The Third Round of the All-Church Russian Competition in Theology held at the Moscow Theological Academy

From March 12 to 14, 2024, the Moscow Theological Academy hosted the Third Round of All-Church Russian Competition in Theology among final year students of higher theological educational institutions and theological departments of Russian state universities organized by the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church together with the Patriarchal Council for Culture with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill.

The First Round was held at the regional level and submitted at about 100 works. The winners of that stage arrived in Sergiev Posad to participate in the final round.

Overall, there were 48 participants in the final. Students represented the Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sretensk theological academies, Belgorod, Voronezh, Don, Yekaterinburg, Ekaterinodar, Kazan, Kaluga, Kolomna, Kostroma, Kuzbass, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Perervin, Pskov-Pechersk, Saransk, Saratov, Tambov, Tomsk, Khabarovsk, Yaroslavl theological seminaries, the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University and St. Philaret’s Institute.

At the beginning, Archpriest Valentin Vasechko, Deputy Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, officiated a solemn prayer service.

The final competition consisted of two parts such as an essay and tests.

First part took place on March 12. Participants were offered a choice of the following topics for their creative work:

• Canonical norm: eternal dogma or current rule?

• Problems and history of Palamite disputes.

• The discrepancy between the norms of the Typikon and liturgical practice: given or taken for granted.

The following day, participants were given 80 questions concerning main areas of theological knowledge: Dogmatics, Church history, Canon law, Biblical studies and Liturgics.

The works were evaluated by experts from among teachers of leading theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church.

A cultural program in leisure time included a guided tour round the Museum of Christian Art of the Moscow Theological Academy and a sightseeing tour of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra and a bell tower. 

On March 14, they gathered at the service in the Intercession Church of the Moscow Theological Academy. Metropolitan Gregory, Manager of the Moscow Patriarchate, celebrated the Divine Liturgy with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. He was co-served by the Bishop Sergiev-Posad and Dmitrov Kirill, Abbot of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra and Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Archpriest Maximum Kozlov, Chairman of the Educational Committee, Rector of the General Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies, and the academic clergy.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, they proclaimed many years to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the 48th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.

After the service, a solemn act took place at the Great Hall. The Metropolitan of Voskresensk Gregory said a welcoming speech. Having conveyed the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill to the organizers and participants, Metropolitan Gregory congratulated everyone on the completion of the Third All-Russian Theological Competition. Bishop Gregory noted that its participants showed a high level of knowledge, and addressed them with parting words:

“You are young and full of strength. Use the time given you by God. The fact that you are here is the call of our Lord Jesus Christ, to which you responded. Remember His words: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” The fact that you finishing theological schools testifies that. Use this time. Believe me, the knowledge you received here will be at use in your future service to the Church of Christ.”

The Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, in his welcoming speech encouraged students to continue their education in Master's and Post-graduate programs within the walls of the Moscow Theological Academy, as well as in the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral studies. Summing up the event, Bishop Kirill, said:

“I am glad that the last round of the Third Theology Competition was held in our theological school, I am glad that you prayed here, visited the monastery and academic classrooms. I would like you to return to your seminaries and tell your classmates about this experience so that they know about the opportunity to continue their education. However, we know that even if a person shines with knowledge, that is not enough. Piety and spiritual fervor are what we expect from you. We hope to see you not only as scientists, but also as good priests and worthy servants of our Church.”

Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, Rector of the OCAD, expressed gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill for supporting the Church-wide Theology Competition and noted his leading role in the development of the spiritual education of our Church. He also thanked the Patriarchal Council for Culture and its chairman, the Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea Tikhon for participation and great support, without which the event could not have taken place.

Addressing the participants and winners, Archpriest Maxim reminded them of their special responsibility before God and the Church. 

“First of all, talents God has given you is your responsibility to your future ministry. I wish that you never have a shadow of doubt that you have chosen the right path, that there can be nothing higher on earth than this.”, he noted., — отметил отец Максим.

After that, there was an award ceremony:

I place - Alexander Mikhailovich Turkov (Voronezh Theological Seminary);

II place - Tikhon Andreevich Smirnov (Moscow Theological Academy); Alexey Anatolyevich Maslov (Saratov Theological Seminary);

III place - Maxim Aleksandrovich Voskoboev (Don Theological Seminary); Stanislav Mikhailovich Beshmelnov (Saransk Theological Seminary); Nikolai Viktorovich Gerasimov (Sretensk Theological Academy). 

The winners received valuable prizes. All participants in the final round of the Competition were also presented with memorable gifts.

Study Committee/MThA Press Office