Arguments for the study of the foundations of Orthodox culture. "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" will not be taught in schools Why study the basics of Orthodox culture

Since September 2012, the teaching of the course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" has begun in all schools of the country. One of the directions of the new course is "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture". A stable circle of questions has long and firmly formed around this subject. Where can you find qualified teachers? Will not "forcing" discourage interest in the subject - that is, in Orthodoxy? How to talk with a ten-year-old child about moral choice? What experience in teaching religion-related subjects do you have in Europe? We will try to find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the defense industry in this "Topic", which opens a conversation with the director of the Moscow Orthodox St. Peter's Gymnasium, priest Andrei Posternak.

Enough teachers

- What are the main stereotypes about the “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” that you encounter?

The main stereotype is that the Russian Orthodox Church seeks to infiltrate educational institutions in order to achieve some selfish goals. What - no one can say. It is assumed that as a result, religious propaganda should begin in schools, obscurantism and religious fanaticism will triumph, and there it is not far from extremism. However, I do not really understand what exactly it should be expressed.

Where does this stereotype come from?

It is obvious that Orthodoxy in itself cannot harm. But in the 21st century, something else can do harm - incorrectly presented information about Orthodoxy. In this sense, Foundations of Orthodox Culture is an unusual subject. The most important thing in it is the personality of the teacher. Of course, the success of teaching other subjects is also to some extent related to the personality of the teacher, but not in the same way as in the case of this subject. If the math teacher turns out to be a bad teacher and a boring person, two times two will not cease to be four, and the child, at least by his own efforts, will be able to achieve something in mastering the material.

"Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" is a subject about how a young person can make a moral choice, learn to distinguish between good and evil in the modern world, in which, unfortunately, moral criteria have long ceased to determine social life. And history shows that only religion can establish moral criteria in society and the state. Obviously, such a subject as social science cannot determine the moral position of a young person. And the main trap is in the personality of the teacher. A subject related to moral and, accordingly, religious education should be taught not just by a good teacher, but by a person with a certain worldly experience, maybe even a middle-aged one, or a priest who is easier to talk about these things by virtue of his ministry.

- But many parents are worried about the prospect of a priest appearing at school.

This is a continuation of the same stereotype. I don't really understand what a terrible thing a priest can do at school. Baptize non-believers? From the threshold to anathematize the current government? Start preaching Orthodox intolerance and terrorism? Name me at least one Orthodox terrorist. Obviously, these fears are connected with a complete misunderstanding of the current situation in the school.

And the trouble with our modern school is that it does not solve educational problems at all. The classic triune pedagogical principle has been forgotten: upbringing, development, training. The educational theme is connected only with the formation of a tolerant position of a young person towards social problems. But where can conscious tolerance come from if a young person has no moral principles at all? Children, as a rule, receive some information (this is more about humanitarian subjects) without a certain moral assessment. In the absence of a moral component, the school is capable of generating only intellectual monsters who build a career and earn money, but do not think about the ultimate meaning of their lives. And then we wonder why society in Russia is degrading? Apparently, the fact that a priest will come to the school and will talk about morality, that one cannot steal, deceive, kill, that every young person should create a legitimate family and have children, that a girl - a future mother - should not do abortion, and all this is obviously connected with faith - that's what infuriates our liberal public, although I don't understand what to be afraid of here.

- You can be afraid that there are much fewer competent teachers of the military-industrial complex than schools ...

Yes, you can often hear that, they say, there are not enough professional teachers. It is not true. They are. Church structures - both theological academies and Orthodox universities, in particular the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University, which our school is affiliated with - have been successfully preparing them for a long time. There is no other way - the readiness of the state to hire teachers who did not study in state structures. The state is not yet able or not very willing to establish a system of interaction with church structures, therefore, literate, professional teachers - priests and laity - are simply not allowed into schools under a formal pretext: there is no appropriate certificate for vocational training.

Therefore, teachers of other disciplines are currently entrusted with teaching the subject of the defense industry - from social science to fine arts. At best, they take short-term refresher courses, where it is impossible to prepare competent specialists in developing a life position, and everything is limited to a superficial acquaintance with the dogma. This is how stereotypes are born when they say that the Russian Orthodox Church cannot provide personnel. She can, and anything to do with teaching religion in schools is a good start. Suffering, as always, implementation. We want the best, but it turns out ...

Fight for your rights

- In this case, how should parents argue, whose children go to the fourth grade and this year will get to the lessons of the military-industrial complex?

You see, the problem that we are talking about now is actually artificially inflated. In reality, it doesn't exist. Simply because practically no one will teach the fundamentals of this or that religious doctrine anywhere.

- Like this?!

Let me remind you that since September, the course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" - ORKSEC - has been introduced in all schools of the country. There are six modules in this course: Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism (actually, doctrinal modules), a comparative course of world religions and the basics of secular ethics. According to the law, it is up to the parent to choose what the child learns. But this is by law. But in most Russian schools, this issue is, unfortunately, resolved administratively, and, as a rule, no one asks parents, and as a result, from September, in most schools, the ORSE course will most likely be taught only as secular ethics, that is, with orientation towards people who are generally far from faith.

- Why is this happening?

This is again a question related to contemporary Russian reality. Now there is a lot of talk about civil society, about the rule of law, in which people know their rights and defend them. And our parents are often not only unaware of their rights, but they are not even interested in them. And since this is not important to parents, school directors and higher authorities decide everything themselves - and this is natural.

What should parents do in such a situation?

Parents, if they are truly concerned about this problem, should insist on exercising their rights. They have the right to demand that their class be taught whatever they choose, such as "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture." After all, the opinion of parents today plays a colossal role. Local educational authorities now take parents' complaints, their memorandums, letters, etc. very seriously. them answers. If parents are active and know their rights, they can achieve a lot. In this sense, one of the main problems in teaching ORSE today is just the passivity of parents.

But what is the point of insisting on the introduction of the GPC in the classroom if, as you say, good teachers are not allowed into schools anyway?

To be afraid of wolves - do not go into the forest. Again, this problem is illusory. You have to start somewhere. As one commander advised: first you need to get involved in the battle, and then see what happens. After all, if parents achieve the opportunity to teach the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" to their children, then they will be able to achieve a change of teacher, which, by the way, in some cases happens with respect to other subjects. After all, a teacher of physics and English can turn out to be bad. And if his work does not suit him, the parents go to talk to the director. This is not a specific problem of the OPK course.

Not an academic discipline

- People express concerns about what to study« Fundamentals of Orthodox culture» at school - means to kill the love of the topic. Because "coercion" always works that way.

First, I repeat, a lot depends on the personality of the teacher. And secondly, any consistency as such causes resistance in a person, because it imposes certain restrictions on the personality. Orthodoxy in itself is something highly systematic and restrictive of personal life: one must read the morning and evening prayer rule daily, observe fasts, go to church on Saturdays and Sundays, limit oneself according to a number of parameters of modern life, etc. This is also, in a sense, already a two-thousand-year-old spiritual "coercion", but we live with it, because we proceed from a different principle: external prescriptions and restrictions only make sense when they contribute to the development of spiritual life, otherwise we will get deadly formalism. Actually, the educational process in this sense is no different from life. The "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" in any case cannot be a "coercion", but the subject, which plays an important educational role, is obviously needed at school. With regard to the need for geography or biology for a person, such fears do not arise, but with respect to a subject that should help a person navigate in life, the opposite is true.

Parents also have other fears: a stranger should not teach faith - even if he is a good teacher, let my child learn Orthodoxy in the family and in the church. What if what he is told at school in this lesson will come into conflict with what he receives in the family?

Most parents don't think like this at all. There are not so many church families in our country for a truly global problem to become a contradiction between the school course and intra-family education. Thank God that there are such church families. Again, we're over-exaggerating the problem. One lesson a week for a year is a drop in the ocean. What harm can such a course do?

For comparison, at St. Peter's School at PSTGU, we teach the Law of God from the 5th to the 11th grade. Of course, the GPC is not the Law of God, but a culturological course closer to history or to the course “World Artistic Culture”, but the amount of information and the range of topics of these courses is quite comparable to what children study within the framework of the Law of God in our gymnasium. So, for two quarters of one lesson per week, which is what the modern basic curriculum suggests, a small child just finishing elementary school can only be told the most basic, most general things.

- So maybe there is no point in introducing such a course in schools?

I think this subject will only make sense if it becomes not quite an academic discipline. At our school, this subject includes not only the passage of certain topics, but also provides for mutual communication between the teacher-priest and students on the issues that concern them at the moment - this concerns morality, behavior in society, relationships with friends and parents etc. In such cases, the lesson turns into a conversation or discussion on the burning issues that children have. I'm not sure that a secular school can completely copy all the methods of such teaching, but something can. On the basis of our school, individual classes of advanced training courses were held, which were attended by a large number of secular teachers who could benefit from this experience. I am sure that even in the 4th and 5th grades of a secular school it is possible to establish a close dialogue between a teacher and a student. You can build lessons on the basis of what the children themselves are interested in, talk about the problems of moral choice in a way that makes it clear to them, and a textbook (for example, "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture", written by Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev with the expectation of older young people) can play supporting role. But in order for the course to line up in this way, it is necessary, I repeat, to let competent teachers into schools, in particular, not to be afraid of priests.

- Do you believe that this is possible in today's secular schools?

Of course. Much, even almost everything, depends on the director. Although I said that directors often introduce secular ethics bypassing the opinions of parents, but not all of them. There are others - independent, courageous, creative. I am familiar with some and I see that for them to build an ORKSE course in this way is not a problem at all.

We talk a lot about the personality of the teacher. Does the subject of the defense industry as such have its own methodological "pitfalls"?

It is very difficult to evaluate the result of teaching. In any other subject, you can conduct an exam, formulate questions, but in this case it is extremely difficult. How to evaluate the result? Why rate? We abandoned the system of examinations and assessments in this subject and introduced a credit system. And of course, there has never been such a thing that someone did not receive a credit.

At a meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and leaders of other Russian religious organizations on July 21, 2009, D. A. Medvedev decided to start teaching spiritual and moral disciplines at the school. 21 regions of Russia took part in the testing of the comprehensive training course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" ("ORCSE"). Since September 1, 2012, this course has become mandatory for fourth-graders in all regions of the Russian Federation. The comprehensive training course "ORKSE" includes six academic subjects (modules):

"Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" ("OPK");
"Fundamentals of World Religious Cultures";
"Fundamentals of secular ethics";
"Fundamentals of Islamic culture";
"Fundamentals of Buddhist culture";
Fundamentals of Jewish Culture.

The choice of subject is the legal right of parents. This provision imposes a special responsibility on adults: indifference, thoughtlessness in determining the educational module can subsequently become a tragedy for the personality of the child, his family, and the entire state. The advice and advice of the headmaster or teacher is important, but not critical. Parents provided exclusive right protect your children from the fruits of a poor-quality educational and educational process, having made the right choice of a subject for study.

This article provides an overview of the Orthodox periodical press on the issues of choosing and studying the educational module "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" in a secular school. The materials will help Orthodox parents make a conscious choice of a subject, and they will show those who have doubts how important and useful it is for the future of children to study the fundamentals of Orthodox culture, they will explain what and how will be taught.

Why do you need to study "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" at school?

Children all over the world study in schools the culture of the country in which they live. It is well known that Orthodoxy played a key role in the formation of Russian statehood. Understanding Russian history, literature and art, everything that our ancestors lived and what distinguishes modern Russia from other countries, is possible only in the context of the Orthodox spiritual tradition.

Why "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture"?

The choice of "OPK" is due to the importance of Orthodox Christianity for the formation of Russian statehood and culture. People who are far from the Church, but sincerely striving to know and understand their native history, should have an idea about Orthodoxy. The study of "OPK" is the beginning of introducing the child to the moral and cultural values preserved by the Russian Orthodox Church. "OPK" opens the world of Orthodoxy to the child - the world is endless, kind and wise.

To what extent does the teaching of "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" correspond to the legal status of a secular school?

Teaching "OPK" fully corresponds to the legal status of a secular school. The Constitution of the Russian Federation says: "Russia is a secular state" What does this mean? In a broad and everyday sense, it is non-religious. The correct understanding is that a secular state is a state in whose administration no religious organization participates. For example, Germany is a secular state with a secular education system. At the same time, in all public schools in the country, children study the foundations of religion - not the foundations of religious cultures, but the foundations of their religion - from the 1st to the 12th grades without fail, they pass exams. In Italy, too, secular education, from the 1st to the 12th grade, the basics of religion are taught by priests. In the US, the School Board determines how to build their educational program: teach the basics of religion, the basics of religious cultures, or not teach. In Russia, in the mass consciousness of parents and many teachers, there is a false everyday understanding of the secular nature of education, which must certainly exclude from itself the components associated with spiritual life, with any religion. Secular education should first ask parents: “What do you want as customers of education?”, ask society and the state: “How should we teach?”. In the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the duty of citizens is to preserve the historical and cultural heritage; it is stated that no ideology can be the only and obligatory for all. This also applies to the atheistic worldview. An education devoid of religious roots, militant-atheistic education is also a violation of the constitutional rights of citizens. Our education system is separated from religious organizations not by the fact that there should be no religion per se in schools, but by the fact that public education is not controlled by religious organizations.

What is the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture module?

“OPK” is not a religious subject (we are not talking about teaching the “Law of God”, nor about forcing people to attend church services and rituals), but cultural. Culture is an ambiguous word. In this case, those fundamental spiritual and moral values that form the basis of self-identification of the people of Russia are implied. According to Academician D.S. Likhachev, knowledge of one’s culture is the “moral settled way of life” of a person, without which neither the individual, nor the people, nor the state can develop. The main task of the "OPK" module is to educate the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism, love for their people, for their Fatherland, for those spiritual and moral achievements that the people have been creating for a whole millennium. The family and the school, unfortunately, in an effort to acquire a certain amount of knowledge for children, have ceased to pay due attention to the upbringing of the younger generation. The fruits of such an "education" are bitter: moral guidelines in life are lost, degradation and decomposition on the face. It is enough to look at the statistics of child drug addiction, alcoholism, the level of culture, or read in the media a loud and alarming alarm about the need to act, otherwise the country and people will soon cease to exist. The “OPK” module, while observing the principle of secular education, is focused on resolving the identified problems.

Which teacher conducts classes on "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture"?

The OPK module is taught by secular teachers, whose main qualities are love for Orthodox culture and for children. An atheist or an indifferent person will not be able to instill respect for religious tradition. This can only be done by a teacher who has experience in communicating with God and people belonging to the same culture.

Will the study of "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" become a reason for conflicts among children?

There are many religions in the world, and people of different views and beliefs live together. Sooner or later, children begin to realize this. It is important that at this moment there are such people nearby who would know and love their native culture, respect the traditions of other peoples. In the OPK module, there is no polemic with representatives of other faiths or non-religious worldviews. The main task is to create an atmosphere of peace and mutual respect in society, which is impossible without our fellow citizens, and especially children, realizing the idea of civic solidarity in the name of the common good. According to sociological surveys, in schools where the OPK module is taught, there is an improvement in mutual understanding among students, parents and teachers.

How to help children in the study of the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture"?

Excursions to churches and monasteries, trips to ancient Russian cities, visits to museums, sacred music concerts - all this does not contradict the secular nature of education and will be useful for all participants in the educational process. A lot of interesting things can tell the children and Orthodox clergy.

What are the prospects for teaching "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" at school?

The Orthodox pedagogical community and the Russian Orthodox Church express their unanimous conviction that in the future, the "OPK" should be taught in all grades of secondary school - from the first to the eleventh.

Five Reasons to Choose the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture Module

"Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" - morality.

What is the most important thing in Orthodox culture? First of all - Christian morality, the ability to love God and your neighbors as yourself. Neither education, nor fame, nor prosperity by themselves give a person self-sufficiency, peace in the soul. A person who has kept himself in righteousness from youth is a happy and prosperous person: “The Lord loves the righteous” (Ps. 145:8), “Righteousness leads to life” (Prov. 11:19); “The righteous is saved from trouble” (Prov. 11:8). The Russian Orthodox Church encourages its children to choose the subject of the "OPK". Why? Historically, the culture of our people is based on the spiritual and moral values of Orthodoxy. Writing came to us from the holy enlighteners of the Slavic peoples Cyril and Methodius. According to statistics, the vast majority of the population in Russia (up to 80%) are baptized Orthodox people. Culture as a phenomenon of the spiritual and moral plane is inextricably linked with the religious self-awareness of the people. There can be no non-religious culture. There is not a single people on the globe, in the history of mankind, that would create a non-religious culture. The main moral values in Orthodox culture are honoring elders (“Honor your father and mother”), the value of human life (“Do not kill”), the value of family and marriage (“Do not commit adultery”), the value of private and public property (“Do not steal”) . The highest moral values are love, mercy, compassion, patriotism, respect for one's language, people, those traditions and values that the people have lived for centuries. These concepts are discussed in the lessons of "OPK". Perhaps there is no such person who would not have an example when a career, family and even health began to rapidly collapse from immoral behavior? Parents who prefer the OPK module choose the opportunity for their children to become truly happy and successful.

2. The choice of "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" is a natural desire for believing parents.

The natural desire of Orthodox parents is to raise children within the framework of their religious culture and Christian morality. Now this wish has been realized in the school. Not all church-going parents can take their children to Sunday schools. Not all parents, for a number of reasons, can and are able to teach Orthodox education to their children, but

at the same time, they have a desire that children receive the basics of Orthodox culture. For such, the choice of the subject "OPK" is obvious and desirable. If there is no work to bring up children at home and at school, they will be brought up by totalitarian and extremist sects. About 40 sects and occult centers operate in Ryazan.

Spiritual and moral education should begin from an early age.

In ancient times, people knew: “What you did not gather in your youth, how can you gain in your old age?” (Sir.25:5). Spiritual and moral corrosion begins to affect a person from an early age. Waiting for children to come of age and begin their own religious and moral education is deadly for their future. A child deprived of a moral core is quickly struck by sin and passions. Crime, drunkenness, drug addiction, fornication, adultery, abortions have never multiplied like this before... Isn't all this around our children? What is their future? Now it is possible that children will receive the basics of Christian culture and morality already in elementary school, which will help to avoid many tragedies in life.

The highest morality is Christian morality, which is rooted in Orthodoxy. The moral height of the Sermon on the Mount, described in the Gospel of Matthew in chapters 5-7, is not attainable by any religion or sect known in the world. When and where has anyone said something more moral than Jesus Christ? “You heard what was said: love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44). There is no commandment in any religion of the world to love personal enemies. The textbook on "OPK" reveals important topics in an accessible language: "Conscience and repentance", "Mercy and compassion", "Golden rule of ethics", "Why do good?", "Christian family", etc. Is it bad that children will hear : "... love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt.22:39), "Honor your father and mother" (Eph.6:2-3), "Do not steal" (Ex.20:15)?

5. The textbook "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" is a lively, interesting and moral textbook.

The textbook was written by a team of famous authors, the general edition of the educational material was carried out by the missionary and theologian Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev. The topics of the textbook listed above convincingly show the quality of the content of the educational material from an upbringing and educational point of view, its true benefit for children. Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev, as the textbook was being written, posted chapters for public discussion on his website (http://www.kuraev.ru). It can be said that it turned out to be an Orthodox folk textbook.

Summarizing what has been said, I would like the bitter words of Nikolai Gogol not to be fair in relation to the upbringing and education of our children: “We own a treasure that has no price, and not only do we not care about feeling it, but we don’t even know where they put it ". The future of spiritual and moral education at school is now in the hands of parents. Of course, the family should be primarily involved in education, but one should not refuse from the contribution that the school can make to the morality of children. Parents, make the right choice: choose a part of Christ's treasure - Orthodox culture!

According to the materials of the Orthodox periodical press,

Mayorova Tatyana Sergeevna, Ph.D.,

Deputy Director for Academic Affairs,

primary school teacher

MBOU "Secondary school No. 66"

"The introduction of the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" is one of the most important issues on the agenda of church-state relations, which is to a large extent decisive for the fate of national education and directly affects the interests of millions of parents and their children" (Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia from the Report on the Diocesan meeting of the city of Moscow on December 23, 2011)

Why did His Holiness Patriarch Kirill say that the introduction of the new subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into schools is of decisive importance for the fate of Russian education? - Because modern domestic education is not only in a state of protracted reform, but also a deep spiritual and moral crisis.

It is embarrassing for the school itself (principals, teachers) to talk about this crisis: it's like criticizing your own educational work. And from the side of our native long-suffering school, I don’t want to condemn. She has so many problems! Take, for example, the problems of financing, the ever-complicating requirements for the conditions of education, the wave of various new instructions for the school ...

The continuous reformation of the school can be compared to continuous relocations. Imagine a situation: a family (or organization, or enterprise) has been in a state of relocation for two decades. He will not have time to take root, settle, settle down, as they already say: if you please, you have to move again ... But reforms are inevitable, the school does not choose them. Therefore, critically discussing the reform of school education is just as unproductive as proving to ourselves that the USE does not contribute to improving the quality of school education. But the spiritual and moral education of schoolchildren depends not so much on the Minister of Education A.A. Fursenko, how much from the school itself: from the director, from the teacher. Here it is appropriate to cite again the words of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill that the introduction of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into schools is of decisive importance for the fate of Russian education.

What are the problems of teaching the fundamentals of Orthodox culture at school?

Here is a short and approximate list of them.

1. Insufficient awareness of parents about their right to choose the desired module of the comprehensive course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" (ORKiSE). Most parents do not know about the purpose and objectives of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" (OPC). They are persistently recommended "Fundamentals of Secular Ethics", at worst - the so-called "Fundamentals of World Religions". So, most often there is a situation that can be described as "choice without choice."

2. Unsatisfactory training of teachers of the comprehensive course of the ORKiSE, and, consequently, teachers of the defense industry. The preparation went on in an incredible hurry, often formally, without taking into account the specifics of the subjects (so-called modules) of the new educational area.

3. Problems with the financing of the RCSE: the lack of pre-established payment for the work of teachers for teaching lessons on the RCSE, including the OPK. Schools have to deal with the restructuring and optimization of their financial capabilities in order to cut something out of the total amount of funding.

4. The notorious shortage of "hours". Due to the reduction of which subjects should the ORCS be introduced? A question formulated in this way can turn anyone against teaching the basics of religious culture in school. To strengthen the anti-religious position, it is sometimes added that schoolchildren are already overloaded with subjects and lessons.

5. The presence in the class of a small number of those who have chosen the GPC. If, for example, there are only two or three such children in the class, and ten or fifteen in the school, then it is easier to enroll them in the "Fundamentals of Secular Ethics" than to deal with the problem of dividing schoolchildren into subgroups, searching for a teacher in the defense industry, places for conducting classes and etc.

6. Absence of premises for separate teaching of the ORKiSE modules. The "output" is usually the same - enroll all children in the "Fundamentals of Secular Ethics", and then there is no need to look for an additional room for classes on a "small" module.

7. Insufficiency or absence of educational and methodological aids on ORKiSE, including on the OPK for those who have chosen this particular academic subject (module).

However, all these problems are not insurmountable: over 20 years of painful reform, the Russian school has accumulated such rich experience in overcoming difficulties that it sometimes seems that this is the main task of our school - to overcome difficulties, and not to teach children a good life and give useful knowledge.

Archpriest Boris Pivovarov

All of the above problems can be resolved only under one condition - if the most unfavorable regime for teaching "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" is eliminated in the school.

It is known that any business is realized in certain conditions: very favorable, favorable, not very favorable, unfavorable, very unfavorable. For the military-industrial complex, the regime of the greatest disadvantage was formed at school.

Why and how did this situation come about? - In my opinion, the first and main problem of introducing a comprehensive course of the ORSE into schools is the targeted opposition to the normal introduction of the GPC (within the framework of the specified comprehensive course) on the part of opponents of teaching the basics of Orthodox culture.

Where and how did this resistance come about?

Opponents of the introduction of the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the school from the very beginning of the testing of the comprehensive course of the ORKiSE threatened the experiment with risks.

Their first fear was formulated as follows: "Priests will come to the school!" And this, according to opponents of the study of Orthodox culture at school, "would be a direct violation of the Constitution of Russia." At the same time, a crafty reference was made to the Constitution:

"Article 14 of the Basic Law of our country states that religious associations are separate from the state and are equal before the law. Persons with a special pedagogical education and who are professionally and permanently involved in the education and upbringing of schoolchildren can work in state and municipal general education schools. Parish clergy are excluded from state and municipal schools by the provisions of the Constitution of Russia, as well as by the existing norms of professional and pedagogical activity "(" Book for parents ". M .:" Prosveshchenie ", 2010. P. 5).

What is the untruth and slyness of this "fear"? - In an arbitrarily broad interpretation of the Constitution of Russia.

AND I. Danilyuk, the compiler of the cited "Book for Parents", states: "The arrival of clergy in state and municipal schools is excluded by the provisions of the Constitution." But if someone reads the entire text of the Constitution of the Russian Federation himself, he will not find such words there. He will not find them there for a simple reason - they are not and cannot be in the Basic Law of our country.

Why? - The answer is given by paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the Constitution itself: "The state guarantees the equality of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, regardless of gender, race, nationality, language, origin, property and official status, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, belonging to public associations, as well as other circumstances. Any form of restriction of the rights of citizens on the grounds of social, racial, national, linguistic or religious affiliation is prohibited.

"All are equal before the law" (paragraph 1 of article 19). Hence, the statement of A.Ya. Danilyuk, who intimidates parents with the idea that “clergymen will come to school!” is anti-constitutional. Paragraph 2 of Art. 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the state guarantees the equality of human rights and freedoms, regardless of "official position", "attitude to religion, beliefs", as well as other circumstances.

AND I. Danilyuk, apparently, is counting on the fact that parents busy with their own problems will not check his references to the Constitution, but will take him at his word. Possibly, the author also counts on the fact that in the minds of many teachers and parents, the position that has lost its legal force is still preserved - "the school is separated from the Church." There is no such provision in the current legislation of Russia. Consequently, the Constitution of the Russian Federation is contradicted not by the arrival of a clergyman in the school, but by the anti-church statement of the compiler of the Book for Parents.

Opponents of teaching the basics of Orthodox culture arbitrarily and broadly interpret clause 5 of Article 1 of the Law of the Russian Federation "On Education": "In state and municipal educational institutions, bodies exercising management in the field of education, the creation and operation of organizational structures of political and religious movements and organizations (associations) are not allowed.

The arrival of a clergyman to a school is prohibited neither by the Constitution of the Russian Federation nor by the Law "On Education". As for the regular teaching of any subject at school by a clergyman, including the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture", there are no legislative prohibitions here either. Moreover, if a clergyman or other representative of the Church has the appropriate qualification category and training, then prohibiting him from teaching at school is a direct violation of the Constitution of Russia.

If we mention Article 14 of the Constitution of Russia, to which the "Book for Parents" refers, then we should not forget Article 28 of the Basic Law of our country: "Everyone is guaranteed freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, including the right to profess individually or jointly with others any religion or not profess any, freely disseminate religious and other beliefs and act in accordance with them.

Note that this article of the Constitution does not contain a clause that it does not apply to state and municipal educational institutions, that is, to schools. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the President of the Russian Federation D.A. On July 21, 2009, Medvedev, at a significant meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the leaders of Russian Muslims, Jews and Buddhists (at which a fundamental decision was made to introduce subjects of spiritual and moral culture into the Russian school), collectively led the 14th and 28th article of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

One of the principles of state policy in the field of education is "protection and development by the education system of national cultures, regional cultural traditions and characteristics" (Law of the Russian Federation "On Education", clause 2, article 2). Orthodoxy, according to the Law of the Russian Federation "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" (1997), has "a special role in the history of Russia, in the formation and development of its spirituality and culture." Since no one has canceled this Law, in order to protect and develop the Orthodox culture of the peoples of Russia, it is necessary to study the basics of Orthodox culture at school.

But opponents of Orthodox culture are afraid of the revival of the historical priority position of the Orthodox Church in Russia and do not want to notice the evidence of the current legislation about the special role of Orthodoxy over Russian history and culture.

Another important principle of state policy in education is "freedom and pluralism in education" (Law of the Russian Federation "On Education", clause 5, article 2). But what kind of freedom in education can we talk about if the parents of schoolchildren are intimidated by the fact that "a clergyman can come to school"?! (So, freedom and pluralism are only for atheists?)

What is terrible for the school that an Orthodox priest comes to school for a lesson in the basics of Orthodox culture? Is it really scary that he will introduce children to the commandment to honor parents, teach them to always thank their teachers, refrain from bad words, explain the meaning of the word "sacred" in the State Anthem of Russia or in the song "Holy War", and also talk about church-state holidays? Is this what schools should be afraid of?

The second "fear" of opponents of teaching Orthodox culture at school: "Will this course turn into direct propaganda of Orthodoxy?" ("Soviet Siberia". No. 217, November 17, 2011).

Let's pay attention to what we are talking about. The newspaper is not even talking about the module of the basics of Orthodox culture, but about the entire comprehensive course of the ORKiSE! The fear of opponents of the teaching of Orthodox culture before the "propaganda of Orthodoxy" exceeds all reasons in favor of the comprehensive course of the ORKiSE. And in order to "not take risks", they were already at the very beginning of the experiment ready to abandon the entire comprehensive course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics"!

And what do the words "propaganda of Orthodoxy" come from and where do they come from? - This phrase is borrowed from the times of open persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church and believers, when N.S. Khrushchev set the task of eradicating religion in the USSR. Proclaiming plans to build communism, this theomachist declared: "We will not take religion into communism!" And to confirm his plans, he promised to show "the last Soviet priest on television" soon.

Khrushchev announced his militantly atheistic plans to the whole world - and soon he was freed from power. And by the end of the 20th century, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was recreated in Moscow as a symbol of the revival of the Orthodox culture of Russia!

But this question also begs: “Have the millions of Orthodox parents who have already introduced their children to the Orthodox faith and culture through Holy Baptism, made their worldview choice and determined which way of life they want to direct their children?” Ask the question at any school parent meeting: "Which parent baptized their children?" - See the forest of hands. Then ask them the following question: "Would the parents who raised their hands want their baptized children to study the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" at school?"

If a parent meeting is held in this way, then the percentage of parents who choose "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" will be incomparably higher than it is now. And there will be no need to puzzle over the invention of the mechanism for selecting the ORKiSE module. Moreover, if the school expresses respect for the ideological choice of parents in this way, then Protocol No. The right to education may be denied. The State, in the exercise of any functions it assumes in the field of education and teaching, shall respect the right of parents to provide such education and such teaching as is in conformity with their religious and philosophical convictions."

Opponents of the study of Orthodox culture at school incite not only parents against religion (see the "Book for Parents"), but also teachers of the comprehensive course of the ORKiSE. On the very first page of the introduction to the "Book for the Teacher" an attack is made against religion: "Religion in many of its aspects does not share the foundations of natural science and even contradicts it" ("Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics. A Book for the Teacher. Grades 4-5" Moscow: "Enlightenment", 2010). From the time of persecution of faith, the Church and believers, the compilers of the "Book for the teacher" pulled out the mossy dogma of militant atheism: "Science is against religion."

Religion does not share atheistic interpretations of what is not yet known to science (problems of cosmogony, zoogenesis and anthropogenesis). Religion does not share the beliefs of the representatives of the so-called "scientific atheism", who believe that only they have the only true materialistic worldview. But to inspire the teacher that religion is contrary to science means to continue to fight religion, while declaring that there is freedom of religion.

Page 8 of the Teacher's Book contains another attack against religion: "... religion can also have a destructive potential if religious activity is directed against the foundations of social life, the accepted order and norms, as well as against the physical and mental health of a person."

Nice characterization given to religion! Who then wants to teach the basics of religious culture?! Let us note that the compilers of the "Book for the Teacher" deliberately substitute one for the other - it is not religion that has a destructive character, but sectarian and terrorist pseudo-religious teachings and currents.

The quoted "Book for Parents", "Book for the Teacher" and throwing into the public discussion on the issue of approbation of the ORKiSE such a phrase as "propaganda of Orthodoxy" - all this indicates that there is a purposeful opposition to the revival of Orthodox culture in Russia.

The school fights (should fight!) against drugs, drug propaganda, crime, violence propaganda. And the newspaper "Soviet Siberia" worries about the "propaganda of Orthodoxy." Here one involuntarily recalls another dogma of the militant atheists, which castigates religion: "Religion is the opium of the people." But while religion was being fought in the USSR for 70 years, real opium penetrated into our country, into school, into life, and on such a scale that it is difficult to compare this disaster with anything.

It is appropriate to recall what the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation A.A. Fursenko at the XIX International Christmas Educational Readings (January 25, 2011): "This course is still being actively discussed. His Holiness said a lot about this today. Indeed, we often talk about the risks inherent in this course. We are much less likely to talk about about what risks exist if this course did not exist, and in fact, in fact, these risks are definitely not smaller, but greater.

What are the measures taken by the educational authorities and directors of educational institutions "to overcome these" fears "and" risks "in the course of testing the ORKiSE"? - Vigilant control over the observance of the "secular nature of education"!

What is this control?

In preventing clergy from attending school; in the fact that the cooperation of teachers of the fundamentals of Orthodox culture with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church is more symbolic than constructive; there are still no methodological associations on the basics of Orthodox culture (all available methodological associations are only for all six modules at once, and due to this there is no progress in improving the teaching of the OPK).

In the virtual absence of a free choice of the subject (module) of the foundations of Orthodox culture by parents (legal representatives) and students.

The fact that explanatory work in the media is carried out "one way" - in favor of secular ethics.

Thus, the most unfavorable regime was formed for the introduction of the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the school.

And this is at a time when the tension and anxiety associated with the spiritual and moral crisis of all mankind are increasingly manifested at school. Threatening is the mass departure of children to computer worlds, the refusal of live communication with loved ones. The blind trust of children in the information posted on social networks allows them to manipulate their minds. The school becomes an institution providing "educational services". As a result, the image of the school, traditional for Russia, as a hotbed of enlightenment and spiritual and moral education, is involuntarily lost.

Who can be a teacher of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture"? - The teacher who has not only completed coursework and (or) retraining at APCiPPRO or NIPCiPRO, but also received a recommendation from the relevant centralized religious organization in the region.

On November 3, 2011, this principle was supported by the Interreligious Council of Russia, formed in 1998 as a public body that unites representatives of the four religious traditions of Russia - Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism. The Interreligious Council of Russia recognized the importance of providing centralized religious organizations with the opportunity to recommend teachers of training courses, subjects, and disciplines of a religious-cognitive nature.

In the Novosibirsk region, the centralized religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church is the Novosibirsk diocese. Consequently, in order to improve the teaching of "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" in schools in Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk region, a teacher of the fundamentals of Orthodox culture needs a recommendation from the Novosibirsk diocese.

The practice of a recommendation by a religious organization to a teacher who wants and is preparing to teach subjects of a religious educational nature takes place in many European countries, for example, in Germany. And from this, neither Germany itself, nor the state education system of the country has lost its secular character. Here, in Russia, the lack of practice of recommendation by a religious organization to a teacher who wants and is preparing to teach the basics of Orthodox culture is a relic of the ideological dominance of atheism in the general education system.

In pursuance of the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction in 2012 in all educational institutions of the country of the training course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics", the organization of work on the introduction of a new subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into schools in Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk Region must be improved.

For this you need:

Provide parents with a free choice of the foundations of Orthodox culture,

Provide teachers with good-quality methodological material, and students with teaching aids,

Organize informational and methodological support for the introduction of the foundations of Orthodox culture,

To improve the organization of the work of the educational institutions themselves, which teach the basics of Orthodox culture,

To create, on the whole, favorable conditions for the successful introduction of the freely chosen subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the school curriculum.

So far, unfortunately, there are no favorable conditions for the realization of the right of Orthodox parents to fully educate their children in the basics of Orthodox culture in general educational institutions.

What word should be used to characterize the existing regime of unfavorable conditions for the selection and teaching of "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" at school?

The exact word was found in the "Diaries" of the writer M.M. Prishvin for 1918-1919: not recognized!

"Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" as a school subject is not yet recognized!

Not prohibited. Not cancelled. And simply - not recognized!

The Fundamentals of Secular Ethics and the Fundamentals of World Religious Cultures are recognized, while the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture are not.

The ministry of a teacher comes with great responsibility. Some teachers feel their responsibility before God for the children entrusted to them for the upbringing and education. To those who have not been given this, they feel their responsibility to their native history and the future of Russia. But, unfortunately, there are also teachers who consciously separate teaching from upbringing: they limit themselves to passing on to students only a certain amount of knowledge. The crisis in the Russian education system will become irreversible if the majority of Russian teachers belong to the third category.

The Russian Orthodox Church is striving with all its might to help the Russian school get out of the current crisis, but, unfortunately, the anti-religiously understood "secular principle" of education, like heavy weights on its feet, does not allow the school to move towards spiritual and moral recovery and transformation. It is necessary to regulate church-state relations in the field of education, in particular, the exact definition of the areas of responsibility of the parties in solving organizational, managerial and substantive tasks when introducing the foundations of Orthodox culture and the distribution of competencies between interested parties.

On January 17, 2012, it will be a year since the Agreement on Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation Policy of the Novosibirsk Region and the Novosibirsk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of education and spiritual and moral education of children and youth in the Novosibirsk Region. It also contains provisions on cooperation in terms of testing the defense industry. But, unfortunately, this document remains unknown to most schools and teachers.

In the meantime, an atheistic "secular ethic" dominates in the school. What is "secular ethics"?

The textbook "Fundamentals of Secular Ethics" for grades 4-5 (M .: "Prosveshchenie", 2010) states: "Secular ethics assumes that a person himself can determine what is good and what is evil" (Lesson 2. P. 7).

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said in his current Christmas Message:

“Today, the main tests are being carried out not in the material, but in the spiritual realm. Those dangers that lie in the physical plane damage bodily well-being and comfort. measurement reveals the most important and serious ideological challenge of our time.This challenge is aimed at destroying the moral feeling embedded in our soul by God.Today, people are trying to be convinced that he and only he is the measure of truth, that everyone has his own truth and everyone determines for himself what there is good and what is evil. Divine truth, and hence the difference between good and evil based on this Truth, is being replaced by moral indifference and permissiveness, which destroy the souls of people, deprive them of eternal life. If natural disasters and military operations turn into ruins external arrangement of life, then moral relativism corrodes the conscience of people sheep, makes him a spiritual invalid, distorts the Divine laws of being and breaks the connection between creation and the Creator.

In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that the jubilee XX International Christmas Educational Readings in Moscow, dedicated to the theme "Enlightenment and morality: the concern of the Church, society and the state", will contribute to solving the problems associated with the introduction of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into school. The free teaching of the fundamentals of Orthodox culture in Russian schools, as His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said, is to a large extent decisive for the fate of Russian education and directly affects the interests of millions of parents and their children.

Boris Pivovarov, archpriest

Quoted from: "Novosibirsk Diocesan Herald". January 2012. Special issue for the XV Novosibirsk Christmas Educational Readings. pp. 3-5.

Orthodoxy is in the top news this year. But while the metropolitans are eager to determine the repertoire policy of theaters, and activists of lower rank - music clubs, the once no less resonant informational occasion - teaching the basics of Orthodox culture (OPC) at school - seems to be forgotten. But the defense industry project is quite alive and, moreover, has been working for more than a year.

What happens in Orthodox lessons - religious propaganda or acquaintance with one of the pillars of national culture? Let's try to understand one of the loudest phenomena not only of the national education system, but of the entire Russian reality of the post-Soviet period.

What is an OPC?

The fundamentals of Orthodox culture are not an independent school subject. This is one of the modules that together make up the subject of "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" (ORCSE). The subject is designed for teaching in the fourth grade, introduced in all regions of Russia since 2012. In addition to Orthodoxy, other main religions of our country are also represented: Buddhism, Islam and Judaism. There is a module covering the history of all religions, and confession-neutral “basics of secular ethics”. Thus, students or their parents have a choice of six modules.

But the teaching of religious culture at school is by no means a local round of obscurantism. Some of the CIS countries and neighboring countries have also introduced this educational block. Europe and other Western countries after two world wars began to gradually return from the secular path to a more compromise one, and religious subjects in many countries are obligatory for everyone, no matter what Dmitry Kiselyov rants. Only in France is education completely secularised; in Germany, in particular in Bavaria, the teaching of religion is obligatory in all secondary schools, there are also religious lessons in Spain, Belgium, and in Poland the influence of Catholicism is so great that the Law of God is studied on a par with mathematics and the Polish language. Try to guess since what year Orthodoxy has been taught in Belgium? Perhaps the very fact of teaching the basics of Orthodoxy in this country is surprising, but this practice dates back to 1989.

Previous attempts

The history of attempts to introduce a discipline that affects the spiritual, moral and cultural fields in the educational environment of post-Soviet Russia began long before the advent of the defense industry. Few people know that in the 1990s the educational program "Origins" was developed, in particular, as an attempt to give a general idea of the culture of Russia, its traditions and customs. The Orthodox part of this program, of course, assumed - the representation of the basic elements of culture without highlighting the cultural dominant is simply impossible. At first, "Origins" were designed for preschoolers and performed an educational rather than an educational task. But the people who made it took up the development thoroughly - the main ideologist was a member of the Scientology sect in the past and had what he needed about discipline and dedication. The program has a clearly defined concept and aims at the all-round development of the child. By “comprehensiveness” is meant that not only intellectual, but also moral, moral, spiritual and similar qualities should be developed. In addition to the preschool version, the program included educational blocks for younger students, and then up to grade 11. There were seminars for teachers, there was training, but in the end, those who promoted "Origins" did not succeed in getting funding from the state, and the program was only partially implemented. Other people had to master the budget.

After the "Origins" failed to be introduced into mass circulation, attempts to introduce a spiritual and moral component in school education did not stop. The foundations of Orthodox culture as part of the subject of the ORKISE were also developed and tried to be pushed through the ministry for a long time. Since the mid-2000s, this subject has been included in the school curriculum in some regions, and in the Smolensk region it has existed since 1991. Initially, at the experimental stage, the subject "the basis of religious cultures and secular ethics" was called less neutral - "spiritual and moral education". Such a name clearly indicates that this object arose on the site of a wasteland left after the history of the CPSU and the pioneers, and that this wasteland could not exist for a long time.

Lots of campaigning, little preparation

Most of the effort was spent by the OPK lobbyists on putting forward an initiative from below. While activists from Orthodoxy were pushing changes in the school curriculum through the ministry, representatives of other denominations sat and wrote textbooks. This could not but affect the quality of methodological materials and the teaching staff of the defense industry. When ORKISE was approved at the federal level, a new serious problem arose before the jubilant lobbyists - how, who and what will teach. It turned out that competent teachers are sorely lacking. All efforts were spent on making administrative and legislative changes. Even universally organized refresher courses do not save the situation. As a result, they sometimes say such things about Orthodoxy that Orthodox parents themselves often prefer to enroll their children in secular ethics, which is the most popular choice after the OPK. Now, despite the stated goal of the ROC to expand the time period of the course and introduce its teaching from the first to the 11th grade, even the Orthodox who deal with this issue understand that this goal is unattainable with the current shortage of competent teachers.

At the same time, teaching the so-called. secular ethics looks even more dubious. Ethics is a philosophical discipline, it presupposes a certain level of reflection and culture of philosophizing, which children in the fourth grade simply do not have such a level. Why do you have to be good? Because it's good. Such a tautology, of course, only occupies the time that children want to spend on the street. The creators of South Park somehow touched upon a similar problem - in one of the series, children from the fourth grade were taught the basics of sexual culture - the reason was the unwillingness of parents to raise their children in a family, it was simply awkward for them to explain sexual issues. In the USSR, a similar situation developed, only changes were made from above: wanting to abolish the family as an institution, the Soviet reformers delegated the educational function of the family to the institution of primary education, education became the task of the state - hence the legs of all these “foundations of morality” taught in schools today.

The state, in turn, picked up the idea of Orthodox activists and is clearly trying to use the subject for its own purposes - the trend of patriotic education in schools has been obvious lately. The first chapter in both Kuraev's textbook on the defense industry and in the textbook on secular ethics begins with the concept of the Motherland. Attention is drawn to the contradiction that lies in the desire of the state to use the notorious spirituality and family values as an ideological tool. Speaking through the lips of the Mizulins about family values, the ideological machine is actually trying to seize the main function of the family - education. There is a double message according to Bateson: in relation to the subject at different communicative levels, opposite, contradictory attitudes are realized. I recall a phrase from the classic series of the aforementioned South Park: “The strength of a great country is to say one thing and do something completely different.” At the verbal level, the traditional family is glorified - at the practical level, the family, in fact, is infringed.

In words, this subject should introduce students to the culture of Orthodoxy,
and in practice, catechesis is being conducted.

Sermon or enlightenment

The emphasis on the spiritual and moral side of ORKISE does not benefit the latter. Despite the fact that the OPK is not a subject, but just one module that can be chosen or not chosen by parents, society reacts painfully precisely to the Orthodox bloc. The Islamic bloc, for example, does not provoke such a reaction, although the reputation of Muslims in recent years is also not the best.

Firstly, the image of Orthodoxy created in the media gives a rather negative image. Secondly, the lobbying of the Orthodox subject by various activists is sometimes carried out by rather rude methods and really gives the impression of imposing certain views. The ROC, according to the statement of the Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsky Clement, is going to expand the course from the first to the 11th grade - in response to this, a petition has already been created aimed at prohibiting such a subject as ORKISE, in principle.

In words, this subject should acquaint students with the culture of Orthodoxy and the phenomenological side of religion, but in practice catechization is carried out, which, of course, contradicts the Constitution, which proclaims the country a secular state, and the initiators of the petition are right in this. In some cases, a textbook on the basics of Orthodox culture was simply compiled by rewriting the "Law of God" by Slobodsky, which does not correspond to the stated objectives of the subject - to familiarize schoolchildren with the history, culture and basic values of Orthodoxy. In practice, what often happens is not acquaintance, but an attempt to convert, local teachers clearly go too far in their zeal to instill in children the necessary values - again, the Soviet mentality affects in many ways. Although the European experience in some cases even suggests catechesis - for example, in Germany, where, according to Protestant principles, it is the state that should deal with catechesis. But in most European countries that have the practice of teaching subjects about religion, emphasis is placed on familiarization with its history, teaching is carried out for cultural studies, and not for proselytizing and preaching purposes.

In view of the foregoing, it is more appropriate to divide not into atheists and Orthodox, but into supporters and opponents of the cultural nature of the religious studies subject. The problem, strictly speaking, comes down to the wording, the change of which radically changes the essence of the subject: religious and religious studies are two big differences. Despite the petition, which was joined by many venerable scientists and even Nobel laureates, the majority of the population, according to a poll by the Levada Center, in 2009 supported the idea of such a subject. By 2013, however, support had dwindled even among optimistic parents. It speaks of a negative teaching experience. People were initially ready for the fact that their children would study religion at school, but the “spiritual-moral” and “ethical” teaching methods turned out to be unsuccessful, which pushed the society away from this idea.

The boundaries of the conflict, which from the outside looks like a polemic between the Orthodox, religious part of society, on the one hand, and the secular, atheistic part, on the other, actually take place in a slightly different field. It is rather a controversy between supporters of the teaching of religion in a historical and cultural vein, which are also in the scientific community, and supporters of education and teaching of the ethical part. Supporters of teaching the phenomenological side of religion and the culturological approach also exist among the Orthodox. Supporters of teaching religion in schools are often competent professionals, and not just odious individuals like Tsorionov-Enteo.

The latter is a representative of that part of the facade of Orthodoxy, which most often flashes in the media, and only hinders an adequate understanding of the tasks of religious education. The Orthodox community is divided on the issue of the goals of teaching the OPK. A good textbook by Kuraev, aimed specifically at getting to know the culture, and not imposing abstract "braces", some Orthodox figures generally call for a ban, apparently considering the Law of God the best option. The church, unfortunately, pretends not to notice only the activists spoiling its image, and sometimes even supports them.

Religion is not only a fact of modern social and humanitarian reality, but also the historical basis of most cultural phenomena. A huge part of the cultural heritage cannot be understood without knowing the religious context in which certain cultural artifacts were created. Religion has long been an object of study on the part of science; religious knowledge has been accumulated in sufficient quantities so that it can be broadcast at the school level. But this broadcast could not be organized without disturbing the society. Numerous problems of various kinds have arisen.

Instead of a conclusion

There has been almost no progress in the organization of the process in ten years. Standards are negotiated only for the last five years. According to the general educational standard, you can see which school graduate is planned to receive. What kind of student the Orthodox are planning to get at the exit is not clear. There is no single mandatory textbook and no consensus on whether a single textbook is needed at all. As a result, teachers, taking advantage of the situation, retell the Law of God. There is no single concept from above, there are no competent teachers from below. There are good textbooks, but activists themselves sometimes oppose them. They are trying to plug holes in the ideological field with Orthodoxy - it’s a no brainer that you won’t get far on May 9, as a result, you get the impression that you don’t feed the Orthodox with bread, just let them propagandize.

In our culture, not a single step can be taken even in a conversation about contemporary art outside the context of religion. Natalya Goncharova painted pictures similar to icons based on biblical subjects, Sergei Pakhomov studied icon painting in his youth. Everyone even in the Soviet Union knew that there is Easter and Christmas, this is a common place. In this sense, the study of culture in Russia is unrealistic without the foundations of Orthodoxy, and vice versa - Orthodoxy can be studied only in the context of culture.

The idea of teaching culture is absolutely correct. To retell Slobodsky instead is methodological incompetence and a moral error. The unwillingness to see Orthodoxy with a human face and the terrible implementation of the generally good idea of an educational project (an educated person still needs to know what the Bible is, it doesn’t have to be religious at the same time) ultimately leads to the fact that they only further incite an active part of society.

Text: Andrey Eliseev

Why did His Holiness Patriarch Kirill say that the introduction of the new subject “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” into schools is of decisive importance for the fate of Russian education? - Because modern domestic education is not only in a state of protracted reform, but also a deep spiritual and moral crisis.

It is embarrassing for the school itself (principals, teachers) to talk about this crisis: it is like criticizing one's own educational work. And from the side of our native long-suffering school, I don’t want to condemn. She has so many problems! Take, for example, the problems of financing, the ever-complicating requirements for the conditions of education, the wave of various new instructions for the school ...

The continuous reformation of the school can be compared to continuous relocations. Imagine a situation: a family (or organization, or enterprise) has been in a state of relocation for two decades. He will not have time to take root, settle, settle down, as they already say: if you please, you have to move again ... But reforms are inevitable, the school does not choose them. Therefore, critically discussing the reform of school education is just as unproductive as proving to ourselves that the USE does not contribute to improving the quality of school education. But the spiritual and moral education of schoolchildren depends not so much on the Minister of Education A.A. Fursenko, but on the school itself: on the director, on the teacher. Here it is appropriate to cite again the words of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill that the introduction of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the school is of decisive importance for the fate of Russian education.

What are the problems of teaching the fundamentals of Orthodox culture at school?
Here is a short and approximate list of them.

1. Insufficient awareness of parents about their right to choose the desired module of the comprehensive course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics" (ORCSE). Most parents are unaware of the purpose and objectives of the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture (EPC) subject. They are persistently recommended the Fundamentals of Secular Ethics, at worst, the so-called Fundamentals of World Religions. So most often there is a situation that can be described as “choice without choice”.

2. Unsatisfactory training of teachers of the comprehensive course of the ORKSE, and, consequently, of teachers of the EPC. The preparation went on in an incredible hurry, often formally, without taking into account the specifics of the subjects (so-called modules) of the new educational area.

3. Problems with the financing of the RCSE: the lack of pre-established payment for the work of teachers for teaching lessons on the RCSE, including the EPC. Schools have to deal with the restructuring and optimization of their financial capabilities in order to cut something out of the general funding.

4. The notorious shortage of “watches”. Due to the reduction of which subjects should the ORCS be introduced? A question formulated in this way can turn anyone against teaching the basics of religious culture in school. To strengthen the anti-religious position, it is sometimes added that schoolchildren are already overloaded with subjects and lessons.

5. The presence in the class of a small number of those who have chosen the GPC. If, for example, there are only two_three such children in the class, and ten_fifteen such children in the school, then it is easier to enroll them in the “Fundamentals of Secular Ethics” than to deal with the problem of dividing schoolchildren into subgroups, searching for a teacher in the defense industry, places to study, and so on.

6. Lack of premises for separate teaching of the ORSE modules. The "output" is usually the same - to enroll all children in the "Fundamentals of Secular Ethics", and then there is no need to look for an additional room for classes on a "small" module.

7. Insufficiency or absence of educational and methodological aids for the GRSE, including the GPC, for those who have chosen this particular academic subject (module).

All of the above problems can be resolved only under one condition - if the most unfavorable regime for teaching the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" is eliminated in the school.

Where and how did this resistance come about?
Opponents of the introduction of the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the school from the very beginning of testing the comprehensive course of the ORKSE threatened the experiment with risks.
Their first concern was formulated as follows:
“Priests will come to the school!” And this, according to opponents of the study of Orthodox culture at school, "would be a direct violation of the Constitution of Russia." At the same time, a crafty reference was made to the Constitution:
“Article 14 of the Basic Law of our country says that religious associations are separated from the state and are equal before the law. Persons who have a special pedagogical education and are professionally and permanently involved in the education and upbringing of schoolchildren may work in state and municipal general education schools. The arrival of clergy in state and municipal schools is excluded by the provisions of the Constitution of Russia, as well as by the existing norms of professional and pedagogical activity ”(“ Book for Parents ”. M .:“ Prosveshchenie ”, 2010. P. 5).
What is the untruth and slyness of this "fear"? - In an arbitrary_expansive interpretation of the Constitution of Russia.

A.Ya. Danilyuk, the compiler of the cited "Book for Parents", states: "The arrival of clergy in state and municipal schools is excluded by the provisions of the Constitution." But if someone reads the entire text of the Constitution of the Russian Federation himself, he will not find such words there. He will not find them there for a simple reason - they are not and cannot be in the Basic Law of our country.

Why? - The answer is given by paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the Constitution itself: “The state guarantees the equality of the rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen, regardless of gender, race, nationality, language, origin, property and official status, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, belonging to public associations, as well as other circumstances. Any form of restriction of the rights of citizens on the grounds of social, racial, national, linguistic or religious affiliation is prohibited.”

“All are equal before the law” (clause 1, article 19). This means that the assertion of A.Ya. Paragraph 2 of Art. 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the state guarantees equality of human rights and freedoms, regardless of "official position", "attitude to religion, beliefs", as well as other circumstances.
A.Ya.Danilyuk, apparently, counts on the fact that parents busy with their own problems will not check his references to the Constitution, but will take him at his word. Perhaps the author is also counting on the fact that in the minds of many teachers and parents, the position that has lost its legal force is still preserved - "the school is separated from the Church." There is no such provision in the current legislation of Russia. Consequently, the Constitution of the Russian Federation is contradicted not by the arrival of a clergyman in the school, but by the anti-church statement of the compiler of the Book for Parents.

Opponents of teaching the defense industry arbitrarily and broadly interpret clause 5 of article 1 of the Law of the Russian Federation “On Education”: “In state and municipal educational institutions, bodies that manage education, the creation and operation of organizational structures of political parties, socio-political and religious movements and organizations (associations) are not allowed.”

What is not allowed by the Law "On Education"? - Creation and operation of organizational structures, not only religious associations, but above all political parties. In other words, paragraph 5 of article 1 of the Law "On Education" prohibits the creation and operation, for example, of a branch of any political party or any religious association with all the positions and institutions necessary for their functioning.
The arrival of a clergyman to a school is prohibited neither by the Constitution of the Russian Federation nor by the Law "On Education". As for the regular teaching of any subject at school by a clergyman, including the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture", there are no legislative prohibitions here either. Moreover, if a clergyman or other representative of the Church has the appropriate qualification category and training, then prohibiting him from teaching at school is a direct violation of the Constitution of Russia.

If we mention the 14th article of the Constitution of Russia, to which the “Book for Parents” refers, then we should not forget the 28th article of the Basic Law of our country: “Everyone is guaranteed freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, including the right to profess individually or jointly with others any religion or not to profess any, freely disseminate religious and other beliefs and act in accordance with them.

Note that this article of the Constitution does not contain a clause that it does not apply to state and municipal educational institutions, that is, to schools. Therefore, it is no coincidence that President of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev on July 21, 2009 at a significant meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the leaders of Muslims, Jews and Buddhists (at which a fundamental decision was made to introduce subjects on spiritual and moral culture into the Russian school ) collectively cited the 14th and 28th articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

One of the principles of state policy in the field of education is “protection and development by the education system of national cultures, regional cultural traditions and characteristics” (Law of the Russian Federation “On Education” (clause 2, article 2). Orthodoxy, as stated by the Law of the Russian Federation “On Freedom conscience and religious associations” (1997), has “a special role in the history of Russia, in the formation of its spirituality and culture.” Since this Law has not been canceled by anyone, in order to protect and develop the Orthodox culture of the peoples of Russia, it is necessary to study the basics of Orthodox culture.

Another important principle of state policy in education is “freedom and pluralism in education” (Law of the Russian Federation “On Education”, clause 5, article 2). But what kind of freedom in education can we talk about if the parents of schoolchildren are intimidated by the fact that “a clergyman can come to school”?! (So, freedom and pluralism are only for atheists?)

What is terrible for the school that an Orthodox priest will come to school for a lesson in the OPK? - Is it really scary that he will introduce children to the commandment to honor their parents, teach them to always thank their teachers, refrain from bad words, explain the meaning of the word "sacred" in the National Anthem of Russia or in the song "Holy War", and also talk about church and state holidays ? Is this what schools should be afraid of?

The second “fear” of opponents of teaching Orthodox culture at school: “Will this course turn into direct propaganda of Orthodoxy?” (“Soviet Siberia”. No. 217 of November 17, 2011).

Let's pay attention to what we are talking about. The newspaper is not even talking about the OPK module, but about the entire comprehensive course of the ORCSE! The fear of opponents of the teaching of Orthodox culture before the "propaganda of Orthodoxy" exceeds all reasons in favor of the comprehensive course of the ORSE. And in order to “not take risks”, they were already at the very beginning of the experiment ready to abandon the entire comprehensive course of the ORCSE!

And what do the words “propaganda of Orthodoxy” come from and where do they come from? - This phrase is borrowed from the times of open persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church and believers, when N.S. Khrushchev set the task of eradicating religion in the USSR. Proclaiming plans to build communism, this theomachist declared: “We will not take religion into communism!” And to confirm his plans, he promised to soon show "the last Soviet priest on television."

Last year, when Athos monks brought the Belt of the Virgin to Russia, more than three million people rushed to this great Christian shrine. It is a pity that A.Ya. Danilyuk, the author of The Book for Parents, did not ask the Muscovites who stood in line at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior: do they want their children and grandchildren to study the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture at school?
But this question also begs: “Have the millions of Orthodox parents who have already introduced their children to the Orthodox faith and culture through Holy Baptism, thereby made their worldview choice and determined which way of life they want to send their children?” Ask the question at any school parent meeting: "Which parent baptized their children?" - See the forest of hands. Then ask them the following question: “Would the parents who raised their hands want their baptized children to study the subject “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” at school?”

If a parent-teacher meeting is held in this way, then the percentage of parents who choose "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" will be incomparably higher than it is now. And there will be no need to puzzle over the invention of the mechanism for selecting the ORKSE module. Moreover, if the school thus expresses respect for the ideological choice of parents, then Protocol No. 1 of November 1, 1998 to the Council of Europe Convention "For the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms", Article 2 of which reads:
“No one can be denied the right to education. The State, in the exercise of any functions it assumes in the field of education and teaching, shall respect the right of parents to provide such education and such teaching as is in conformity with their religious and philosophical convictions.”

Opponents of the study of Orthodox culture at school set not only parents against religion (see the "Book for Parents"), but also teachers of the comprehensive course of the ORCSE. On the very first page of the introduction to the "Book for the Teacher" an attack is made against religion: "Religion in many of its aspects does not share the foundations of natural science and even contradicts it" ("Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics. A Book for the Teacher. Grades 4-5" Moscow: Enlightenment, 2010). From the time of persecution of faith, the Church and believers, the compilers of the "Book for the Teacher" pulled out the mossy dogma of militant atheism: "Science is against religion."
Religion does not share atheistic interpretations of what is still unknown to science (problems of cosmogony, zoogenesis and anthropogenesis). Religion does not share the beliefs of the representatives of the so-called "scientific atheism", who believe that only they have the only true materialistic worldview. But to inspire the teacher that religion is contrary to science means to continue to fight religion, while declaring that there is freedom of religion.

Nice characterization given to religion! Who then wants to teach the basics of religious culture?! Note that the compilers of the "Book for the Teacher" deliberately substitute one for the other - it is not religion that has a destructive character, but sectarian and terrorist pseudo-religious teachings and movements.

The cited “Book for Parents”, “Book for the Teacher” and throwing into the public discussion on the issue of approbation of the ORSE such a phrase as “propaganda of Orthodoxy” - all this indicates that there is a purposeful opposition to the revival of Orthodox culture in Russia.

It is appropriate to recall what the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation A.A. Fursenko said about the risks associated with the introduction of ORSE, at the XIX International Christmas Educational Readings (January 25, 2011): “This course is still being actively discussed. His Holiness said a lot about this today. Indeed, we often talk about the risks inherent in this course. We are much less likely to talk about what risks exist if this course did not exist, and in fact, in fact, these risks are definitely not smaller, but greater.”

What are the measures taken by the educational authorities and directors of educational institutions "to overcome these" fears "and" risks "during the testing of ORSE"? - Vigilant control over the observance of the "secular nature of education"!

What is this control?
- In preventing clergy from attending school; in the fact that the cooperation of teachers of the fundamentals of Orthodox culture with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church is more symbolic than constructive; there are still no methodological associations for the GPC (all available method associations are only for all six modules at once, and due to this there is no progress in improving the teaching of the GPC).
- In the virtual absence of a free choice of the subject (module) of the OPK by parents (legal representatives) and students.
- The fact that explanatory work in the media is carried out "one way" - in favor of secular ethics.
Thus, the most unfavorable regime was formed for the introduction of the “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” into the school.

In the Novosibirsk region, the centralized religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church is the Novosibirsk diocese. Consequently, in order to improve the teaching of the "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" in the schools of Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk region, a teacher of the defense industry needs a recommendation from the Novosibirsk diocese.

The practice of a recommendation by a religious organization to a teacher who wants and is preparing to teach subjects of a religious educational nature takes place in many European countries, for example, in Germany. And from this, neither Germany itself, nor the state education system of the country has lost its secular character. Here, in Russia, the lack of practice of recommendation by a religious organization to a teacher who wants and is preparing to teach the OPK is a relic of the ideological dominance of atheism in the general education system.

The upbringing of schoolchildren largely depends on the worldview of teachers, their spiritual and moral level and patriotic mood. The younger the child, the greater the responsibility lies with the teacher. The course of spiritual and moral education is necessary, first of all, for the teacher himself, in order to look at some things with a transformed look and think about the correctness of his judgments and actions. And the Fundamentals of Secular Ethics do not require such work on oneself. Because “individual ethics”, according to the teachings of the compilers of the “Book for the Teacher”, “in modern society is separated from religion” (p. 16), and a person is free to “form his own scale of moral values and priorities” (p. 215).
In pursuance of the order of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction in 2012 in educational institutions of the training course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics", the organization of work on the introduction of a new subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into schools in Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk Region must be improved.

For this you need:
- provide parents with a free choice of OPK,
- provide teachers with good-quality methodological material, and students with teaching aids,
- organize informational and methodological support for the introduction of the defense industry,
- to improve the organization of the work of the educational institutions themselves that teach the defense industry,
- to create generally favorable conditions for the successful introduction of the freely chosen subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" into the school curriculum.

What word should be used to characterize the existing regime of unfavorable conditions for the selection and teaching of the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture at school?

The exact word was found in the "Diaries" of the writer M.M. Prishvin for 1918-1919: not recognized!

"Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" as a school subject is not yet recognized!

Not prohibited. Not cancelled. And simply - unrecognized!
The Fundamentals of Secular Ethics and the Fundamentals of World Religious Cultures are recognized, while the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture are not recognized.

The Russian Orthodox Church is striving with all its might to help the Russian school get out of the current crisis, but, unfortunately, the anti-religiously understood “secular principle” of education, like heavy weights on its feet, does not allow the school to move towards spiritual and moral recovery and transformation. It is necessary to regulate church-state relations in the field of education, in particular, the exact definition of the areas of responsibility of the parties in solving organizational, managerial and substantive tasks during the introduction of the defense industry and the distribution of competencies between interested parties.

In the meantime, an atheistic "secular ethic" dominates in the school. What is "secular ethics"?

“Today, the main trials are being carried out not in the material, but in the spiritual realm. Those dangers that lie in the physical plane are detrimental to bodily well-being and comfort. Complicating the material side of life, they are at the same time unable to cause significant harm to the spiritual life. But it is the spiritual dimension that reveals the most important and most serious ideological challenge of our time. This challenge is aimed at the destruction of the moral feeling that God has implanted in our soul. Today they try to convince a person that he and only he is the measure of truth, that everyone has his own truth and everyone determines for himself what is good and what is evil. Divine truth, and hence the difference between good and evil based on this Truth, is being replaced by moral indifference and permissiveness, which destroy the souls of people, deprive them of eternal life. If natural disasters and hostilities turn the external structure of life into ruins, then moral relativism corrodes the conscience of a person, makes him spiritually disabled, distorts the Divine laws of being and breaks the connection between creation and the Creator.

In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that the jubilee XX International Christmas Educational Readings in Moscow, dedicated to the topic “Enlightenment and morality: the concern of the Church, society and the state”, will help resolve the problems associated with the introduction of the subject “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” into school. The free teaching of the fundamentals of Orthodox culture in Russian schools, as His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said, is to a large extent decisive for the fate of Russian education and directly affects the interests of millions of parents and their children.

“In an immoral society, all inventions that increase the power of man over nature are not only not good, but an undeniable and obvious evil.

Dreams of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2022-10-21 04:54:55

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