Metropolitan Hilarion chairs concluding plenary session of Patriarchal Conference on Theology in Universities: Cooperation between Church, State and Society

On 29 November 2012, at the conference hall of the Danilovskaya Hotel in Moscow, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman and rector of the Sts Cyril and Methodius Postgraduate and Doctoral School, chaired the concluding plenary session of the Patriarchal Conference on Theology in Universities: Cooperation between Church, State and Society.

Bishop Feofilakt of Pyatigorsk and Cherkessk presented a summary report on the work of Section I “Church, Society, University: Models and Strategies of Cooperation.” Present at the Section’s meeting were hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, rectors of universities, and heads and professors of the chairs of theology. Bishop Feofilakt reported that sixteen reports were presented at the Section.

Archbishop Yevgeny of Vereya, chairman of the Education Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church and rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, presented a summary report on the work of Section II “Theological Education: From a Bachelor Degree Programme to a Research Center.” Involved in the work of the Section were representatives of the Sts Cyril and Methodius Postgraduate and Doctoral School, Moscow and St Petersburg Theological Schools, St Tikhon’s Orthodox Humanitarian University, and the Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University. Thirteen reports were presented at the Section.

Metropolitan Hilarion read out the concluding document and thanked all those present for their work and active participation in discussions. He hopes that these discussions may help various church structures and government bodies responsible for secular education in Russian society to take new steps forward.