Translated material
Christian University of Nuclear Physics
On the evening of October 16, the Kommersant correspondent called me and asked the question: what do you think about the establishment of the Department of Theology in MEFI? I lost my speech from amazement and was able to squeeze out of myself only a couple of connected sentences, which, however, were replicated.
I'll try to speak more intelligently.
First of all, this is a disgrace. Theology not only has nothing to do with science, but is, in a sense, its opposite. Science is a study, it is a support on experience, on facts, on axiomatics, rooted in the real world. Theology - support on the dogma, development and protection of dogma - in its pure form ideology. The scientist can believe in God, remaining a scientist, but in a terrible dream it would not occur to him to apply his faith in research. The establishment of the Department of Theology in the MEPHI, according to the degree of shame, is similar to the invitation of the punk group to speak in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior by his rector, if Punk rock was in the highest favorite. There would also be maxims about the contribution of punk rock to morality, etc. Punk rock is still nothing, there are terry popes in feathers ... And there were also party agitators ...
In the reports of the establishment of the department and in justification of this action there are a lot of frauds. It is reported that the scientific council unanimously voted for the institution of the department. According to rumors (which we intend to verify by contacting the Academic Council), voting, as such, was simply not there, the rector announced the consideration of the issue of the presidium of the scientific council, said that he must be supported, and that’s all.
Of course, no one elevated his voice against, but this is not at all that everyone voted “for”.
The new head of the department, Metropolitan Illarion, complains about low literacy in matters of religion in his explanations about the department. The “Muslim Church” gave an example as an example ... For me, so let him - the speaker of this is unlikely to nourish the anger against Muslims, most likely he is absolutely indifferent to someone else's religion, and thank God - no tragedy. But if the young Russian churchy carpenter with full secondary education does not know either the sinuses or the Pythagorean theorem, and in order to cut the rafters, he needs a flat clearing, where he could lay out a vegetable rafter, this is a tragedy.
But the main fraud here is different. Likbez in matters of religion is an object of completely different discipline, religious studies that explores religion as a phenomenon and is quite appropriate in secular universities. Theology is about God, not about religions.
According to the publication of Vladislav Moiseev in the “Russian Reporter” ( www.rusrep.ru/article/2012/10/18/souz/ ), the rector of MIFI Mikhail Strikhanov, justifying the creation of the Department of Theology, said: “Everyone can be instrumentation of cognition of the world.” This is said by a physicist, a graduate of myfi. Arrived ...
It remains to rename the famous MEPhI - a suitable option with a cute abbreviation proposed by one of its graduates, was put into the title.
Still, there is a hope that the team of scientists working in MEPhI, with the support of graduates and other scientists, is defended by the institute’s right to their former brand.
Boris Stern
Blitz interview with Valery Rubakov
- In a nutshell: attitude to the creation of the Department of Theology in MEFU.
- Complete disgrace. Science and religion are completely different areas of human activity. Religion in state universities, especially in natural science, is nonsense. Please, you can teach the foundations of religion to everyone through open lectures in seminaries, in monasteries, to teach children in Sunday schools if their parents want, but not in public universities and not in public schools. This contradicts the constitution and this is done on our taxes. I am against my money to teach theology. In general, I do not understand the motives of power. With one hand she fights for progress, organizes Skolkovo, the other - plants religion and helps the clericals to expand.
-I’m here the motives of the authorities just understand perfectly ....
- Well, yes, religion helps to keep the people in UND. However, you can either develop, enlighten and engage in modernization, or keep in the UES-something one.
- How can I fix it? Should employees of MEPhI and students get out on their own, or can it be and should affect the situation from the outside?
- Of course, the scientific community must say its word! As for to influence - I do not know how it can be done, myfi is an independent organization ...
-Of course, but still it is a state organization that exists with our money, and is subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Science.
- Yes, but I just do not know what levers are possible here.
- Metropolitan Illarion, it turns out, read the popular books of Hawking and claims that the need for God is everywhere visible - all sorts of questions unanswered ...
- I have not read these popular books, because this is my profession. I don't know what he could find about God there ...
-I also did not read, apparently he means the cosmological paradoxes of the 70s, which were allowed by the theory of cosmological inflation. I also heard the statements, in my opinion, just Hawking, the type that the Creator would hardly have introduced the Law (Lagrange) into the universe with so many initial parameters-he would probably try to invent something simpler and more elegant.
- Indeed, scientists often use the creator’s image as a metaphor - it is sometimes necessary to decorate a dry scientific presentation, but this has nothing to do with faith. The professional task of the scientist is to find an explanation without attracting supernatural entities.
Questions were asked by B.Sh.
Still, there is a hope that the team of scientists working in MEPhI, with the support of graduates and other scientists, is defended by the institute’s right to their former brand.