SFI Rector Alexander Kopirovsky Defends his Doctoral Dissertation

On May 15, at St. Petersburg State University, Rector of St. Philaret’s Institute Alexander Mikhailovich Kopirovsky defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Theology.  His dissertation is entitled: “Church Architecture and Visual Arts as a Spiritual-Aesthetic Phenomenon: Perception, Study, and Teaching (Theological Approach)” and was presented under academic specialty code 5.11.3: “Practical Theology (Orthodoxy)”.

Doctor of Philosophical Sciences Dmitry Viktorovich Shmonin (St. Petersburg State University) chaired the dissertation council.  The council also included: Doctor of Philosophical Sciences Roman Viktorovich Svetlov (St. Petersburg State University); Doctor of Art History Svetlana Mikhailovna Gracheva (Ilya Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts); Doctor of Philosophical Sciences Ivan Pavlovich Davydov (Lomonosov Moscow State University); Doctor of Psychological Sciences Alexander Alexandrovich Melik-Pashayev (Federal Research Centre for Psychological and Interdisciplinary Research); and Doctor of Art History Dmitry Olegovich Shvidkovsky, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts (Moscow Architectural Institute).

The St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy served as the leading organization.

As Professor Dmitry Viktorovich Shmonin remarked:  “Alexander Kopirovsky's dissertation is a comprehensive and fully accomplished doctoral study; it can rightly be considered a significant contribution to contemporary Orthodox theology. The author proposes, and expertly implements, a Christian theological approach to art, its study, and its transmission.”

Professor Svetlana Mikhailovna Gracheva described the dissertation as a profound, multifaceted, and comprehensive study on a highly relevant and significant topic.

Professor Alexander Alexandrovich Melik-Pashayev highlighted “Alexander Mikhailovich Kopirovsky’s profound erudition in three fields: the field of theology, the field of art history, and pedagogy. This breadth enables him to approach the highly complex subject of his research comprehensively, from all the required perspectives.”

The other members of the dissertation council also gave the dissertation a high evaluation, noting that their comments and suggestions do not in the least take away from the overall high quality of the work.

Following an open vote, the applicant was unanimously awarded the degree of Doctor of Theology.

Kopirovsky was supported by members of the faculty and teaching staff, students and alumni of the St. Philaret Institute, and members of the Transfiguration Brotherhood.

We congratulate Alexander Mikhailovich on the successful defense of his doctoral dissertation and wish him God’s help in all his future endeavours!