№ 2. Замечания Преосвященного Филарета, сделанные во время испытания и рассмотрения сочинений студентов 6-го курса Московской Духовной Академии

Proposal to the Board of the Moscow Theological Academy Some of the comments I made during testing and reviewing the essays of students of the sixth Academic year, I consider useful to propose to the Academic Board for consideration and guidance in the future. 1) In the theological class, it was noted with approval that when, after a considerable period of continuation of the test in Latin, for the most convenient training of visitors it was required that the students continue to speak Russian, they, despite the unexpected change of language, continued to expound the required truths without noticeable difficulty. 2) In the Philosophical class, precision was noticed in the questions of the teachers and in the answers of the students, which, showing that the teachers command the attention of the students with particular force, can be set as an example for some other classes. 3) For literature classes, it is desirable to see more examples and analysis of examples of fine literature. 4) In the class of general history, consideration of the events of ancient history, in relation to the Providence of God, constituted an entertaining part of the test; Only in the manner of presentation, which consisted primarily in the analysis of prophecies, it almost passes from the limits of history to the limits of Hermeneutics. 5) In the examination of the sermons composed by the students, there was some noticeable inattention, overlooking errors without noticing, and partly an immoderate condescension, which, showering praise on weak works, could more seduce than encourage the writers. 6) For a discussion on how a minister of the Church should deal with those sentenced to death, by the hand of Fr. The rector noted that this subject does not take place in Russia. From this it is clear that the student himself assigned the subject of discussion, based on some foreign book, and began the matter without proper guidance and approval from the Rector. This disorder should not be allowed to happen. 7) Some essays by dissatisfied writers are very long. One, for example, on more than sixteen sheets. This exhausts rather than improves the weak writer and makes it difficult for the mentor to carefully examine the work. It is necessary to demand from those who have mediocre success not too extensive works and, through careful analysis and criticism of them, to reveal and develop the ability for more extensive considerations. 8) Some essays are presented in various forms of unfinished work, some without any signs that they were reviewed by mentors. In some, only part of the essay promised in the introduction is visible. From one student, two extensive arrangements of one essay are presented, but there is no essay itself. For one, not only is the argument not completed to the end, but the last period in the manuscript is not completed to the point. This is not how all this should be at the end of the course. 9) The execution of paragraph 181 of the Academic Charter and traces are not visible from the essays presented to me. It must be assumed that some essays have been lost in the hands of students. It would be better to save everything for a correct report in the class state. 10) Of the Greek class, the lower department translated the poems of St. Gregory the Theologian for testing, and the higher department translated the prose of St. Gregory of Nyssa; and this gave the lower department the appearance of greater success than the higher. It would be nice for the language class, in addition to the verbal test, to present at the end of the course some, albeit small, ready-made translation made during the course - although, however, this is not an obligation. 1830 April 22 No. 3404. You might be interested in: