The III All-Russian Forum of Young Theologians gathered more than 400 students, postgraduates and teachers from 41 universities and theological schools at the Academy. Its participants were representatives of various faiths studying in the fields of "Theology", "Philosophy" and "Religious Studies". For two days, 12 thematic sections worked in various directions. The event is held within the framework of the Priority 2030 program.
The participants were greeted by the President of the Scientific and Educational Theological Association (NOTA), Vicar of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Bishop Kirill of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov. "Education, upbringing, pedagogy are unthinkable without absolute values, and they cannot exist "on their own", outside of a religious worldview, outside of faith and outside of tradition. The Christian idea is capable of “rebooting”, filling with eternal meanings the fundamental principles of modern education, its new paradigm, which is being born as a response to great challenges. Theology participates in the preservation of spiritual and moral values and cultural heritage of Russia," believes President NOTA.
During the plenary session, the Dean of the Faculty of Journalism of the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IGSU) of the Presidential Academy, Vladimir Silkin, spoke about the university's cooperation with NOTA and the creation of a unique educational module "Confessions in the media sphere" included in the "Ministry Training" program. The module, as the speaker clarified, has been implemented for 3 years for students of the Faculty of Journalism and forms professional competencies for working with religious topics in the media.
According to the vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Work, Bishop Seraphim of Istra, theology is now strengthening its position in the Russian higher education system, which allows for a dialogue between science and religion, the state and society at a qualitatively different level. Theology has a huge potential to help young people fill the ideological and spiritual vacuum.
The forum sections discussed the problems of state-confessional relations, theological, philosophical, historical, cultural, political, legal and anthropological aspects of the theological branch of scientific knowledge. The topics of the specifics of the multi-confessional regions and the interdisciplinary possibilities of theology, ethics and social service, the peculiarities of interreligious dialogue, the role of the family in preserving traditional values were also touched upon.
As stated by the Chairman of the Council for Islamic Education of Russia, Rector of the Russian Islamic Institute, Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan for Education and Science Rafik Mukhametshin: "We have passed a difficult stage in the formation of theological education, created a Council for the defense of candidate and doctoral dissertations in theology, there are all conditions for young people aspiring to this science."
The event dedicated to the diversity of research areas of theology took place within the framework of the II International Interreligious Youth Forum. The organizers are the Presidential Academy and the Scientific and Educational Theological Association with the support of the Commission for the Development of Theological, Religious and Spiritual and Moral Education of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President of Russia.