Problems of teaching canon law and related disciplines at higher secular and theological schools: expectations, reality, prospects

The article poses a number of questions related to the problems of teaching Canon Law and related disciplines at higher secular and theological schools, which were raised at events and in publications of the T. V. Barsov Society for the Study of Church Law at St. Petersburg Theological Academy of the Russian Orthodox Church (Barsov Society) at various times. The following problems are discussed in sufficient detail: 1) the content of Canon Law courses, and are students ready to master this discipline? 2) how popular and effective is the current Canon Law course? 3) who should teach the Canon Law course? The conclusion is made that the entire system of training theologians needs a significant rethinking because with the number of graduates we have today, the demand for theologians is extremely acute both in the Church and in the civil environment. The article was written on the basis of the report delivered at the conference “Problems of Teaching Church Law at Church and Secular Universities” (St. Petersburg Theological Academy, 01.30.2024) dedicated to the 5th anniversary of the Barsov Society.