On 13 December 2011, on the
decision of the Authorization Council of Educational Institutions,
which granted authorization to Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary, and on the basis of alterations of 28 December 2012 made
in the Law of Georgia “On Higher Education” in respect of the
Orthodox Theological higher educational institutions, Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary transformed its system into a
three stage approach: 1. Baccalaureate 2. Master’s Degree 3.
Doctorate.
Another event of significance in
the life of Tbilisi Theological Academy was the first session of
the Dissertation Committee conferring the academic PhD degrees in
Theology. It was held on the 14th of January 2013 at the
Patriarchate of Georgia with the Presidency of His Holiness and
Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of
Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bitchvinta and
Tskhum-Apkhazeti Ilia II.
The members of the international
Dissertation Committee were: Metropolitan of Zimbabwe and Angola,
His Eminence Seraphim (the Patriarchate of Alexandria), His
Eminence Basil, Metropolitan of Arcadia (the Patriarchate of
Antioch), the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of
Moscow Patriarchate, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion (Grigory
Alfeyev), His Eminence Metropolitan of Gorlice Paisius (the
Orthodox Church of Poland) and His Eminence Metropolitan
Vasilios of Costantia and Ammochostos (the Patriarchate of
Cyprus).
The participants of the session
were the scientific secretary of the Dissertation Committee
conferring PhD degree in Theology, Metropolitan of the Eparchy of
Manglisi and Tsalka Anania Japaridze (Professor of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD of Historical Sciences) and
then President of the National Academy of Sciences of Georgia Tamaz
Gamkrelidze.
Ten papers of the following PhD
candidates in Theology were considered on the session:
Metropolitan Ioane (Guram)
Gamrekeli – “On Some of the Issues of Contemporary Translations of
the Bible”; the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary,
PhD of Philology Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze – “On Virginity”
by Gregory of Nyssa, Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary Archpriest Michael Botkoveli – “The Old Testament
Prophets: Prophet Zechariah”; the Rector of Kutaisi Theological
Academy and Seminary, PhD of Philology Archpriest Michael (Merab
Galdava) – “The Spiritual and Moral Teaching in the Catholic
Epistle of James the Apostle”; Professor of Tbilisi Theological
Academy and Seminary, PhD of Philology, Philology Archpriest
Bidzina Gunia – “Theological Aspects of the Concept of
a Year and the Issue of Modeling of the Church Calendar”; the head
of the Department of Bibliology, PhD of History, Professor
Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili – “The Bible and Ancient Georgian
Historical Literature”; Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy
and Seminary, Archdeacon Demetre (David Davitashvili) – “Monkhood –
Restraint or a Way of Life?”; the Rector of Andrew the
First-Called Georgian University, working under the aegis of the
Patriarchate of Georgia, head of the Department of Georgian History
at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD of Historical
Sciences, Professor Sergo Vardosanidze – “Endevors of Renewal
and Reforms in the Orthodox Apostolic Church of Georgia during the
Years 1922-1932”; the head of the Department of Patristics
and Dogmatics, PhD in Philology, Professor Edisher Chelidze – “The
Holy Fathers’ Teaching on Sin and Retribution”; Bachelor of
Theology and Master of Engineering Giorgi Andriadze – “New
Documents Depicting the History of Christianity in Lazika in the
Period of the 15th-16th Centuries”. The International Dissertation
Committee conferred PhD degree in Theology on all the ten scholars
of Theology.
The Dissertation Council
conferred the PhD in Theology on all the ten
scientist-theologians.
On 29 March 2013, by the decree
of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia His Holiness and
Beatitude Ilia II and with his prayers, a Dissertation Committee
was founded at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary and the
aforementioned PhDs were admitted to its membership.
According to the new provisions,
the Faculty of Doctorate was opened at Tbilisi Theological Academy
and Seminary and Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary, Academician of Gelati Scientific Academy, PhD in History
Eldar Bubulashvili was appointed its head. The opening of the
Faculty of Doctorate was the final step in the establishment of the
three stages of education (Baccalaureate, Master’s degree and
Doctorate).
By
virtue of the establishment of the Dissertation Committee and the
Doctoral Department, a highly significant even took place in the
history of our country: Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary,
as the highest theological and educational institution, is also
authorized to carry out educational programmes for the acquisition
of Doctoral Degree. This event initiated the preparation of the
pedagogical staff of higher theological and scientific
professionals in the bosom of the Church of
Georgia.
Today, Tbilisi Theological
Academy and Seminary is the highest theological institution where
simultaneously with the academic process of teaching, intensive
scholarly work is being done. The teachers and professors of the
academy are highly qualified scholars who have enriched the
theological and philological sciences with their numerous
theological and scholarly works.