The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation has replied to the authors of the appeal for the defense of the first in the history of Russia Ph. D. The editorial office of NG has a copy of the document. The Department of Attestation of Scientific and Scientific-Pedagogical Workers informed the initiative group of scientists that the Ministry of Education and Science could not consider the appeal and suspend the issuance of the candidate of sciences diploma to the dissertation author, Archpriest Pavel Khondzinsky, because the work by that moment was recognized as meeting the established criteria and the order on awarding the degree by the ministry on the day of submission objections have already been accepted.
“At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia sent to the RO-DOO VO ROC“General Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies named after Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal to the Apostles”a request for explanations on the issue of possible violations committed by the dissertation council in terms of posting information on the defense of the dissertation of Khondzinsky PV on the website of the organization where the defense took place, as well as on the possible violation of the principle of publicity during the meeting to defend the dissertation of Khondzinsky PV,”the letter of the ministry says. “Upon receipt of a reply from the RO-DOO VO ROC“General Church Postgraduate and Doctorate Studies. Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal to the Apostles "the question of possible violations of the dissertation council D 999.073.04 will be raised 13-PG-MON-34015 along with your appeal dated 09.08.2017. No. PG-MON-34015 for consideration by the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, "the department promises to the authors of the appeal.
A group of scientists, mainly representatives of natural sciences, sent their appeal to the department on July 27 this year. The defense of the work for the degree of candidate of theology took place on June 1 this year. While the initiative group was waiting for an answer to its request, Archpriest Pavel Khondzinsky received a PhD degree. This was reported by "Interfax" on August 8 this year, just on the eve of the day when the appeal was considered by the Ministry of Education and Science. The letter from the ministry says that the review took place on 9 September.
It should be noted that the time interval between the defense and the issuance of the diploma to the first candidate in theology does not correspond to usual practice. It usually takes twice as long. Critics of the first-ever defense of a candidate's work in theology point to other objectionable circumstances. For example, on the fact that the defense took place on June 1, and the order of the Minister of Education and Science, allowing the award of the degree of candidate of theology, came into force only on June 25.
One of the authors of the appeal, head of the laboratory for the study of information processes at the cellular and molecular level of the IITP RAS, Doctor of Biological Sciences Yuri Panchin, at the request of NG, commented on the response of the Ministry of Education and Science:
“Imagine that in a difficult situation you handed over to a pawnshop an expensive watch for a small part of its price on the condition that you can buy it back within a month. And then a week before the deadline, you come for them with hard-collected money, and you are informed that the watch is sold, and the business is over. Or you took an exam and you think you got lower scores. You are assigned an appeal and hope to correct the grade. Arriving on the appointed day, you will find out that the admission to the university has been completed, and no one is interested in your appeal. Such is the fate of the appeal against the first official defense of a dissertation in theology in Russia.
The ROC has long been issuing degrees in theology, and whoever “becomes a doctor of theology receives a special beautiful doctoral cross” (Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev). And nobody cared about it. The first client in the VAK theology, Khondzinsky, by that time was already both a candidate and a doctor. On June 1, 2017, despite criticism of scientists and a number of official negative reviews, the defense of the first dissertation in theology took place. Let's not say now that theology is not a science at all, but a shamefacedly slightly veiled religion. (Dissertation candidate Pavel Khondzinsky said that theology is "the self-reflection of the Church" […] and "proceeds from the unconditional fact of the existence of Divine Revelation, contained in Holy Scripture. Theology includes the general teaching of the Church, formulated by the Church on the basis of Scripture", - […] Patriarch Kirill declared,that theology “is a systematic expression of religious faith” […]).
During the defense and in the process of submitting it to the State Higher Attestation Commission (VAK), forgery, lies and violations of the procedure specified in the Regulation on the procedure for awarding academic degrees surfaced. Several scientists collected these facts and evidence, certified them by a notary public and, strictly in accordance with the law, drafted and sent an appeal to the Ministry of Education and Science (MES). The regulation on the procedure for awarding academic degrees (article 54) establishes: “For the decision of the dissertation council on the issue of awarding an academic degree, an organization, an applicant for an academic degree or another person may submit to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within 2 months from the date of the adoption of such a decision by the dissertation council an appeal in terms of violation of the procedure for submitting for the defense and defense of a dissertation established by these Regulations."
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MES officials admit that the appeal was received on July 27, before the end of the 2-month period, but (stated in a letter from the MES):
“The Ministry of Education and Science of Russia issued an order to extradite Khondzinsky P. V. diploma of the candidate of theology. Thus, the consideration of the attestation case of Khondzinsky P. V. completed, the decision to extradite P. V. Khondzinsky candidate of theology diploma accepted. In connection with the above, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia cannot accept for consideration an appeal against the decision of the dissertation council on awarding a scientific degree to P. V. Khondzinsky. and to suspend consideration of the issue of granting him a diploma of a candidate of theology”.
"Come suckers who are doing badly!" Are you saying that you put your appeal under the first thimble? But no! Under the thimble, the already issued candidate's diploma! Once the Church issued indulgences to the authorities, now it's the other way around. It is difficult to compete with a combination of centuries-old church experience and bureaucratic tricks.
You can redeem your watch within two months, and we can sell it whenever we want!
And if you issue a diploma on the day of defense? Does the Regulation say that an appeal after an order is impossible? The ignored appeal has already described enough violations sufficient to annul the results of the defense, and a letter from the Ministry of Education and Science showed that the cheating continues. What rules for them - they come up with them themselves. The Regulation of the Ministry of Education and Science says:
"33. In case of a positive decision on the results of the defense of the dissertation, the dissertation council, within 30 days from the date of the defense of the dissertation, sends the first copy of the certification file to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation."
And in a letter from the Ministry of Education and Science:
“Attestation case of P. V. Khondzinsky entered the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia on July 10, 2017 ". And the defense took place on June 1! The filing deadline has been exceeded by 10 days. Further, it is also funny. If you yourself defended your dissertation, then you will probably be surprised that already on July 14, the ministry issued an order to issue Khondzinsky P. V. diploma of the candidate of theology. Let us clarify that during these 4 days the case had to be checked, an expert council on theology of the Higher Attestation Commission was convened and held, then the cases had to be transferred to the presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission, the presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission must meet, consider and submit the recommendations to the deputy minister, and he must sign an order for issuing a diploma … Why such a rush is clear. Suddenly the appeal will come. The defense of the positions of the new "science" of theology is tempered in battles and prepares new means of defense against external attacks.
In June, at a conference at MEPhI with the participation of the Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science, it was suggested “to consider it expedient to form the branch of knowledge“Theology”by creating groups of specialties based on a religious and confessional principle (for example, 26.01.00 - Orthodox theology; 26.02.00 - Islamic theology; 26.03.00 - Jewish theology) ". Different theologies will spread out in the corners so that they don't get confused under each other's feet. At the same conference, it is proposed "to consider it necessary, when forming an expert council on theology of the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and dissertation councils on theological specialties, to normatively consolidate the coordination of their composition with the corresponding centralized religious organizations." And, of course, an unbeliever cannot be a "learned" theologian."
“A closed club is being created for our own people so that they do not interfere with the wrong questions. As the official opponent of the first dissertation on theology, Aleksandr Korolkov, put it, “before the monks were shot at, now they are controversial with them”. Indeed, what could be worse than controversy for a religion pretending to be science? - sums up Panchin.
Andrey Melnikov