Institute of Theology BSU. Theology. Department of Biblical Studies and Christian Doctrine

Theologian-religious scholar

People with a religious worldview, who like an active position in the sphere of spiritual life of society, often choose the profession of theologian-religious scholar. Knowledge of theology, religious studies, philosophy, theology and other similar disciplines, as well as the ability to understand religious literature, is the basis for the theoretical training of these specialists. The specific specifics of the activity of a theologian-religious scholar generally depend on the future place of employment; he can engage in research, methodological and other work.

Where can you work?

Educational institutions, religious associations and public organizations, travel companies (religious tourism), media, publishing houses, research centers, library centers.

Theologian-religious scholar - what is he like?

Patient, friendly, responsive, knows how to listen and support, has developed logical and analytical thinking.

The Institute of Theology of the Belarusian State University is the legal successor of the Faculty of Theology named after. St. Methodius and Cyril, which was created on October 1, 1993 at the non-state European Humanities University (Minsk). Since its creation, the dean of the faculty has been the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk.

The main goals of creating the faculty were:

• restoration of lost connections between Christian tradition and modern culture;
• creation of a system of Christian education at the higher school level;
• re-creation of the system of Christian methodology in educational, educational and scientific fields;
• training of qualified specialists with a high level of theological and humanitarian education.

In 1997, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, for the first time in the history of Eastern Europe, recognized the specialty 1-21 01 01 “Theology”. In 1998, it was included in the state standard; the first educational program in this specialty was developed at the Faculty of Theology through the efforts of I.P. Latushko and A.Yu. Bendin.

His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, in his speech on July 22, 1995, before teachers, students and staff of the European Humanities University, emphasized that the Faculty of Theology named after. St. Methodius and Cyril - “really the first theological faculty in the former Soviet Union, and now in the sovereign republics, whose task is to prepare catechists and teachers who will teach lessons in doctrine, Church history and other theological subjects in parish Sunday schools, in gymnasiums , lyceums and other educational institutions."

In connection with the cessation of the activities of Yerevan State University in September 2004, by the decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee, the state educational institution “Institute of Theology named after. St. Methodius and Cyril of the Belarusian State University."

On November 19, 2004, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus decided to issue a special permit (license) for the right to carry out educational activities of the Institute.

By the decision of the Academic Council of the Belarusian State University, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, was appointed rector of the Institute.

All students and undergraduates who studied at the Faculty of Theology of Yerevan State University continued their studies at the newly created Institute of Theology. Almost all teachers and staff of the Faculty of Theology were transferred to the newly created Institute.

The main task of the Institute is to train qualified specialists with higher education in the field of theology, modern religious studies, combining deep professional knowledge with high culture and moral qualities, for teaching theological, religious studies and other humanitarian disciplines in educational institutions of all types and types, as well as for working in research institutions, publishing houses, the media, government institutions for religious affairs, social, public and charitable organizations.

All these years, the Institute has fully provided the student admission plan. All graduates receive first jobs in accordance with state distribution. Graduates of the Institute work in the field of public administration, in the education system, social security, social work and youth ministry of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, as well as in the field of scientific and pedagogical activities. The Institute has created a team of highly qualified specialists in the field of theology, biblical studies, religious studies, and church history. Among them are Doctor of Theology Archpriest Vladimir Bashkirov, Archimandrite Sergius (Akimov), Doctor of Historical Sciences A.Yu. Bendin. Graduates of the Institute regularly defend their candidate dissertations.

The Institute of Theology is a dynamically developing educational and scientific structure; it remains the only unparalleled educational institution in the Republic of Belarus for the training of professional theologians in the field of modern secular education.

The Institute carries out a lot of educational work with young people. In particular, a competition of scientific and literary works on spiritual and moral topics is held annually among students of schools and vocational schools in the country, in which more than 170 schoolchildren take part. Every year, teachers of the Institute participate in international conferences. The Institute is constantly updating its material base. The Institute's library currently contains about 27 thousand items, including many unique ones. The library is open for use to all residents of Belarus. The Institute is an effective platform for dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, the Muslim and Jewish communities of Belarus, which helps to strengthen inter-religious peace and harmony in the Republic of Belarus and strengthen the international authority of the country.

Administration of the Institute:

• rector - Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavsky, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus;
• first vice-rector - candidate of theology, associate professor, confessor of the Institute, Archpriest Sergius Gordun;
• Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs - Turov Alexander Ivanovich;
• Vice-Rector for Scientific Work - Candidate of Theology Sergei Iosifovich Shatravsky;
• Vice-Rector for Administrative and Economic Work - Mazur Mikhail Borisovich.

The structure of the Institute includes departments:

• Biblical Studies and Christian Doctrine (headed by Candidate of Historical Sciences Yuri Yurievich Afanasenko);
• theology (headed by Doctor of Theology, Professor Archpriest Vladimir Bashkirov);
• religious studies (headed by Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Regensburg, candidate of theology Andrey Vladilenovich Danilov).

The Institute carries out active international cooperation and develops, on a contractual basis, multilateral contacts with various foreign educational organizations and institutions, higher theological schools and religious studies centers.

Currently, the Institute of Theology has entered into cooperation agreements with educational institutions from far and near abroad:

• Institute of Eastern Churches (Regensburg, Germany),
• University of Friborg (Friborg, Switzerland),
• Biblical and Theological Institute of St. Andrew the Apostle (Moscow, Russian Federation),
• Faculty of Evangelical Theology of the Karl Eberhard University of Tübingen (Tübingen, Germany),
• Non-state educational institution of higher professional education "Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University", (Moscow, Russian Federation),
• Institute of Ecumenical Studies of Lviv Catholic University (Lviv, Ukraine),
• Orthodox St. Sergius Theological Institute (Paris, France),
• Institute for Ecumenical Studies. Johann-Adam Meller (Paderborn, Germany),
• Pskov State University (Pskov, Russian Federation),
• Christian Theological Academy (Warsaw, Poland).

As part of the concluded agreements, students, graduate students, as well as teaching staff are exchanged at partner institutions. Institutions promote the development of joint research projects, inform each other about their conferences and invite scientists from partner institutions to them. Institutions regularly exchange their curricula, scientific publications and participate in their joint writing, as well as exchange informative, didactic material and special manuals.

Active cooperation with various foreign institutions allows us to maintain partnerships with a number of international Christian organizations: the World Council of Churches (Geneva, Switzerland), the World Brotherhood of Orthodox Youth "Syndesmos" (Athens, Greece), the European Christian Ecological Network (Vienna) , Austria), as well as with the Pontifical Councils for Christian Unity and Cultural Cooperation and other international theological organizations.

Honorary Doctors of the Institute of Theology - His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Metropolitan Amfilohiy of Montenegro, statesman M.A. Men, sectologist prof. Thomas Gundow.

Graduates of the Institute have the opportunity to enroll in a master's program in the specialty “Religious studies, philosophical anthropology, philosophy of culture.”

Institute of Theology named after St. Methodius and Cyril BSU

Institute of Theology named after Saints Methodius and Cyril BSU formed from the Faculty of Theology of the European Humanities University. Since 2004, the Institute has been a structural unit of the Belarusian State University. The Institute trains specialist theologians and religious scholars, teachers of theological, religious and cultural disciplines.

The rector of the Institute of Theology named after Saints Methodius and Cyril of BSU is the head of the Belarusian Church, Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Filaret.

The Institute of Theology is a unique educational structure that provides the opportunity to obtain a state diploma of higher professional education in the field of theology in the Republic of Belarus. The Institute of Theology has a library with more than 20 thousand items. There is also a chapel at the institute. Saints Methodius and Cyril, where students undergo liturgical practice. The institute has a master's degree in Religious Studies, Philosophical Anthropology, and Philosophy of Culture. . The faculty has 3 departments.

Department of Biblical Studies and Christian Doctrine

• The Bible in Belarusian history and the liturgical life of the Church;
• The place and role of the Orthodox Church in the modern world and its influence on religious, social and political processes in society;
• The role of the Belarusian Orthodox Church in the formation of statehood and spiritual culture of the Belarusian people.

The department is headed by candidate of theology, associate professor Archpriest Sergius Gordun. The department employs 10 teachers, of which 2 are professors; 3 associate professors, 4 candidates of theological sciences.

Department of Theology

• History of the Orthodox Church in Belarus and in the world;
• Christian spiritual and moral values ​​in the modern world and their significance for modern education;
• Traditions of Christian education and modern trends in the field of education.

The department is headed by Doctor of Theology, Archpriest Vladimir Bashkirov. The department employs 8 teachers, of which 1 is a professor; 5 associate professors, candidates of theological sciences.

Department of Religious Studies

• Non-traditional and traditional religiosity in Belarus and Russia: history and modernity;
• Interfaith and interreligious dialogue;
• Development of theological and religious education in the Republic of Belarus;
• Strengthening and developing connections between Christian tradition and modern science.

The department is headed by Andrey Vladilenovich Danilov, Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Regensburg. The department employs 10 teachers, of which 2 are professors; 2 associate professors, candidates of theological and philosophical sciences.

Conferences of the Department of Religious Studies

The department holds international scientific and practical conferences on religious studies every two years. The goals of the conference are the integration of scientific activities of the religious studies community in the CIS countries, the exchange of scientific information, and the solution of communicative problems in the dialogue between theology and religious studies. We invite you to take part in them. The permanent partners of the department in their implementation are the Department of Philosophy of Culture, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences of the Belarusian State University, Christian Educational Center named after. St. Methodius and Cyril, Youth Association of Religious Studies (Ukraine), Moscow Society of Religious Studies (Russia), the journal “Religious Studies” (Russia), ANO “Independent Research Center” (Volgograd, Russia), as well as the Institute of Religious Studies of the Jagiellonian University (Krakow, Poland). The first conference “Religious Studies in the Post-Soviet Space” was held in February 2009. The second - “Religion and Text: from Practice to Theory” - in March 2011. Currently, preparations are underway for the third conference “Man and Religion”, which will take place on March 14 – 16, 2013. .

International activities of the Institute

Every year, the Institute of Theology named after Saints Mythodius and Cyril holds a number of scientific republican and international conferences. They are attended by teachers of higher educational institutions, researchers, students, undergraduates and graduate students of the Republic of Belarus, Russia, and other countries of the near and far abroad. The Institute works within the framework of cooperation agreements in educational and scientific activities with a number of universities in Russia and Western Europe: St. Tikhon's University (Moscow), Theological faculties of the University of Tubengen and Regensburg, the Institute of Eastern Churches (Regensburg). Scientific cooperation is carried out with the Faculty of Theology of the University of Vienna and the University of Jena. The Institute maintains contacts with other universities in France and Italy.

The Institute of Theology of BSU takes part in international projects and meetings. Among them:

Christian Educational Center named after Saints Methodius and Cyril

The Christian Educational Center organizes the international activities of the Institute of Theology, as well as the activities of the Preparatory Department of the Institute of Theology (“S.S. Averintsev Studio of Humanitarian Knowledge”). The main goals of the Center are:

• Revival of Christian culture;
• Promoting the development of Orthodox theological education in the Republic of Belarus;
• Promoting peace, moral health and universal human values;
• Revival of the traditions of social service of the Church;
• Participation in Christian interfaith dialogue and cooperation in educational and scientific fields;
• A free association of educators, Church, science, healthcare, culture, art, media, business representatives, production workers for joint educational, social, educational, scientific, creative, production, economic, charitable and other activities.