Theological Academy as an Educational Center for the Development of the Discipline of "Canon Law" in the Russian Empire in the 19th Century

Abstract

The underestimation and insufficient study of the question of the genesis and development of the canon law of the Church in the 18th – 19th centuries and the beginning of the 20th century in Russia (both in terms of scientific developments and church acceptance of certain interpretations, and in terms of the transfer of educational knowledge about canon law to students) served as the reason for this study. The author aims to describe the ontology of canon law by revealing the peculiarities of understanding, interpretation and teaching of canon law in the specified period. Although the academic subject "canon law" is a relatively young discipline, in a short period of the 19th century it passed through several stages of intensive development. It was through the efforts of the teaching corporation of the Kiev Theological Academy (Archpriest John Skvortsov, Peter Alexandrovich Lashkarev) that a qualitative breakthrough was made in the development of the academic discipline "canon law". By the efforts of specialists of the Kiev Theological Academy by the end of the 19th century the author's systems of "canon law" appeared, textbooks were published, original monographic studies on church law issues were published. By the beginning of the 20th century, domestic systems of canon law competed with Western European studies. Many professors of theological academies were invited to prestigious chairs in secular educational institutions. They equally participated in the legislative activity of the Russian Empire. It is concluded that the development of canon law in the Russian Empire is the fruit of the enthusiasm of individual scientists and researchers, and not a systematic and systematic work, even despite the state decree and regulations formally encouraging this development.