Licensing of Khabarovsk Theological Seminary as the first experience of integrating higher educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church into the National education system of Russia

Abstract

The article describes the process of integration of educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church into the national system of higher education of the Russian Federation, including the modernization of infrastructure, scientific and pedagogical staff and teaching materials of religious educational organizations using the example of the Khabarovsk Theological Seminary. The article presents for the first time the experience of a spiritual educational organization, which, after amendments to the legislation of the Russian Federation, became the first church institution to receive a license in 2009 to implement higher education programs according to state standards, and subsequently state accreditation. Thanks to the work carried out since 2009, the processes of licensing and state accreditation of Church higher education institutions have become systematic, which has had a positive impact on the demand for spiritual education among applicants and its further development. Through the description of a practical case implemented by the author during his work as the first vice-rector of the Khabarovsk Theological Seminary, the article reveals the potential of the existing system of spiritual education, its ability to adapt to the requirements of the state without losing the quality of theological training and educational work, as well as harming the traditions of the Russian higher theological school. The presented materials can be used in special courses on the history of education in the Russian Orthodox Church, in the creation of educational and methodological literature, writing scientific papers on church history, as well as in the search for new ways and directions for the development of modern spiritual education.