Theology as an accurate science

This note was written by the newspaper Izvestia, which explains not quite familiar style. But while Izvestia decided whether they were ready to publish this note, a week was held, and a news occasion (the collection of the scientific and educational theological association, held at Moscow State University on February 28) is outdated (according to the newspaper). It seems to us that, unfortunately, is not outdated.

Masks are reset. No one has a shadow on the wandling, hiding theology behind talk that a student as any cultural person should know the foundations of world religions, about the need to read the most important works of religious literature (who would argue?!). No one will appeal to the experience of old European universities from their hundreds of years ago that arose and preserved by tradition faculties of theology. Why do we need it?! Indeed, according to the referent of the President of the Russian Federation for the domestic policy of Sergei Melnikov, "while in the West there is a violation of human rights and the degradation of spiritual and moral foundations, Russia has a chance to become the basis for preserving spiritual and moral values ​​in the world."

Creeping clericalization of education becomes obvious, and theology is included in compulsory curricula in secular universities. Well, of course, as without him, because “ to any secular scientist, it is not easy to understand the most difficult patterns of the modern world without theological knowledge! " - this is not anyone said, and the whole chairman of the State Duma Committee Sergey Gavrilov. “ This field has knowledge of the great potential of scientific development ,” says Mr. Melnikov. The degree of their acquaintance with the modern natural sciences remains unclear, but this is not important: armed with theological knowledge, we can confidently talk about anything.

Theology is already taught in many universities. These are budget places, taxpayers are spent on them. This practice will be expanded, and, according to Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), the Russian Orthodox Church will ensure that only clergy are taught theology at secular universities. How does this correlate with Article 14 of our Constitution? But no way, but who cares?!

It is reported that the passports of theological courses are approved by the leadership of the so -called "traditional faiths"; I wonder what? If with Orthodox Christianity it is more or less clear, then, say, what is the Jewish leadership? Since the destruction of the second temple, nothing like this has been provided for in Judaism; And if you consider the leader of any of the rabbis-then Misnaged Reba Adolf Shaevich, the main rabbi of Russia, or Hasida Reb Berla Lazar, another main rabbi of Russia? And which of the two rival Muslim leaders will approve the Islamic Theology course - Sheikh Talgat Tajuddin as the Supreme Mufti or Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin as the chairman of the Council of the Mufti?

All this introduces a source of meaningless conflicts into the field of education. If theology becomes mandatory, does this mean that three departments will be created at each university: Orthodox, Muslim and Jewish theology? And where will they form - for a better understanding of the modern world, of course, - no less traditional Buddhists who are not provided for in their theology? And "non-traditional" Catholics, Lutherans, Muslims-Shiits? There is no conversation about atheists, these are people who are soulless, no one will ask them.

The general meeting of the scientific and educational theological association, where all these wonderful speeches were heard, took place at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov. The rector of Moscow State University Viktor Sadovnichy is known for his attention to the problems of introducing theology in higher education, in vain that in his last life he was the secretary of the party committee of the mechanical and mathematics faculty. The Department of Theology in MEFI, led by Metropolitan Hilarion, has been working for a long time. But this is still a mild option, but the case is more serious: Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov, dean of the faculty of the Orthodox culture of the Military Academy of the Missile Forces of Strategic Missile Forces, is known, among other things, with anti -scientific statements, say, that the cause of AIDS is not a virus, but an immoral lifestyle. Here, such people are invited to learn to understand the laws of the structure of the world!

Why is theology so torn from madrassas and Orthodox universities to secular universities? Theological degrees were awarded by educational institutions of the relevant faiths for a long time, the same Metropolitan Hilarion is rightfully the doctor of theology of the Holy Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute. But no, the introduction of theology was required into the system of state scientific certification, and the award of the very first degree of theology candidate, Archpriest Pavel Khodzinsky, was accompanied by a whole bouquet of violations of the Regulation on the award of academic degrees. The element of additional phantasmagoria is given by the fact that he already had the degree of a doctor of theology, awarded by the Orthodox Holy Tikhonovsky University. And then to say, the dissertation council at the time of defense could not award the degree of candidate of theology, because such a concept did not exist, the ministerial order on the degrees on theology appeared later, and the council was created to award degrees in historical and philosophical sciences. The Presidium of the highest certification commission recommends closing, and the Ministry of Education and Science closes the advice for many smaller violations.

Thought that there were two reasons. Firstly, teachers need teachers to teach the law of God in schools; To cook them, you need specialized departments; And the teachers of the departments need to defend themselves somewhere in order to build a scientific and educational career: to become associate professors and professors. Secondly, since theology is the same science as biology or history, its representatives will equally sit in all kinds of scientific councils and grant committees. It turned out that the third reason was ripening.

According to the same deputy Gavrilov, “and the theology inevitably should inevitably should each leader, because only a person of Orthodoxy can be a truly effective state manager ! ". Here he is undoubtedly right: as we all know, the “effective manager” Joseph Stalin studied at the Orthodox seminary. If seriously, this statement reveals two deep trends at once. The first is obvious - Orthodoxy in modern Russia claims to be the role of the CPSU: how it was unthinkable to imagine a non -partisan leader, and now it is increasingly difficult to imagine a statesman who is openly adhering to atheistic views. The second, in fact, is also obvious: only Orthodox Christianity is actually hiding behind the declarative attention to traditional faiths. I’m wondering how these words of the Chairman of the Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society, issues of public and religious associations in these same religious organizations, say, in Tatarstan or in the North Caucasus, will read.

All this destroys not only higher education. This destroys the country.

Mikhail Gelfand