Защита магистерской диссертации

The defense of V. A. Troitsky’s master’s thesis was repeatedly postponed for various reasons: “With the master’s thesis, I keep having temptations - it’s delayed and delayed” 122 . On November 22, 1912, at a meeting of the Academy Council, reviews of S. S. Glagolev and M. D. Muretov were read out. The overall assessment from both reviewers is extremely positive. The first of the reviewers assessed the appearance of Vdazhimir Troitsky’s master’s work as “a celebration of theological science” 123, the second recognized “V. Troitsky’s dissertation is worthy of not only a master’s degree, but also a doctorate” 124. Such a high rating did not become a reason for pride for the dissertation author and did not deprive him of the ability to look soberly at the work done: “If I completely believed what was written in these reviews, then I, perhaps, could raise my nose quite high... Knowing my book better than the reviewers, I was not at all proud.” The dissertation author’s feeling of natural joy is caused mainly by the hope of a speedy defense: “I was just glad that I could soon make a defense and then put the whole case into the archives” 125. “Essays from the history of the dogma of the Church” is nothing more than the same defense of the true teaching about the Church from heretical opinions emanating from among heterodox communities, that is, it is apologetics, but apologetics that protects against injustices not legal (as was the case in the first centuries of the existence of Christianity), but dogmatic, trying to undermine people’s trust in the very guardian of the truths of faith - the Church. Therefore, the speech of acting associate professor of the Moscow Academy of Sciences Vladimir Troitsky before the defense of his master’s thesis was entitled “On the need for a historical and dogmatic apology for the ninth member of the Creed.” The author’s choice of the topic for his master’s thesis was influenced by the appearance, since the mid-19th century, of significant historical works on the study of the dogma of the Church by Protestant and Catholic scholars, on the one hand, and, on the other, by the lack of serious works on this topic in the Orthodox world. The two works noted by the author on this issue, by Archimandrite (later bishop) Sylvester (Malevansky) and Professor D.F. Kositsyn, in his opinion, are outdated, “and they did not quite correspond to the scientific level even of their time” 126. The main goal of the “Essays...” was “to understand the revelation of church identity in ancient church writing and theological literature” 127, to confirm the immutability of Orthodox ecclesiology from ancient times in contrast to the Protestant theory about the displacement of the “charismatic Church” by the “hierarchical Church”, as well as to expose some aspects of the Catholic teaching about the Church, in particular, the dogma of the primacy of the pope Rimsky. “My book represents the experience of such an apology,” said the dissertation author at the end of the speech preceding the defense 128 . Based on the writings of the holy fathers of the first centuries of the existence of the Church, the author examines the patristic understanding of the essential properties of the Church in a historical perspective and comes to the conviction that the Church itself has always been aware of its exclusivity, its unity, holiness, conciliarity and apostolate, its divine-human nature, the alienation of all others, including communities separated from it, whatever the reasons for the schism. And outside the Church there is no salvation, no grace, no sacraments. If other church writers (like, for example, Blessed Augustine) recognized the validity of the baptism of heretics, they noted the uselessness of this baptism for salvation if the latter do not unite with the Church. Those who are separated from the Church are separated from the unity of love, lose their lives, fall away from God, and lose the hope of salvation. It was “love that united the hearts of all together” 129 in the ancient Church and always unites. It is the union in love that is the way of existence that is an indispensable sign of the Church of Christ: “The Church is a society of people who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, regenerated by Him and the Holy Spirit, united in love and under the constant influence of the Holy Spirit achieving perfection” 130. And “he who does not have love does not have God. Those who do not want to be unanimous in the Church of God cannot remain with God” (s.m. Cyprian of Carthage) 131. This self-consciousness has always lived in the Church, but it received its clearest and most definite expression by the time of the Hieromartyr Cyprian of Carthage. And since then, “this thought was finally assimilated and preserved in the church consciousness. In this regard, there was no longer a history of dogma in the proper sense. Also St. Cyprian... this concept of the Church (“namely, that the Church is a Divine institution for the moral improvement of people and that she alone possesses the necessary means of grace”) decisively put into church practice, and after St. Cyprian, one might say, the history of church discipline began primarily.”132 Professor A.I. Sidorov gave the following characterization of Vladimir Troitsky’s master’s work: “If we make a daring attempt to evaluate it, then we can probably say that in our theological science this monograph represents the most serious and thorough experience in the study of ancient Christian ecclesiology in the most significant moments of its development. Written at that time by a very young man, Vladimir Troitsky, it amazes with its theological and scientific maturity, deep knowledge of sources, especially patristic works and, in general, monuments of ancient church writing, elegant technique of their analysis and fidelity to dogmatic intuition. All this makes this monograph not only a notable phenomenon in Orthodox historical and dogmatic science, but also a classic work in Russian patrol science” 133. Before the defense, the master's degree applicant had to endure one more, final test. The day after the reviewers’ reviews were read in the MDA Council, that is, November 23, 1912, the Holy Synod appoints Metropolitan of Moscow and future Hieromartyr Vladimir (Epiphany) Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga. Without the signature of the ruling bishop of the journal with reviews of a scientific essay, it is impossible to defend a dissertation. Uncertainty plunges the dissertation candidate into a deplorable state: “I would like to write a speech for the defense, but I can’t! Hands don't go up! Some kind of apathy, some kind of joyless laziness!” 134 Nevertheless, Vladimir Alekseevich’s master’s “ordeals” were approaching the end. Just a few days before his defense, he was announced that his master's debate would take place on December 11 1912 at 11 o’clock: “But I have no speeches, no guests are invited, no dinner is prepared” 135. The debate passed calmly and ended well, except for the fact that the dissertation candidate, due to the excitement and fatigue he had experienced by the time of the defense, did not have enough strength even for emotions: “The debate did not turn out brilliantly. There were almost no serious or interesting objections. Only everyone was surprised by the equanimity and complete calm of the disputant. But still, pretty good" 136. By Decree of the Holy Synod of January 16 In 1913, Vladimir Troitsky was confirmed as a master of theology and as an associate professor at the Moscow Theological Academy 137. For the best master's essay of the 1912/13 academic year, Vladimir Alekseevich Troitsky was awarded the prize of Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow in the amount of 289 rubles 138. Troitsky V. A. Letter to the priest. Leonid Arkhangelsky dated August 22. 1912 – Archive of A.V. Nikitsky. Journals of meetings of the Council of the Moscow Theological Academy for 1912 // Theological Bulletin. 1913. No. 7/8. P. 584 (7th page). Troitsky V.A. Letter to L.P. Arkhangelskaya dated November 29. 1912 – Archive of A.V. Nikitsky. Hilarion (Troitsky), Archbishop. Essays on the history of the dogma of the Church. – M.: Pilgrim, 1997. P. 575. Right there. P. VIII (2 pages). Sidorov A.I. His Eminence Hilarion (Troitsky) as a theologian and church scientist // Hilarion (Troitsky), Archbishop. Essays on the history of the dogma of the Church. – M.: Pilgrim, 1997. P. XXXIX (1st page). Troitsky V.A. Letter to L.P. Arkhangelskaya dated November 29. 1912 – Archive of A.V. Nikitsky. Troitsky V. A. Letter to the priest. Leonid and Lydia Arkhangelsky from December 16. 1912 – Archive of A.V. Nikitsky. Journals of meetings of the Council of the Moscow Theological Academy for 1913 // Theological Bulletin. 1913. No. 9. P. 49 (5th page). Report on the state of the Moscow Theological Academy in the 1912–1913 academic year // Theological Bulletin. 1913. No. 10. P. 29 (3rd page)