A Student Scientific Conference is held annually at the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary. This year, the event was dedicated to the memory of Ilia II, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti.
On May 7, a plenary session was held. It was opened with a welcoming address given by the Rector of the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Professor Archpriest Giorgi Zviadadze, Doctor of Philology, Theology, and Political Sciences.
Father Giorgi welcomed the audience, paid tribute to the memory of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and once again recalled his immense contribution to the nation and the Apostolic Church of Georgia. The Rector placed special emphasis on the role of the Theological Academy and Seminary, founded by His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, in the advancing of the mission of our Church.
The plenary session was led by Tornike Razmadze, a first-year student of the Theological Academy.
The following speakers delivered presentations at the conference:
1. Nika Chumburidze - Reflections on the Martyrdom of the Children of Kola – a first-year student of the Theological Seminary, supervisor: Ketevan Gvazava, Doctor of Philology.
2. Potine Gunia – On the Depiction of the Image of the Mother of God - Faculty of Christian Art Theory and History, a second-year student, supervisor: Asmat Okropiridze, Doctor of Art History.
3. Tornike Razmadze - On the Hierarchical Order of the Fallen Angel - a first-year student of the Theological Academy, supervisor: Irakli Orzhonia, Doctor of Theology.
Nika Chumburidze spoke in detail about the issue of dating the well-known monument of ecclesiastical literature, “The Martyrdom of the Children of Kola”, and also examined the scholarly opinion concerning the connection between the events described in the work and the legal system of the Roman Empire. The presenter’s legal education proved helpful in his research of the subject. He expressed the view that this version is erroneous.
“The explanation of the legal realities reflected in The Martyrdom of the Children of Kola through the influence of Roman law is unconvincing and, moreover, directly contradicts the legal norms of that period. The distinctive feature of Georgian legal culture was not the mechanical adoption of legal norms, since it was based on a legal understanding adapted to local social realities. For this reason, the direct reception of foreign legal institutions, especially in such areas as family and criminal law, is less compatible with the Georgian context,” the presenter noted.
Potine Gunia introduced the audience to the characteristics of the depictions of the Mother of God, which evolved over time. The presenter demonstrated that this process was closely connected with the religious teaching and the artistic styles of different historical epochs. To illustrate the features of the Orthodox iconography, Potine Gunia discussed the well-known 12th century Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, comparing it with the Renaissance depictions of the Virgin Mary.
“If the image of the Mother of God in the Vladimir Icon showed the elevation of a human being redeemed by the Lord into the eternal dimension, European painting brought the language of iconography down to the earthly, perishable, and corporeal dimension. Thus, it can be convincingly stated that this is no longer iconography but rather paintings depicting Christ’s earthly life,” said the presenter.
In the introductory part of his presentation, Tornike Razmadze spoke about angelic hosts in general, while in the main part he extensively discussed the rank of the fallen angel according to the teachings of the Holy Fathers of the Church – St. Dionysius the Areopagite and St. Cyril of Jerusalem.
“The Church which has an answer to every question, being founded by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, answered through one of the greatest Fathers St. Dionysius the Areopagite that the fall of the angels took place from the order of ‘angels’”, he said. “However, there is another opinion, based on Cyril of Jerusalem’s interpretation of the specific passage in the Book of Ezekiel, in which he refers to the devil as having formally been an ‘archangel’”, said the presenter.
At the conclusion of the conference, the Rector of the Theological Academy and Seminary, Protosyngelos Giorgi Zviadadze blessed the participants and thanked them. The Rector also extended his special gratitude to the organizers of the conference, Khatuna Kalandarishvili, Doctor of Philology, Khatuna Nishnianidze, Doctor of Philology, and Tamta Parulava, for their work.
On 8 May, the student scientific conference continued its work in four sections: Theology, History, Literature, Psychology and Sociology.
The Theology section was chaired by the third-year student of the Theological Academy, Lasha Bzukashvili.
The following speaches were presented by the students:
1.Shavlego Gabatashvili – The Teaching of Saint John of Sinai on Virginity – a third-year student of the Theological Academy, supervisor: Priest Saba Gelashvili, Master of Theology.
2. Teimuraz Javakhishvili - On the Issue of the Revelation of the Most Holy Trinity on Mount Horeb – a first-year student of the Theological Academy, supervisor: Irakli Orjhonia, Doctor of Theology.
3. Lasha Bzukashvili – The Problem of Internet Addiction in Modern Life – a third-year student of the Theological Academy, supervisor: Priest Saba Gelashvili, Master of Theology.
The History Section was chaired by Giorgi Zoidze, a first-year student of the Theological Academy.
The following speaches were presented by the students:
1.Mariam Kipiani – Slave Trade in Georgia – a first-year student of the Faculty of Ecclesiastical Architecture, Iconography, and Restoration of Easel and Monumental Icon Paintings, supervisor: Doctor of History, Nino Tomadze.
2.Lasha Meskhi – King Vakhtang VI and the Tbilisi Printing House – a first-year student of the Faculty of Ecclesiastical Architecture, Iconography, and Restoration of Easel and Monumental Icon Paintings. Supervisor: Doctor of History, Nino Tomadze.
3. Giorgi Zoidze – The Contribution of the Karbelashvili Brothers to the History of Georgian Culture – a first-year student of the Theological Seminary, supervisor: Khatuna Kalandarishvili, Doctor of Philology.
4. David Kheladze – The Cross of Saint Nino and Its History – a second-year student of the Theological Seminary, supervisor: Professor Sergo Vardosanidze, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology.
5. Nika Chumburidze – On the Burial Place of Saint Nino – a first-year student of the Theological Seminary, supervisor: Professor Sergo Vardosanidze, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology.
6. Omar Lebanidze – Concerning the Date of the Christianization of Georgia – a second-year student of the Theological Seminary, supervisor: Professor Sergo Vardosanidze, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology.
The Literature Section was chaired by Miranda Chiaberashvili, a third-year student of the Faculty of Christian Psychology.
The following speaches were presented by the students:
1.Ana Gobejishvili – ‘The Life of Saint David of Gareja’ and the Literary Center of Gareja – a first-year student of the Faculty of Christian Art Theory and History, supervisor: Ketevan Mamasakhlisi, Doctor of Philology.
2. Miranda Chiaberashvili – “Love Exalts Us” – the Rustavelian Concept of Courtly Love – a third-year student of the Faculty of Christian Psychology, supervisor: Ketevan Mamasakhlisi, Doctor of Philology.
The Psychology and Sociology Section was chaired by Giorgi Tortladze, a first-year student of the Theological Academy.
The following speaches were presented by the students:
1.Tornike Abesadze – Does the End Justify the Means?! - A third-year student of the Faculty of Iconography and Restoration of Easel and Monumental Icon Paintings, supervisor: Ketevan Mamasakhlisi, Doctor of Philology.
2. Giorgi Tortladze – The Role of Spiritual Upbringing in Personal Formation – a first-year student of the Theological Seminary, supervisor: Khatuna Kalandarishvili, Doctor of Philology.
3. Miranda Chiaberashvili – Obsessive-Compulsive Neurosis from Psychological and Theological Perspectives – a third-year student of the Faculty of Christian Psychology, supervisor: Natia Pruidze, Master of Psychology; Revaz Mujirishvili, Master of Theology.
4. Saba Khuchua – On the Development of the School Education in Israel – a first-year student of the Faculty of Christian Art Theory and History, supervisor: Professor Lela Khachidze, Doctor of Philological Sciences.
5. Luka Zakradze – “All Is Vanity Except Love” (based on the sermons of Priest Teimuraz Koridze) – a first-year student of the Faculty of Christian Art Theory and History, supervisor: Professor Lela Khachidze, Doctor of Philological Sciences.
The presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session. This concluded the work of the student scientific conference of the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary.
