Today, December 27, the defense of the diploma thesis was held at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary. Archil Shavdatuashvili, a student enrolled in the program of Bachelor’s degree in Theology presented his diploma thesis on the topic “Prefigurations of the Mystery of Baptism in the Books of the Old Testament”. The scientific supervisor was Doctor of Theology Irakli Orzhonia, the expert - Master of Theology, priest Svimeon Datukishvili.
The defense session was attended by the following members of the Commission: Dean of the Seminary, Master of Theology, Priest Giorgi Vashalomidze, Head of the Department of Biblical Studies, Doctor of History and Theology, Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili, Doctor of Philology and Theology, Archpriest Bidzina Gunia, Doctor of Theology Irakli Orzhonia, Doctor of History Durmishkhan Lashkhi, as well as the Vice-Rector of the Academy and Seminary for Academic Affairs, Doctor of History, Archpriest Besarion Tsintsadze, Doctor of Theology, Archdeacon Demetre (Davitashvili) and professors and teachers of the institution.
The session was opened with an introductory speech and the agenda was introduced to the audience by priest Giorgi Vashalomidze.
The graduate spoke about the main aspects of the work. He presented excerpts from the Old Testament in the assence of which a prefiguration of Baptism is discernible, and also cited explanations of the relevant verses from the works of the Holy Fathers.
The supervisor of the thesis and the expert noted that the graduate student had carried out his task perfectly well, having clearly demonstrated the spiritual power of the sacrament of the Baptism and the liturgical readings related to the Baptism-Epiphany, translated and verified a number of theological texts of relevant content from Russian.
The commission evaluated the bachelor’s thesis with the highest score.
