A representative of the Ministry of Education commented on the situation with the teaching of religious disciplines in schools and universities

Head of the Department of State Policy and Legal Regulation in Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Petrova, in an interview with Interfax, commented on the situation with the study of religious disciplines in secondary schools.

T. Petrova explained that the possibility of the emergence of a new educational field “Spiritual and Moral Culture”, discussed since 2007, “was simply a proposal of the Russian Orthodox Church, but it was mistakenly accepted as some kind of already approved decision.” She recalled that the development of the federal state educational standard continues: “This concept was still proposed by a religious organization, and the standard itself is written by educators, methodologists, teachers, teachers. They can look at this issue from a different angle.”

A representative of the Ministry of Education said that the main issue for the working group under the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Education is the development of not a standard or a DNA curriculum, but a book for primary school teachers. “Representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Islamic community, Protestant churches, and the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Associations in Russia” took a very active part in its discussion.”

According to Interfax's interlocutor, the teaching of religious subjects in various regions "is proceeding as usual, without difficulties. At least, no complaints have been received." The Ministry of Education considers it right to first “find out the needs of those who make up the contingent of the school and the region as a whole, and only then make management decisions.” Bryansk University monitors the needs of students and their parents for the ministry.

T. Petrova is convinced that the teaching of religious disciplines “should occur exclusively on a voluntary basis, and a person should be provided with freedom of choice. That is, the imposition of a particular subject by administrative means is unacceptable.”

When asked about the prospects for including theology in the list of scientific specialties, a representative of the ministry responded as follows: “I still have questions for the apologists for the immediate introduction of theology as a scientific specialty - questions to which I have not yet received answers. No one has answered me yet , what is the subject and method of the science of theology, although without this it is very difficult to talk about any independent scientific branch. Next - in which university will the first academic council on theology be opened? We are now opening first of all councils for defending doctoral dissertations, for what is it necessary? to have seven full-time doctors of science in this field of knowledge. Let one of the zealots of theology show me a university where there are such doctors. Finally, theology must be confessional, it cannot be the same for everyone. So we will create countless things at the Higher Attestation Commission! number of expert councils or one? And who will be on it?

She recalled that theology as a field of study in Russian universities has existed for 15 years, but no scientific schools in the field of theology have emerged during this time.

Sources

• Any administrative imposition of religious subjects at school is unacceptable // Interfax-Religion. 2008. August 29.