Philosophical and pedagogical views of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill (Gundyaev)

Abstract

The article analyses the historical and philosophical views of Patriarch Kirill and his evaluation of modern Western philosophy, formed in the era of postmodernism. A distinctive feature of that time is the blurring of the criteria that define the border between good and evil. According to the Patriarch, this approach is caused by the absolutization of a person’s freedom, considered beyond the context of one’s responsibility for the actions performed. As a result, the philosophy of liberalism justifies the rejection of the Christian commandments, since they are claimed to suppress one’s personal freedom. Thus, the Patriarch emphasizes the importance of preserving the “Christian dimension” of a person’s behavior. The present work pays special attention to the Patriarch’s conceptualization of the Russian philosophical tradition, which is views as an important means to preserve national identity. Representatives of the Russian religious renaissance (S. N. Bulgakov, N. A. Berdyaev, V. V. Zenkovsky and others), reflecting on the understanding of the Church, society, personality, were able to meet the challenges of the time and satisfy questioning believers. The article focuses on the Patriarch’s ideas related to educational issues and reforms. It is posited that educational innovations should be based on Russian traditions, namely on the fundamentality of education. In this respect, it is essential to realize that when introducing the unified state examination procedure as a universal system of students’ assessment, pedagogues need to amend educational plans in order to include the development of learners’ fundamental skills and knowledge. The Patriarch is opposed to the technocratic approach to education because the goal of education is reduced only to the formation of the skills necessary for work. He agrees that school graduates should possess certain competences related to their career, but they should know Russian history, literature, and culture at a sufficient level. The Patriarch’s aspiration to preserve the unity of education and upbringing as a unique feature of the Russian educational process is accentuated.