Russian debates about the theology as science, and the German model

In the article, the author presents systematically the positions in the current Russian discussion concerning theology as science and emphasizes some points that are not yet mentioned by participants although they need to be discussed. In the second part, particularities of the German conception are considered on the basis of Church- State conventions, as well as through interviews with some representatives of German theological science. Te author concludes that the German model contains elements (e.g., the independence from the Church), which are foreign for the Russian Orthodox situation. Appealing to the German experience and the recognition of theology as a scientific field “accepted by the State” in Russia would lead to inevitable changes in the conception of Orthodox theology as well as widening the scientific field and methods of theology. Te question of the role for the Church’s authority (if it can have one in science at all) in the process of scientific theological research also needs to be asked. Otherwise, neither appealing to the German experience, nor the State’s accreditation of theology can be considered warranted