No 2 (31) (2025)
Theology and Religious Philosophy
Freedom and responsibility in digital reality: an attempt of Orthodox analysis
Abstract
The subject of the article is the process of digitalization, taken from the side of their worldview and ideological foundations and concretized to the relationship between freedom and responsibility. The purpose of the research is to analyze these foundations from the Orthodox positions in the aspect of the ideological content of digitalization, considered through the prism of the relationship between freedom and responsibility in the digital reality. The relevance of such an analysis is dictated by the growing influence of digitalization on all aspects of personal and social life of a person with the obvious ambiguity of its current tasks and ultimate goals.
The following methods serve as the methodological basis for the study: comparative, which compares the relationship between freedom and responsibility in Orthodoxy with their content in the digital reality; phenomenological, revealing the essence of freedom and responsibility in these areas; axiological, focusing on the value aspects of freedom and responsibility.
It is shown that digitalization and artificial intelligence can have a positive impact on the development of humanity, but only if they remain what they essentially are - just another stage of technological development - and do not claim the status of a new and comprehensive paradigm of global progress. However, digitalization is already claiming the status of a dominant trend of our time.
It is concluded that the worldview and ideological basis of digitalization is trans-humanism and a radical substitution of the spiritual essence of man; at the same time, digitalization negatively affects the spiritual content of human life, reducing the potential for interpersonal communication, primitivizing culture, replacing the creative essence of man with formal behavioral stereotypes. Since the trend towards the expansion of digital reality is universal and cannot be ignored, it should be endowed with at least minimal moral content as much as possible and not allowed to turn into a global challenge for humanity.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):14-29
14-29
History of the formation of the New Testament canon of the Holy Scripture: on the issue of the “forgotten” research of representatives of the Russian Theological School Archpriest Alexander Gorsky and Holy Martyr Hilation (Troitsky)
Abstract
This article examines the research conducted by outstanding representatives of Russian theological thought of the second half of the 19 th -early 20th centuries - Archpriest Alexander Gorsky and Hieromartyr Hilarion (Troitsky). In their research, they put forward and substantiated a hypothesis about the formation of the complete canon of the Holy Scripture of the New Testament in the Church of Ephesus in the second half of the 1st century.
The article is relevant due to the fact that in modern Russian theological publications, scientific works and textbooks devoted to the issues of the formation of the New Testament canon, the hypothesis of Archpriest Alexander and Hieromartyr Hilarion is practically not mentioned. In the Russian theological environment, the assertion, accepted by Western Catholic and Protestant biblical studies, that the canon of the Holy Scripture of the New Testament was formed in Rome no earlier than the second half of the 2nd century, still prevails.
The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that it analyzes and comments for the first time on the ideas expressed by Archpriest A. Gorsky and Saint Hilarion (Troitsky). The author identifies main arguments presented by each of them, as well as the additions proposed by Saint Hilarion.
The work uses comparative theological and dialectical methods, which made it possible to compare the opinions of the authors of the articles on the issues under consideration; intertextual analysis helped to establish the connections between the texts under study.
In conclusion, the author of the article points to the validity of the hypothesis put forward by Russian theologians, confirmed by both the facts about the circumstances in which the Ephesian Church found itself in the 1st century, and the goals of the apostolic epistles highlighted by Archpriest Alexander Gorsky. The results of the study can be included not only in textbooks on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, but also serve as a starting point for further research on this topic.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):30-45
30-45
On the purpose of family union through correleation of the concepts of “Church” and “Small church”
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to formulate the purpose of the family union by clarifying how the concepts of “Church” and “Small church” relate, to what extent they can be considered identical, and what practical significance is seen in such a correlation. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that today the institution of the family is in decline in about 70% of marriages, which is confirmed by Rosstat data. At present we have access to many works of the Holy Fathers and prominent theologians who consider the marriage union as a “Small church”, there is also a significant number of works on Orthodox ecclesiology, but there are no studies that clarify the purpose of Christian marriage through the correlation of the concepts of “Church” and “Small church”.
This article is an attempt to substantiate the common ground between Christian teaching on marriage and the Church, and to distinguish from this the practical significance in the preservation of marital unions. The author uses the methods of critical analysis of sources, a comparative method, generalization and synthesis. The author in the article, relying on the heritage of the Church Fathers, deduces a direct and close connection between the doctrine of marriage and the dogma of the Trinity of the Godhead, from which the dogma of the Church is derived.
The practical consequences of the identification of the “Small church” and the Church are the affirmation of the true purpose of marriage, which consists in the achievement of the spouses of the likeness of God and the establishment of the nature of the marriage relationship as an exclusive union on the basis of sacrificial love and the resulting high moral requirements for the spouses, since the family is ideally the Church as the body of Christ: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her” (Eph 5, 25).
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):46-61
46-61
Historical Theology and National History
Administrative activities of the Holy Martyr Kirill (Smirnov) in the Tambov diocese from 1911 to 1916
Abstract
The article continues a series of scientific publications devoted to the activities of Archbishop Kirill (Smirnov) at the Tambov diocese. This study touches upon the administrative aspect of the archpastoral service of Saint Kirill. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the scientific interest in the legacy of the new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church, in particular, the demand at the present stage of Russian history for the experience of organizing church life in a situation of socio-political instability. The period under consideration (1911-1916) of the administration of the Tambov diocese by Saint Kirill is characterized by the most active actions of the archpastor, aimed at creating intra-church life and church-public relations.
The material for the study was the Highest Imperial decrees and commands, definitions of the Holy Synod and diocesan administrative and legal documents published in the Church Gazette, Tambov Diocesan Gazette, as well as materials from the State Archive of the Tambov region, which reflect the main personnel and administrative decisions of St. Cyril. The following scientific methods are used in the work: content analysis, historical-chronological, ideographic.
The article draws a conclusion about the main directions of Archbishop Kirill’s administrative activities in the Tambov diocese, including decisions on the establishment of monasteries and monastic life, control over the activities of parishes, strengthening church-public relations and social charity, and intensification of missionary and anti-sectarian work. The facts highlighted in the article allow us to draw certain historical analogies and use the positive experience of Archbishop Kirill’s ministry in the modern life of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):62-79
62-79
Monasteries of the Tambov Diocese -monuments to the miraculous salvation of the Tsar’s family on October 17, 1888: “Places of worship” as “Places of memory”
Abstract
The object of the study is the regional practice of preserving the historical memory of significant events in the life of the imperial family in Russia in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. The subject of the study was Orthodox monasteries, considered as memorial sites.
The article, using the historical and genetic method, presents the origin of the Orzhevsky Alexander Nevsky Monastery and the Trekh-Loshchinsky Panteleimon Monastery of the Tambov diocese as monuments to the salvation of Emperor Alexander III and his family in a train accident on October 17, 1888. It is noted that this event was understood at the state and church levels as a miracle that happened by the grace of God over the ruling Russian emperor and his family, which predetermined the need to preserve information about it in the historical memory of the population of the Russian Empire. The comparative historical method helped to identify the historical continuity in the process of creating a monastery and a skete on the site of revered Orthodox shrines.
The study established that the Tambov diocese was the only one in the Central Black Earth Region where a monastery and a skete were founded in memory of the miraculous salvation of the imperial family. Moreover, when priest V. A. Golubev created the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, he used the experience of establishing the Tavolzhansky Convent in the Voronezh Governorate. Their inclusion in the list of memorial sites was the result of the personal initiative of the organizers. Memorial status was assigned to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery and the Panteleimon Skete, which were located in places associated with a long-established tradition of venerating the Orthodox shrines located there.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):80-101
80-101
The role of the Prison Trusteeship Society in organizing the construction and maintenance of churches at prison castles (based on the example of the charitable activities of N. I. Popov, the Director of Kozlov Prison Department)
Abstract
The article examines the issues of organizing the construction and maintenance of churches at prison castles using the example of the construction of a prison church in Kozlov prison castle by a hereditary honorary citizen, director of Kozlov Prison Department, merchant Nikolai Ivanovich Popov. The history of creation of the Prison Trusteeship Society and its interaction with the Russian Orthodox Church and government agencies, documents and materials reflecting the goals and objectives of the Society in the field of spiritual, moral and religious education of convicts have been studied.
The study used materials stored in the funds of the State Archive of the Tambov Region, regulatory documents governing the activities of the Prison Trusteeship Society in the Russian Empire. Particular attention is paid to studying the activities of the Tambov Provincial Prison Trusteeship Committee and the Kozlov Prison Department. The service in the position of director of Kozlov Prison Department and the work of Kozlov merchant N. I. Popov as the warden of the prison chapel have been analyzed.
The article reveals N. I. Popov’s charitable activities within the Prison Trusteeship Society, his contribution to the development of the penal system, and ensuring the activities of Kozlov prison castle. As a result, the need to preserve the memory of the activities of outstanding fellow countrymen in the framework of the implementation of spiritual, moral and educational work with society has been substantiated. Proposals for preserving the historical memory of N. I. Popov’s charitable activities have been worked out.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):102-118
102-118
Church-Practical Sciences
Theatrical activities as a factor in the formation of historical thinking in primary school children during their study in an Orthodox Sunday school
Abstract
The object of the study is the formation of historical thinking in primary school students. The subject of the study is theatrical activity as a factor in the formation of historical thinking in primary school students in the process of studying in an Orthodox Sunday school. The relevance of the work is determined by the consequences of the crisis of spirituality in the late 20th - early 21st centuries. The mass introduction of extreme liberal values led to the loss of clear spiritual guidelines for the personal development of the younger generation and the loss of awareness of the significance of historical processes and the loss of faith in the possibility of influencing them of each specific person.
The article raises the problem of using the pedagogical traditions of the parish and modern Orthodox Sunday school in secular education. According to the author, theatrical activity based on the cultural principles of Christian thinking allows to level the situation of methodological uncertainty in the formation of historical thinking and a stable matrix of spiritual values of the individual in secular and Orthodox Sunday schools. The leading research methods in the work are theoretical and analytical, systemic, problem-historical, comparative analysis, which made it possible to determine the pedagogical advantages of the Orthodox Sunday school in the development of the cultural foundations of historical thinking in primary school students.
As a result, the thesis is substantiated that theatrical activity based on the Christian type of thinking allows developing communicative, intellectual, adaptive abilities in primary school students. In the process of theatrical activity, the personal experience of the primary school student is enriched through comprehension, comparison on a historical scale, analysis of the actions of the Old and New Testament heroes and characters. Theatrical activity in the form of a role-playing game activates different types of memory in children (family, historical, ethnic, etc.) and contributes to the formation of historical thinking on this basis.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):119-133
119-133
Missionary work and catechetesis in China: theological education and enlightenment in the context of the specifics of the legal status of Orthodox communities
Abstract
Orthodoxy in China has a long history associated with the activities of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission. After its closure and the formation of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church (CAOC), questions about the revival and development of full-fledged theological schools remain open to this day.
The article examines the problems and prospects for the development of spiritual education in Orthodox communities in China, taking into account the historical heritage and modern socio-cultural specifics. In conditions where the state adheres to atheistic views and controls the religious sphere, Orthodox communities face problems: the state does not recognize the Church, which leads to restrictions in religious activities, including educational and spiritual activities.
The author uses historical and analytical methods, including the study of archival materials, an analysis of the modern religious policy of the PRC, as well as a review of the experience of Orthodox communities in adapting to local conditions.
The study identified the main problems hindering the development of spiritual education in Orthodox communities in China:
1) limited opportunities for conducting services and rituals;
2) insufficient number of qualified spiritual mentors;
3) lack of official recognition of theological educational institutions. The author suggests possible ways to overcome the above-mentioned difficulties, which will contribute to the preservation and dissemination of the Orthodox faith in Chinese society.
The materials of this study can be used by Orthodox organizations and individuals interested in studying issues of catechetesis, spiritual enlightenment and education in China.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):134-150
134-150
Specific features and uniqueness of the Kazan Cathedral paintings in Tambov in the context of the artistic and historical development of church painting in the grisaille technique
Abstract
This article examines the paintings of the Kazan Cathedral in Tambov, which is part of the temple complex of the Kazan Mother of God Monastery of the Tambov Diocese, in the context of the artistic and historical development of church painting made in the grisaille technique.
The relevance of the study is due to the fact that there are many myths and legends around the grisaille paintings in the Kazan Monastery, actively spread by tour guides among tourist groups. Our goal is to dispel these stereotypes and provide reliable information about the paintings of the Kazan Monastery Cathedral. In the course of the work, the author determines the features and highlights the unique characteristics of the painting of the Kazan Cathedral in Tambov among the general structure of church art works made in the grisaille technique.
The representation of the semantic content of the ornaments and gospel stories presented in the interior painting of the Kazan Cathedral is made using semiotic-hermeneutic and interpretive research methods. Using comparative and formal-stylistic analysis, the author seeks to expand and organize knowledge about the grisaille technique, uses reference comparative material, draws analogies, and thus presents a detailed overview of grisaille samples that can be found in Russia.
The author summarizes that despite the fact that the paintings of the Kazan Cathedral of the Tambov Monastery are not defining works of Russian art, they are still of interest to the national culture due to their harmony, philosophical depth, and timeless focus on revealing the doctrinal truths of Orthodoxy. All of the above makes them significant for study by theologians, historians, art historians, and local historians.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):151-178
151-178
Spiritual Literature
The formation of Christian-ethical norms in early Byzantine Empire in the works of St. John Chrysostom through images of living nature
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify what analogies with living nature St. John Chrysostom used in his works and how he used them to explain and popularize Christian ethical norms. The object of the study is the creative legacy of the saint and, in particular, apologetic dialogues, in which this tendency was most clearly manifested. The subject of the study was the typology and number of images used. The relevance of the study is determined by the importance of turning to the patristic heritage as the basis for popularizing Christian ethical norms in modern society.
In the course of the work, apologetic dialogues, methods used by the saint, as well as specific examples of their application in various speeches were considered. The study was conducted using such philological methods as content analysis, critical text analysis and comparative analysis.
The article shows how St. John Chrysostom, through metaphors, comparisons, allegories, demonstrates the possibility of following Christian principles in everyday life. The oratorical talent of the saint was manifested in the fact that he made his speeches not only informative, but also inspiring and
emotional, which made them especially valuable for Christian theology. Using images of flora and fauna, he influenced the thinking of his contemporaries and subsequent generations, strengthening Christian norms in their minds.
The author comes to the conclusion that the images used by Saint John Chrysostom in dialogues helped the saint’s contemporaries to better understand the complex theological and doctrinal provisions of Christianity and to form a positive image of the religion that was new to them.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):179-190
179-190
Sacred semantics of concepts designating traditional spiritual and moral values of Russia
Abstract
The article is devoted to the theolinguistic analysis of the concepts approved as traditional spiritual and moral values by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 809 dated November 9, 2022. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that at present, the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation, the formation of a national idea are a priority of the domestic policy of the state, but it is necessary to form a unified conceptual understanding of traditional values. In this regard, it is important to determine the definitions and disclose the sacred semantics of words denoting traditional spiritual and moral values, as well as the differentiation of these concepts by functional and semantic features, which is the purpose of this work.
The article traces the historical semantic transformation of the term “sacred” from the meaning of “holy”, “dedicated to God” to the complete leveling of this meaning, up to the opposite: “forbidden, damned, unholy”. The necessity of preserving the original spiritual meaning of this term, corresponding to the ideal of holiness, characteristic of the Russian mentality, is substantiated. The author classified the concepts identified in the “Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values” into three categories: civic values, social ideals and moral values. By means of semantic, discursive and hermeneutic analysis, an interpretation of these value categories is given from the standpoint of the Orthodox understanding of spirituality, definitions corresponding to liberal value attitudes and requiring adjustment are identified.
As a result of the study, the sacred meaning of most concepts included in the list of approved spiritual and moral values of Russia, which correlate with the Gospel commandments, was revealed, and principles were formulated that promote the perception and assimilation of spiritual and moral values by an individual and society.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):191-211
191-211
From “Logos” to 言葉 (Kotoba): a linguo‑cultural interpretation of Christian lexicon in the translations ofSaint Nicholas of Japan
Abstract
This article is devoted to the study of linguo-cultural aspects of conveying Christian terminology in the missionary translations of Saint Nicholas of Japan. The relevance of the topic is due to the growing scholarly interest in missionary methods connected with translating liturgical and sacred texts into the language of the converted people, as well as the need to comprehend and actualize the spiritual heritage of Saint Nicholas of Japan in the context of modern missionary service.
During his missionary service, which lasted more than half a century, Saint Nicholas worked in difficult conditions, when Christianity was perceived as hostile in Japan. During his missionary work, the saint developed a unique approach to translating Orthodox doctrine into Japanese. He sought to organically combine Christian dogmas with the peculiarities of Japanese culture and language in order to make Christianity close and understandable to the Japanese. This “cultural translation” became a key element of his missionary work aimed at deeply rooting Christianity in the Japanese cultural environment. Thanks to the efforts of Archbishop Nicholas (Kasatkin), the
Orthodox Church appeared in the Land of the Rising Sun, which numbered more than 30 thousand believers.
The work uses exegetical, comparative, interpretative methods and linguostylistic analysis, which allowed us to study the lexical-semantic and cultural-translation techniques used by St. Nicholas in conveying key concepts of Christian doctrine to the Japanese people.
As a result, the translations presented in the article have scientific-theological and ecclesiastical-practical significance, since the experience of St. Nicholas’s missionary translation demonstrates the importance of taking into account cultural and linguistic specifics in the modern missionary activity of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):212-225
212-225
Translation
«Ἐπιτομὴ Ἱστοριῶν» by John Zonaras. Thefirst Christian emperors: from Constantine I the Great (306–337) to Jovian(363–364) (Part 2)
Abstract
John Zonaras, a Byzantine historian and canonist of the twelfth century, left behind a significant historiographical legacy in the form of his «Ἐπιτομὴ ἱστοριῶν» in eighteen books, covering the period from the creation of the world to the accession to the throne of Emperor John Komnenos (1118). The first six books are devoted to biblical history, the next six to Roman history, and the final six to the history of the Christian empire. John Zonaras was largely based on the works of such ancient authors as Josephus and Dio Cassius.
In the “Roman” chapters, Zonaras focuses on periods when the Roman Empire faced internal and external challenges. The focus of this work is on the reigns of the Roman emperors from Alexander Severus to Justin I, including the period from 235 to 285. AD became known as the “crisis of the third century”, when the empire entered a period of significant political and social instability. Zonaras also draws attention to the many “parallel emperors” - usurpers who attempted to seize power in various provinces. «Ἐπιτομὴ ἱστοριῶν» focuses on the difficulties the empire faced and how they affected the population.
With the coming to power of Diocletian and the transition from the princi-pate to the dominate, a new era began: the emperor carried out reforms aimed at strengthening administrative control and restoring the economy. He divided the empire into zones of competence of two Augusti and two Caesars (the so-called tetrarchy), which, in his opinion, should have contributed to more efficient management. However, despite the successful reforms, Diocletian’s reign also saw severe persecution of Christians, also noted by Zonaras.
Constantine I the Great made Christianity a permitted religion according to the Edict of Milan, and in fact began the process of giving it the status of a state religion, which ended with the Edict of Thessalonians “Cunctos populos” on February 27, 380, which made Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Zonaras describes Constantine as a commander and reformer. Through an analysis of the actions and policies of the emperors, Zonaras takes readers through a panorama of Roman history, demonstrating how the empire faced challenges and changes over the centuries, and how these changes shaped the oikoumene.
The second part of the published translation covers the events from the revolt of Constantius II against Flavius Magnus Magnentius to the end of the reign of Jovian (the preceding events were described in the first part of the translation).
Theological Collection of the Tambov Theological Seminary. 2025;(2 (31)):226-247
226-247