2017-12-11
Today, Georgian Prime Minister visited the Patriarchate of Georgia to attend the event celebrating the establishment of the Doctoral Thesis Council and the Doctoral Program at the Tbilisi Theological Academy.
The Head of Government congratulated degree-seeker Irakli Orzhonia on defending the first doctoral thesis in theology in Georgia, and praised this event as a milestone.
"Today, our system of theological education has become self-sufficient as it is now possible to earn all three: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at the Theological Academy. Our theologians will no longer travel abroad to earn their PhD degrees. It is very rewarding because we are a country with great theological traditions, and today we are witnessing a continuation and, at the same time, the crowning achievement of these traditions. I would like to thank our Patriarch for the great and important symbiosis between spirituality and science which, along with many other merits, marks his 40 years of primacy. It is one of your ultimate achievements, Your Holiness, and something universally recognized. There are many in this audience who would make any country proud by being a member of its society, and the unity of our society and Church is the force that will lead our country to our goals," the Prime Minister stated.
The Head of Government, in his speech, also emphasized the role of the Church in addressing society's concerns.
"We have familiarized ourselves very closely with the Patriarchate's statement on the well-known recent events, and we unconditionally uphold its spirit. The education system cannot be detached from society, and public consciousness must be the primary subject of our care. Unfortunately, there is no public discourse because the culture of discourse is something we must revive together. It is a difficult process, by we all, in unity and with the engagement of the Church and the leadership of His Holiness, must find the right path to our country's salvation. This path is not hard to find. Georgia has a model of relations, cooperation between ecclesiastical and civil authorities that has seen Georgia though so far. I have spoken about it in the past, and I would like to reiterate humbly, that our Church is the keeper, savior of our national identity and the driving force behind our country's spirituality. Institutionally, of course, State and Church are two independent entities but, in terms of worldviews, it is impossible-and no one should even try-to sever the ties that have sustained our country to this day. Everyone should strive to develop and cement these ties. There are ties, among others, between the system of education and the Orthodox Christian Church of Georgia, and it is our task to strengthen these ties in proper form and through proper cooperation. I once again congratulate you on this day. On behalf of the Government, I am committed to making this synergy, this crucial cooperation between ecclesiastical and civil authorizes work, and cooperation on the development of the education system is one of the cornerstones here," the Prime Minister said.
The event was attended by the President of Georgia, members of the Cabinet, the Mayor of Tbilisi, Chair of the Sakrebulo Assembly, legislators, and scholars.
Prime Minister's Press Office