religious tradition, ” explains Schmidt.
According to experts, the level of theologians in Russia is extremely low, because not yet developed criteria.
Oleg Smolin believes that the spiritual person may well obtain a degree. But not in theology.
— It seems to me that if a religious figure wants to have a secular degree, he can defend, for example, on the history of the Church. Or for some other topics, but within the framework of secular science, not of theology, — said the Deputy. Because if, say, during a thesis defense will meet an atheist, the religious activist and agnostic, is likely to prevail formula of Kant. And it goes like this: there are three main evidence of the existence of God, but none of them from a scientific point of view is not proof. So to each his own.
But William Schmidt is convinced that this is not entirely correct, because the theologian and the theologian is a different scientific specialty. Today debated the question of granting theology the status of the science sector.
— Yes, these Sciences the object of study is different. Religious studies not studies the issues of God. But theology just is doing just that. Teologii ultimate object is God and his manifestation in the world. And religious studies focusing on religion as a social phenomenon, phenomenon, ” says Schmidt. But to non-specialists think that it is one and the same.
Now in graduate religious universities in the specialty “theology” in total enrollment of just over 50 people. And now each of them has the opportunity to become a PhD.
