Abstract: The article is devoted to the consideration of the issue of regulatory and legal mechanisms for ensuring the integrity of the Russian system of scientific certification. Due to the growing variety of forms and rules of dissertation defense in dissertation councils of various organizations, the question of whether the modern system is capable of providing equal rights and opportunities for all applicants for academic degrees becomes relevant. To find answers to this question, the study identified three subsystems formed by dissertation councils under the direct supervision of the Higher Attestation Commission, leading educational and scientific organizations, as well as spiritual educational organizations. In order to consider the specifics of each of the groups, a comparative analysis of regulatory and legal acts regulating the awarding of academic degrees and their subsequent use was carried out. The conducted study revealed that with visible integrity, the overall certification system is quite heterogeneous. Firstly, academic degrees in various subsystems have different naming options, which creates a problem of their comparison. Secondly, with the same name, the conditions for awarding may differ significantly, which leads to inequality of applicants. Thirdly, if the conditions of certification are equal, holders of academic degrees receive rights and opportunities in different amounts. The identified problematic aspects require clarification at the level of federal legislation.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the issue of preserving the integrity of the Russian state system of scientific certification in the context of the growing diversity of regulatory and legal acts, as well as practices for awarding academic degrees. The recent expansion of the autonomy of a number of scientific and educational organizations raises a number of doubts, primarily related to the ability to ensure equal rights and opportunities for applicants for academic degrees in different parts of the system. This article provides a comparative analysis of state acts and regulatory acts of organizations that carry out procedures for the independent awarding of academic degrees. In the course of this study, three subsystems were identified that operate according to comparable rules but provide different rights and opportunities. The first subsystem is dissertation councils under the leadership of the Higher Attestation Commission and Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science. There, a place is occupied by special dissertation councils, in which the applicant avoids the publication of articles and the text of the dissertation, as well as other publicity requirements. The second subsystem is formed by scientific and educational organizations found on a special list. Similar norms and requirements apply within the framework of their local regulations, but there are also noticeable differences. These include reducing the number of dissertation councils, including candidates of sciences in them, the possibility of defending a candidate's thesis in the form of a scientific report, etc. The third subsystem includes spiritual education organizations awarding theological degrees. The ambiguity of the attitude toward such degrees remains at the federal legislation level. Theological degrees are recognized along with other academic degrees during state licensing and accreditation procedures, but their holders are not guaranteed mandatory surcharges, apostille affixing, etc. The analysis made it possible to identify indicators that are important for checking the integrity of the system and determining the direction of its improvement.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the issue of preserving the integrity of the Russian state system of scientific certification in the context of the growing diversity of regulatory and legal acts, as well as practices for awarding academic degrees. The recent expansion of the autonomy of a number of scientific and educational organizations raises a number of doubts, primarily related to the ability to ensure equal rights and opportunities for applicants for academic degrees in different parts of the system. This article provides a comparative analysis of state acts and regulatory acts of organizations that carry out procedures for the independent awarding of academic degrees. In the course of this study, three subsystems were identified that operate according to comparable rules but provide different rights and opportunities. The first subsystem is dissertation councils under the leadership of the Higher Attestation Commission and Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science. There, a place is occupied by special dissertation councils, in which the applicant avoids the publication of articles and the text of the dissertation, as well as other publicity requirements. The second subsystem is formed by scientific and educational organizations found on a special list. Similar norms and requirements apply within the framework of their local regulations, but there are also noticeable differences. These include reducing the number of dissertation councils, including candidates of sciences in them, the possibility of defending a candidate's thesis in the form of a scientific report, etc. The third subsystem includes spiritual education organizations awarding theological degrees. The ambiguity of the attitude toward such degrees remains at the federal legislation level. Theological degrees are recognized along with other academic degrees during state licensing and accreditation procedures, but their holders are not guaranteed mandatory surcharges, apostille affixing, etc. The analysis made it possible to identify indicators that are important for checking the integrity of the system and determining the direction of its improvement.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the issue of the integrity of the scientific certification system in modern Russia. After the elimination of the monopoly of the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC), the procedures for awarding academic degrees began to be regulated by a variety of different regulatory and legal acts. The growing variety of rules and regulations raises doubts about whether the system is still capable of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for all applicants for academic degrees. Using the example of the requirements for a dissertation for a degree, the article shows the similarities and differences that exist in different parts of this system. In the course of the study, three subsystems were identified within the system that have relatively similar requirements. The first subsystem is classical and special dissertation councils, directly controlled by the Higher Attestation Commission. The second system is formed by leading scientific and educational organizations that independently award academic degrees. The third subsystem includes spiritual educational organizations that are granted the right to award theological degrees recognized as equivalent to other academic degrees at the level of federal state educational standards.      To consider each of these systems, the relevant requirements of federal legislation, local regulations of educational and scientific organizations that independently award academic degrees, as well as internal regulations of spiritual educational organizations were studied. A comparative analysis of normative and legal acts made it possible to trace how the integrity of the entire system of Russian scientific certification is ensured in the context of the diversity of its forms. In general, this system still remains comparable in terms of requirements for dissertations, but the rights and opportunities of applicants arising after their defense differ markedly depending on the place of defense.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the current practice of the Russian evangelical congregations and associations in the area of realization of tasks on preparation of ministers and clergy members. Such activity is held within the congregations, jointly with secular universities, as well as on the premises of theological educational establishments. Wide range of options on the one hand opens opportunities for decision-making for the leaders of congregations, but on the other, substantiates restrictions and risks with regards to the quality of preparation, as well as from the perspective of applicability of particular legislative norms to the corresponding practice. As the basic approach towards solution of research tasks, the author selected the so-called methodology of soft system, which is one of the varieties of systemic analysis. This methodological direction allows reconstructing and comparing normative statutes and relevant practice within the area under consideration. The scientific novelty consists in examination of the variety of practices of preparation of ministers and clergy members within the framework of Russian evangelical churches using the resources of systemic analysis. The author was able to systematize the indicated practices, as well as determine their key characteristics necessary for making efficient administrative decisions by the leaders of congregations and educational establishments. The acquired results are also important for the development of Russian legislation in part of regulation of state-confessional relations.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the management activity in the modern Russian systems of evangelic theologian education. The existing in Russian legislation conflicts of law along with the set of historically formed confessional approaches to management, justify the gap between normative description of management practices and direct activity in this sphere. Therefore, examination of the implemented in practice approaches and methods of managing the systems of evangelical education in relation to their normative regulation seems relevant. The basic approach in this research became Peter Checkland’s soft systems methodology that allows reconstructing and comparing the normative expectations and actual practices. The scientific novelty consists in the analysis of management practice of evangelical theological education as an intricate system, rather than fragmentary. Leaning on the extensive source base, the author gradually reviews various aspects of educational management, ranging from the Russian legislation and statutes of religious organizations to immediate problems faced by the heads and staff members of educational organizations. The acquired results are valuable for improving management practice in this sphere, as well as optimization and development of legislation of the Russian Federation with regards to state-confessional relations.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the management practice existing in the Russian systems of evangelical theological education. Management models and mechanisms in this sphere developed under the influence of global trends in management, Russian traditions in educational management, dogmas and traditions of evangelical churches. Depending on the external and internal factors of the development of religious educational organizations, their leaders implemented certain management mechanisms and models that allowed achieving organizational goals and maintaining educational process. The soft systems methodology developed by the experts from Lancaster University with active participation of Peter Checkland became the methodological frameworks for this research. This systemic approach determines the general consistencies despite the scatteredness of available data.  The scientific novelty consists in examination management practice of the representatives of evangelical systems of education from the perspective of pragmatic principles and specific decisions in relation to the normative views upon the corresponding sphere. A significant array of relevant data analyzed by the author within the framework of the study demonstrates a direct analogy of the approaches and principles of decision-making in the area of theological education with the management practice in the leading world universities and other organizations.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the practice of implementation of the norms and requirements of the federal legislation on education, regulations of the Russian and international religious organizations, state and confessional educational standards in the work of the systems of Evangelical theological education in Russia. Such systems, represented by the theological educational organizations and education department of other religious organizations, in their direct practice selectively implements the provision of various normative and legal acts, orienting towards their pragmatic tasks. Examination of the practice of implementation of the indicated set of norms and requirements is relevant particularly in the context of legislative reforms in Russia, as well as renewal of state policy in the field of education and science. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that this article is first to explore the normative and legal acts regulating theological education in Russia from the pragmatic perspective of their implementation by the Evangelical theological systems. Such analysis, which takes into account the system of interaction between man, society and the government, allows identifying the problematic aspects in legislation and state policy in the field of education and science that require amending in accordance with the obtained scientific results. The author gradually analyzes the law enforcement practice in the sphere of education, demonstrating the merits and demerits of both, the state and confessional acts.

Abstract: The subject of the research is methodological aspects and experience in developing and implementing educational programs under the conditions of Russian Evangelic educational systems. From the very moment of their creation, these systems in Russia, on the one hand, have been trying to take into account national educational traditions and, on the othr hand, are oriented at harmonization of global trends of higher education including theological education. As part of attempts to promote Russian universities on the global stage, it is important to study long-term experience of integration of approaches and methods from different educational environments. The main research targets imply the use of Peter Checkland's soft system methodology. Egorov has chosen this particular kind of systems approach as a result of his analysis of problems and variety of available data. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that for the first time in the academic literature Evangelic theological programs have been studied in comparison to global trends and tendencies in the sphere of development and implementation of educational programs. Having analyzed a great variety of data, the researcher has been able to analyze the most advanced approaches and methods applied by the systems of Evangelic education that can be also used in other spheres. The scientific results of the research are of great important for those who are concerned about problems and success of the integration of Russian higher education into the global educational system. 

Abstract: The subject of the study is settings of the philosophy of education, on which the educational process in various systems of Evangelical theological education is based. The main attention is paid to the way how the ideas about educational activities recorded in normative and declarative documents affect the direct practice in this field. In spite of the availability of various documents, describing the components of the philosophy of education, there is no cohesive doctrine of educational activity in the Evangelical community yet. Moreover, programs at different levels are often implemented according to different settings. Meanwhile, there exists a wide range of common settings, which allows talking about the integrity of theological education. As the main approach for this study, the methodology of soft systems was chosen, the development of which began at Lancaster University by Peter Checkland and his colleagues. This methodology allows renovating the concepts of education, existing in official documents and the direct practice, and also carrying out their comparative analysis. The novelty of the study is due to the fact that various aspects of the philosophy of theological education used in the Russian systems of Evangelical education were subjected to extensive system analysis for the first time. The author shows how certain attitudes from the philosophy of education are manifested in various components of programs of different levels and directions on the basis of a significant array of data. The obtained scientific results allow, on the one hand, formulating recommendations for the development of this professional sphere, and on the other hand, promoting the development of effective state policy in relation to theological education.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the representations on the scope and content of the systems of Evangelical theological education recorded in the current Russian legislation, as well as the establishment of religious organizations of Evangelical denomination. In Russia, the theological education is simultaneously regulated by the two Federal Laws – “On Education” and “On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations”. Dual subordination stipulates the emergence of the conflict of laws, as well as defines the specific vector of development of the sphere itself and the state-confessional relations. The expansion of participation of the religious organizations representatives in the area of higher education, as well as the consolidation of the specialty “Theology” in the national educational standards, determines the relevance of the active examination of this problematic. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time the Russian legislative norms regarding the regulation of theological education, including preparation of minister and religious personnel, undergo systemic analysis, considering the position, interests and practice of the representatives of educational organizations institutionalized by the Evangelical churches. The author demonstrates such aspects of law enforcement practice that reflect the positive aspects of state norms, as well as those, in which the Evangelical believers prefer using the precepts of religious organizations, and avoid the secular norms and rules when possible.

Abstract: The research subject of this article is the conceptual categories that highlight the missionary work of the Protestants who lived in the Soviet Union between 1944 and 1965. At the heart of the source base for this study lie the documents stored in the collections of the Council for the Affairs of Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, primarily from the collection of the commissioner for Moscow and the Moscow Region. Particular attention is paid to the linguistic features of these documents, many of which combine terminology from different cultural areas. The research was carried out within the framework of the methodological approach to the history of concepts, which involves examining both the terminology used and the context of their application. Relevant terms are analyzed not only as components of the professional language but also as tools for carrying out political activities. The novelty of this study lies in the fact that for the first time in scientific research the history of the missionary work of Protestants during the Soviet period is examined within the framework of the methodology of the history of concepts. The author shows how the use of such categories as "agitation", "recruitment", "evangelism", "teaching", "missionary work" and "mission" influenced the perception of the work under examination by the target audience of the research documents.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the representations of the limits and content of the systems of Evangelical theological education reflected in acts of the various intergovernmental and nongovernmental international organizations. These systems feature the religious educational organizations, faculties of secular universities, as well as structural departments of religious institutions that prepare the ministers and religious personnel. The need for referring to international acts is substantiated by ambiguity of formulations of the specialized Russian legislation and dispositions of the Russian centralized religious organizations, which complicates the advancements of this sphere in the context of harmonization of the state-confessional relations. In the course of this work, the author applies the methodology of soft systems developed by Peter Checkland and his supporters, which allows reconstructing the normative requirements of the various international acts, compare the acquired results with the relevant practice in corresponding sphere, as well as highlight the most prioritized vectors of its development. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time the normative acts of the international intergovernmental organizations that regulate higher education at the global level, have been examined in comparison with dispositions of the international nongovernmental organizations, created by the representatives of Evangelical churches for the purpose of advancement of the professional theological education. The author demonstrates how the theological education can be implemented into the global educational system. Similar world experience can be valuable for the development of Russian legislation, particularly with regards to international cooperation in the field of education.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the policy of formation of the identity of Russian Protestants during the Soviet period and modern Russia. Main attention is focused on such cultural phenomenon as historical myths, and their impact upon the establishment of personal identity by the representatives of Protestantism. Multiple myths about Protestants have emerged prior to formation of USSR, but during the Soviet time acquired particular meaning, complemented by the new Soviet myths. Methodological foundation contains documents collected and written by the employees of the Council on Religious Cult Affairs under the Council of Ministers of USSR. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the Soviet historical myths about Protestants were considered as an independent vector of study, rather than in status of illustrations to the other storylines. The conduction analysis demonstrates that the refection of negative myths was and remains to be one of the key components of the identity policy of the Russian Protestants.