Missionary Department

Contact Information
Address: 42, Ozyornaya St., Moscow 121359
Dean’s office: floor 4, room 401
Tel. +7 (495) 645-39-41

E-mail:

General Information
In 1991 there was founded a Missiological and Catechetical School (theological courses) with archpriest Gleb Kaleda as its first head and dean. Father Gleb was also the initiator and driving force for opening the Synod department for religious and catechetical education. According to Father Gleb the problem of training catechetical instructors within the Russian Orthodox Church could have been solved by means of Orthodox Catechetical School where catechetical training could be given to the faithful men and women, who had received sufficient-level post-secondary education,  irrespective of their age, occupation or social position. “Through this kind of school would a great amount of women be involved in apostolic activity.  Inspired by the lives of the female saints such as SS Myrrh-bearing women (Mary Magdalen and others), or equal-to-the-apostles St Thecla of Iconium, the first martyr, or equal-to-the-apostles St Nina and a great many others, those female students could help to get quite a few men involved into catechetical work, especially those truly Christian men who, for different reasons, cannot be ordained priests.”

In 1992 the Catechetical (theological) school was transformed into Saint Tikhon Orthodox Theological Institute. The Missionary department was among the very first to be opened at St Tikhon’s.

The Missionary department (MD) aims at training catechetical instructors for work with people of any age and social status so most of its activity is focused on the religious and theological enlightenment which has been notably spreading all these years. The Department trains missionaries, missiologists and researchers, lecturers and teachers of theological subjects, and the doctrine teachers for the Russian Orthodox Church. Both teachers and students of the Missionary department are regular participants in missionary journeys around the central part as well as in the region of Arkhangelsk (of Archangel) and other regions of Russia.

The graduates of the Missionary department get occupied both in research and practical activity. The research work concerns central issues facing the modern civilization – those of the world view and ideology, ethics and value priorities. The graduates with more practical inclinations will participate in a broad sphere of religious enlightenment including higher and secondary educational system (not only as teachers but also as methodologists developing the curriculum according to required standard, particularly those parts of it that concern theology and religion studies); in state administrative bodies and generally in all kinds of institutions – public, religious, commercial ones which are in need of informative and interactive service between the State and the Church in the fields of ethics, ideology and law.
The Department trains qualified educators in the following branches

• Religion scientist (discipline Religion studies 022200), expert in Orthodox theology;
  
• Culture scientist (discipline Culture studies 020609), expert in Orthodox theology;
  
• Social worker (discipline Social work), expert in Orthodox theology.
  

The Department trains university teachers, researchers in the fields of theology, Church history, religion history, culture history, catechetical practical instructors.

The Department graduates may get jobs in mass media; in secondary schools teaching such subjects as the ABC of Orthodox Culture, religion studies, Christian ethics, Moscow studies; in cultural and educational institutions; in civil service as social workers with different groups of population; in church parishes as consultants; in health and penitentiary systems as experts on social work; in adult Sunday schools as teachers.

The Department Dean

Archpriest Nicholas Sokolov, Master (Candidate) of Theology, associate professor,
dean of St Nicholas’ church “v Tolmachakh” (‘of the Interpreters’ guild’) attached to the Tretyakov Art Gallery
Reception hours: Tuesday 15.00 – 20.00;  42, Ozyornaya  St., room 401 B
Friday  12.00 – 16.00; St Nicholas’ church

The Department Vice Dean

Andrey Borisovich Yephimov, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, professor
Reception hours: Tuesday 14.00 – 16.00;   42, Ozyornaya, room 401 B
Thursday 15.00 – 18.00

The Department inspectors
Yanchuk Yelena Victorovna
Ivanova Yulia Petrovna

The Department secretaries
Smelova Irina Nicolayevna
Ivanova Tatiana Vladimirovna

ADDITIONAL COURSES AND SEMINARS

The Missiological Catechetical Seminar is regularly held at the Department where well-known missionaries, religious educators, scientists and other professionals are invited to make reports about their experience of enlightening and illumining the people. Students of the Missionary Department as well as everyone taking interest in the subject are welcome to the Seminar.

The Seminar ‘Science and Faith’ is also very popular among both current and former students of St Tikhon’s. The seminar talks given by prominent scientists who succeed in scientific research and at the same time are Orthodox Christians and churchgoers generally end in lively discussions. Department for Long-Distance Learning

General information

THE MD LONG-DISTANCE LEARNING COURSE is offered to students for receiving:

• a degree of Bachelor of Religion studies (discipline 522400)
  Bachelors of Religion studies are trained to conduct research as well as teaching, educating and consulting activity in the field of religion and theology. Bachelor can proceed with his studies for getting a degree of Master of Religion studies or Master of Theology at St Tikhon’s.


• expert qualification as “Religion scientist. Teacher.” (discipline 022200)
  The experts are trained for activity concerning religion studies and theology including work in research institutions; in state administrative bodies and public organizations which are in need of information and interaction service between the State and the Church; teaching and lecturing in schools of all kinds and level – secondary and vocational ones, gymnasia, lyceums, universities - according to required standard. The graduates can take a post–graduate course at St Tikhon’s.

On graduating from the University the students are handed down a Diploma (a certificate) according to Government requirements and Government-assigned. The graduates are given basic theological education and basic humanitarian courses within the framework of religion studies, psychology and pedagogics being among them.
The Long-distance tuition is divided into terms during which the students are required to do written test papers. At the end of each term there is an exam session lasting for 20-25 days.
Statistics for Long-Distance learning course (the current academic year of 2006-2007)

The Missionary Department Long-Distance Learning Staff:
Vice Dean: Kupriyanova Natalia Lvovna
Inspectors: Grigorovskaya Anna Sergeyevna
Lapitskaya Valentina Viktorovna
Savina Evgeniya Borisovna

Contact Information
Address: 6, Likhov per., Moscow.
Dean’s office: floor 3, rooms 306, 307
Tel. +7 (495) 694 11 64
E-mail: