Divine mass on divine acceleration

At the National Research Nuclear University, MEPhI will open the Department of Theology . The opening of the department and the appointment of Metropolitan Ilarion of the Ilarion, its head, was unanimously approved at the last educational council of the university. While the rector of MEPhI, Professor Strikhanov expressed the hope that the university will become a “place of free academic discussion and fruitful cooperation of Orthodox theology and modern science”, students repaired this news in social networks as a joke and seasoned it with worshiping of their own composition: “head of the head of the Ilarion, Church of a rebellious electron”.

They also joked a lot in March 2010 - then the locker room in the MEPHI was converted into the Orthodox Church and invited the patriarch to consecrate it. Before the visit of His Holiness, the main corps of the university was hastily brought into the "Divine Beauty", announced a competition for the best question to the Patriarch and divided the winners on the principle of "to the left of believers, no to the right."

Photo: wiki.mephist.ru

But when the student’s figure with the motto of the institute “The road to master the walking” was demolished in front of the MEPhI, they talked the flowerbed and established the Orthodox worship cross, which was put up for security, the students were not up to jokes. The most dissatisfied began to murmure, put on the institute of leaflets and collect signatures under the appeal to the rector with a request for the dismantling of the cross. The cross was not dismantled, and students were explained that he was actually perpetuating the memory of war veterans.

Photo: Live.Mephist.ru

After the Patriarch’s visit, a video with an informal conversation between Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin and rector Mife Strikhanov got to the network:

Strikhanov: “It seems to me, on the one hand, it is necessary to act, so, decisively, on the other hand, as if introducing people, without sharing, but introducing it. Because here we have made a cross there-some of these same ones have already begun ... We must somehow ... so that there are more supporters. ”

PublicPost found out from students and teachers of MEFI how they live with religious innovations and whether the Nuclear University needs the Department of Theology.

A teacher from the Department of Laser Physics, who wished to remain an unknown
I am a university professor, but I heard nothing about the opening of the department of theology. In any case, if so, it would be very strange. The Department of Theology in MEFI is absurd, and there is nothing to discuss here.

Ivan, student, 2 course
I learned about the department of theology in MEPHI yesterday. Maybe someone will be interested in why not. But I do not think that students will go to special courses from all flows there, most likely will make a separate set. And I went into the temple on the territory several times. When the car knocked down two classmates at the intersection, we went to put there candles.

Alexey, student, 6 course
That the Department of Ichthyology has been opening since September, I heard, yesterday, a blank (head of the military department, Vice -rector of MEFU - PublicPost) spoke about this. Not ichthyology? Theology? Oh, this is quite strange. Yesterday I still thought why to study fish physicists, but now I don’t know what to think. In my opinion, such a department is completely useless, I can’t imagine who will study there, here people believe only in science. And I do not notice the Temple of the Orthodox in the territory. Probably because I never used the locker room.

Sergey, student, 6 course
I think that there will be nothing good with the opening of the department. Because, most likely, they will engage in only one area - Orthodoxy. The university generally acquires a certain orientation towards Orthodoxy, and I know many students who Muslims. And in general, not everyone likes it. When we opened the temple and put the cross, the students were collected against, they then made a strict reprimand. I’m not going to fight this personally - I don’t see any sense.

Anna, student, 2 course
And I generally thought that it was a joke - in VKontakte they laid out just like that. But if this is still true, then why not, for sure someone is fond of this. Moreover, we still have a university, and one humanitarian faculty is already available. Of course, I would not attend special courses at this department, but I was in the temple several times.

Shmeleva Tatyana Konstantinovna, teacher from the department of physical problems of materials science
In general, this, of course, is a nightmare. If we study the history of religion there for general educational purposes, then why not - we study the philosophy and culture of speech. And if I do Orthodox education, then I do not welcome such an initiative. When our temple was opened, everyone laughed. Believers greeted, of course, and everyone else laughed. A monument was demolished in front of the university, on which it was written "the road to master the walking." When a cross appeared in his place, the students joked that the walking, apparently, did not master the road. In general, we have a religious rector, they all know this, because of him all this began. But it’s good that this does not affect unbelievers, that is, they do not drive anyone by force.

Photo: Live.Mephist.ru

Protest-Demitivator leaflet created by students of myfi

The anticipating numerous questions, Metropolitan Hilarion, addressing students after his appointment , said : “Someone may have a natural question: why is the Department of Theology created at the National Research Nuclear University? What does the theology of nuclear research have to do? Someone may even say that this is one of the signs of the “clericalization of society”, the bow between the church and the state, ”and then explained in detail that every educated person and physics, including, are needed in the field of theology. And that the study of theological disciplines in MEPHI will take place on a voluntary basis.

It remains only to convince students and teachers that this is not a joke.