Methodology and methods for the study of historical personality on elective classes in orthodox culture

The article substantiates the methodological approaches and some methodical ways of studying historical person in optional classes on Orthodox culture in the classroom or on the basis of religious culture and secular ethics. Author points to the importance of the updating the methodology in terms of overcoming clichés and stereotypes in the study of biographical material, strengthening its axiological accents and introducing it into the historical and cultural context. The problem of a technique of studying the outstanding personality in the aspect of both the traditional methods of teaching, and in terms of new communication technologies, one of which is empathic dialogue. An attempt to build a lesson empathic dialogue on the study of the personality of St. Innocent (Veniaminov). Highlight the most important spiritual milestones of the life path, their comparison with known parables material actualization of empathy, thought and reflection in the dialogue process allows students discover valuable sense in a complex biographical material, enter it in your personal sense, thus expanding their understanding of the outstanding personality uniqueness history and culture.