Three Scholars Successfully Defend Candidate Dissertations at MThA
On 27 May 2025, a session of MThA’s Candidate Dissertation Council No. 1 (combining Departments of Biblical Studies, Theology, and Philology [Ancient Languages]) took place, featuring the successful defense of three candidate dissertations.
The dissertation council was chaired by Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin, Honored Professor of the MThA, Doctor of Church History.
The first candidate, Priest Nikolai Mikhaltsov, presented his candidate dissertation on the topic "St. John of Damascus as a Systematizer of Orthodox Christology."
The dissertation was completed under the academic supervision of Hegumen Adrian (Pashin), Candidate of Theology, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Department of Theology at the MThA.
The official opponents for the work were V.A. Livtsov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Deputy Director of the Central Russian Institute of Management (a branch of RANEPA in Oryol); and Priest Seraphim Goyuk, Candidate of Theology, Associate Professor, First Vice-Rector of the Omsk Theological Seminary.
The candidate addressed all comments and questions. The Council resolved to petition His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to award Priest Nikolay Mikhaltsov the degree of Candidate of Theology.
Priest Dimitry Udod presented his dissertation on the topic "The Concept of Righteousness in the Major Epistles of the Apostle Paul and the Sectarian Scrolls of the Dead Sea."
The work was completed under the academic supervision of M.V. Kovshov, Candidate of Theology, Associate Professor of the Department of Biblical Studies at the Moscow Theological Academy.
The official opponents for Priest Dimitry's work were Archimandrite Sergius (Akimov), Doctor of Theology, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate for Interaction with Higher Educational Institutions in Western Europe, Member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church; and Deacon Pavel Murilkin, Candidate of Theology, lecturer at the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya Theological Seminary.
The candidate addressed all comments and questions. The Council resolved to petition His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to award Priest Dmitry Udod the degree of Candidate of Theology.
Priest Roman Alekseevsky presented his candidate work for defense: "The Moral-Ascetic Teaching of St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia in the Context of Patristic Tradition."
The academic supervisor for the work was Priest Pavel Lizgunov, Candidate of Theology, Associate Professor of the Department of Theology, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the MThA.
The official opponents for the dissertation were P.A. Olkhov, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Socio-Theological Faculty named after Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) of Moscow and Kolomna at Belgorod State National Research University; and A.V. Sartakov, Candidate of Theology, Associate Professor of the Department of Biblical-Theological Disciplines at the Vologda Theological Seminary.
The candidate addressed all comments and questions. The Council resolved to petition His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to award Priest Roman Alekseyevsky the degree of Candidate of Theology.
The dissertations are available in the Archive of Defended Dissertations.
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