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On 1 June 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations and rector of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Postgraduate and Doctoral School of the Russian Orthodox Church took part in Trinity Education Readings sponsored by the Russian Christian Academy of Humanities in St. Petersburg.

Rector D. Burlaka cordially greeted Metropolitan Hilarion on behalf of the Academic Board, noting that his theological works had considerably contributed to the preaching of the Gospel, also in the secular milieu. “The Russian Christian Academy of Humanities has a priority task of the Gospel mission in secular circles,” he said and announced the decision of the Academic Board to confer that title of professor honoris causa on Metropolitan Hilarion.

The DECR Chairman thanked D. Burlaka for attention to his works, expressed his hope for cooperation between the Academy and the Church Postgraduate and Doctoral School, and read a lecture on “Orthodoxy and Secularism.”

Towards the end of the meeting Metropolitan Hilarion answered questions of the St. Petersburg scholars.

Answering a question about belligerent behaviour of non-believers and even believers, Metropolitan Hilarion underscored that one talks about aggressive secularism, one should not forget that aggressive religiosity is inadmissible in modern society either. “People who consider themselves followers of a certain religion commit aggression when religious conscience is distorted,” he said.

As to the prospects of teaching the “Foundations of Orthodox Culture” in Russian schools, Metropolitan Hilarion expressed his conviction in that such subjects as culturology and religion should be included in the Russian programme of education. He believes that the lack of this programme would bring about ignorance that forms the basis of both aggressive secularism and aggressive religiosity.

Metropolitan Hilarion presented his book “Orthodoxy” in two volumes to the library of the Academy.

At the Rector’s study the DECR Chairman and D. Burlaka discussed the ways and procedures of cooperation and signed a bilateral agreement.