Sacred Nuclear Alliance

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleСвященно-ядерный союз
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Asliturk, Miriam
5. lemma category Ecumenism and dialogue > Education - Modes of interaction > Conflict
6. Publication date 09-07-2018
7. lemma work Моисеев, Владислав [Author]. Священно-ядерный союз
8. lemma manifestations Русский Репортер
9. Keywords academic theology - Higher education - Clergy - Russian Orthodox Church - nuclear physics - Modern physics - Russian Universities
10. Url Click Here
11. Citations
    1. <p>Моисеев, Владислав (2012). Священно-ядерный союз. <em>Русский Репортер</em>. Retrieved from: <a href="http://rusrep.ru/article/2012/10/18/souz">http://rusrep.ru/article/2012/10/18/souz</a> </p>
12. Lemma body

    1. The article looks into the meaning of the creation of a theology department at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute and National Nuclear Research University (MEPhI). Metropolitan Illarion of Volokolamsk heads the new department. Metropolitan Illarion believes that Russia and its scientific institutions must “overcome their incompetence and ignorance in the religious sphere, which they inherited from the Soviet past.” Metropolitan Illarion is also convinced that the creation of a theology department follows the European tradition and in particular the ideas of a comprehensive university education.

       Metropolitan Ilarion’s enthusiasm is shared by a minority of students and professors. Members of the MEPhI community either ridicule this new department, while others are seriously worried about clericalization of this institute. A number of facts demonstrate that their worries are not ungrounded. Recently MEPhI’s Academic Council awarded Patriarch Kirill with the title of Honorary Doctor. Around the same time a cross was installed in one of the buildings to replace a secular (and highly appreciated) sculpture, despite numerous protests. These decisions were followed by a call for students’ letters to the Patriarch, followed by a consecration of a temple by Patriarch Kirill. The article quips that students continue to prefer lectures to prayers.

       The article quotes a number of current and former professors and students of the university, all of whom see the penetration of the Russian Orthodox Church within MEPhI in a negative light. They maintain that the decision was taken by the rector of the institution and his entourage, and that the Academic Council had to support it to avoid repressions. Some believe that the rector’s decision was pragmatic: the Russian Orthodox Church currently has strong ties with the Russian government and MEPhI’s leadership tries to adhere to the “line of authorities.” The article concludes with irony, suggesting that science students and professors should found a chair of general physics in a theological university, so that future priests could also have an opportunity to take a fresh look at the questions of being and the creation of the universe.