Methodology of Teaching Fundamental Theology at Kazan Theological Academy in the Synodal Period

The article is some kind of summary of years of the author’s research devoted to the history of formation and development of fundamental theology at Kazan Theological Academy in the Synodal period. During these studies, fundamental theology courses developed by the leading professors and lecturers of the Academy were reconstructed, the established models of teaching fundamental theology were described, the main achievements of the educators and the features of their courses were pointed out. The specifics of the courses by such professors as Bishop Chrysanthus (Retivtsev), Archbishop Nicanor (Brovkovich), Archpriest Alexander Vladimirsky, Alexander Fyodorovich Gusev, Konstantin Grigorievich Grigoriev were also revealed. In addition, their main methodological approaches were identified. These approaches allowed them to achieve significant results in solving the problems of fundamental theology and apologetics. So, the conclusion is made that Kazan Theological Academy formed its own independent school of fundamental theology, which revealed a whole galaxy of the brightest representatives of Russian theological science, whose influence affected not only the formation and development of fundamental theology at Kazan Theological School, but also spread far beyond it — into the realm of specifically Russian theological thought of the Synodal period.