Women’s Diocesan Schools in the Russian Empire in early 20th Century: To the Issue on Problems and Prospects for Development

One of the least studied chapters of Russian history to date is the process of formation and development of women’s theological education in Russia in the pre-revolutionary period. Meanwhile, the importance of studying them is undeniable: in the context of reforms of modern theological education, which tends to Western European educational standards, it is necessary not to forget that the success of these reforms also depends on how deeply rooted are certain historical traditions that were laid down in the pre-revolutionary period of the existence of theological educational institutions. In this regard, the history of women’s theological education provides valuable experience that can be in demand today. The article deals with the main problems of women’s theological education in Russia in the last twenty years of the existence of women’s theological educational institutions, and the prospects for its further development after the revolutionary events of 1917. The research was based on materials from the collections of the Russian State Historical Archive (RSHA), the State Archive of the Tomsk region (SATR), legal documents, as well as published scientific literature on this subject. The object of the study in the article is women’s theological education in Russia in the early 20th century, and the subject of study is crisis in the system of the women’s religious education in the early 20th century.