The following members of the Dissertation Council of Theology
of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary attended the
defense:
1.His Eminence, Anania (Japaridze) – Metropolitan of Manglisi
and Tetristqaro, Doctor of History, Professor;
2. His Eminence, Ioane (Gamrekeli) – Metropolitan of Kutaisi
and Gaenati, Doctor of Theology, President of Gelati Scientific
Academy, Professor;
3. Protopresbyter Giorgi (Zviadadze) – Doctor of Theology,
Doctor of Philology, Professor;
4. Archpriest Bidzina (Gunia) - Academician of Gelati
Scientific Academy, Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Philology,
Professor;
5. Archpriest Maxime (Chanturia) – Doctor of Theology,
Professor;
6. Archpriest Giorgi (Gugushvili) – Doctor of Theology, Doctor
of History, Professor;
7. Archpriest Michael (Galdava) – Doctor of Theology, Doctor
of Philology, Professor;
8. Archdeacon Demetre (Davitashvili) – Doctor of Theology,
Professor;
9. Edisher Chelidze – Doctor of Theology, Doctor of
Philological Sciences, Academician of Gelati Scientific Academy,
Professor;
10. Sergo Vardosanidze – Doctor of Theology, Doctor of
Historical Sciences, Professor;
11. Giorgi Andriadze – Doctor of Theology, Professor.
Scientific supervisor of the doctoral student - Doctor of
Theology, Doctor of Philology, Professor Edisher Chelidze.
Reviewers - Metropolitan of Kutaisi and Gaenati, Doctor of
Theology, Professor Ioane (Gamrekeli) and Doctor of Theology,
Professor, Archpriest Maxime Chanturia.
Before presenting his dissertation, the doctoral student,
Priest Ioane Bondarenko expressed his special gratitude to the
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, with whose great
authority and blessing, the Dissertation Committee was founded at
Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary and the Doctoral Program
was created.
Priest Ioane Bondarenko thanked the Rector of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze,
for the warm, caring, orderly and, at the same time, demanding,
highly academic and working environment created at this educational
institution. He noted that due to the great efforts and merit of
the Rector, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, today Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary is a solid educational and
scientific center, a source of knowledge and faith.
The doctoral student expressed his gratitude to the scientific
supervisor, Professor Edisher Chelidze, under whose qualified and
dedicated guidance, he accomplished his work on “The Gelati
Translation of “The Ladder of Divine Ascent or Ladder of Paradise”
by Saint John Climacus.
Speaking about the scientific novelties and main results of
the scientific paper, the doctoral student noted that the
identification of “The Ladder” of Saint John of Sinai as a writing
of ascetic genre is not surprising to anyone, however, the
mentioned Teacher as a dogmatist and anti-heretic, exegete and
terminologist is less known to the community of the faithful.
Accordingly, based on the old Georgian translations of “The
Ladder of Divine Ascent”: the manuscript A 39 taken as the main
text, also, the two editions of Ioane Petritsi (1968) and Euthymius
(1902 and 1965), on the Greek original (PG. 88) and the Russian
text (1898), in addition, using the theological works of many holy
teachers and contemporary theological publications, the author
substantiates that from the point of view of the delineation of
the ascetic teaching, Saint John of Sinai appears to be a
profound dogmatist, anti-heretic, terminologist and exegete. While
explaining ascetic teachings, the Hegumen of Mount Sinai remains
faithful to the spiritual tradition, which originates from the
works of the holy teachers even from the early centuries. Thus, the
work of the Holy Father, titled “The Ladder” appears to be not only
a work of the ascetic genre, which is well known by itself, but as
it has been mentioned, a profound theological monument as
well.
The scientific supervisor of the doctoral student, Professor
Edisher Chelidze spoke about the value of the dissertation work and
its scientific and theological purpose. The official reviewers of
the dissertation - the Metropolitan of Kutaisi and Gaenati, Doctor
of Theology, Professor Ioane (Gamrekeli) and Doctor of Theology,
Professor, Archpriest Maxime Chanturia positively evaluated the
work presented by Priest Ioane Bondarenko and expressed their
significant, competent advice and opinions. Afterwards, a
scientific discussion started in which the members of the
Scientific Committee, the professors and teachers of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary participated. Everyone unanimously
confirmed that the dissertation topic was accomplished on a high
academic level and was relevant with its practical purpose both
from the ecclesiastical and scientific viewpoints.
The session of the Dissertation Committee was attended by the
Metropolitan of Gori and Ateni, His Eminence Andria (Gvazava). He
congratulated Priest Ioane Bondarenko on the successful defense of
his dissertation and noted that the professors of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary, especially its Rector,
Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze had contributed greatly to this
success.
The Dissertation Committee evaluated the work with a high
score and Priest Ioane Bondarenko was unanimously awarded an
academic degree of Doctor of Theology.