Spirituality in modern education: necessity or excess?

Abstract

This article examines the points of view of modern scholars, pedagogues and theologians upon the problem of the loss of spirituality in the current system of education in Russia. The authors analyze the two extreme opinions. The first one consists in the need for reviving the spiritual component in education. The loss of spirituality in this sphere led to dropping of value orientations, national unity and cultural identity of the modern generation of Russians. The second opinion reflects the views of scholars that in the information society an individual can combine the qualities of intellectual ruler of life and spirituality. In this case, the loss of spirituality is considered a natural human improvement process. As a result of the analysis of both points of view on the role of spirituality within the modern education system, the authors believe that the solution should be found in harmonization of secular and religious education in the conditions of development of information society. This problem could be solved with introduction of theology as a scientific specialty, which would allow preparing theologians of new generation. The next stage in studying this problematic would consist in the examination of experience of implementation of theological education in different Russian universities, namely Kozma Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University, since it features Bachelor’s and Master’s programs of Orthodox theology.