Religion is a delicate and delicate topic, not everyone is able to correctly assess certain events from the point of view of a Christian. All the more interest arises in the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church who choose publicity. Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev is a publicist, missionary, preacher, writer and scientist, whose work evokes a variety of emotions: from admiration to complete rejection.
Childhood and adolescence: the beginning of a biography
Andrey Kuraev was born in 1963 in Moscow. The family was not considered religious, the father of the future clergyman was the secretary of Academician Fedoseev, his mother worked at the Institute of Philosophy of the USSR Academy of Sciences. After graduating from school, the young man became a student of the philosophy faculty of Moscow State University. He was fond of ancient philosophers, religious studies and the works of Dostoevsky. By the way, later Andrei Kuraev said that it was Fyodor Mikhailovich's spiritual quest that pushed him onto the religious path. After 3 years, a student-philosopher was baptized and began to study the Gospel on his own.
The parents made the decision of their son with difficulty, the prospects of a church student for a successful career became ghostly. Yes, and my father began to have difficulties in the service, which ended in dismissal. Problems and misunderstandings did not prevent Andrey from successfully completing his studies and receiving a red diploma. Yesterday's student entered graduate school at the Department of Foreign Philosophy.
Spiritual career
A year later, Kuraev left graduate school at the Moscow Theological Academy for the post of secretary. At the same time, he studied at a theological seminary, filling in the gaps in secular education. After graduating from the seminary, the first publications were published in the Vybor magazine, the Moskovskie Novosti and Voprosy Filosofii newspapers. The next two years Kuraev devoted to teaching Orthodox theology within the walls of the University of Bucharest. In Bucharest, a young priest was ordained to the rank of deacon. Kuraev returned to Moscow and worked as an assistant to Patriarch Alexy II for 3 years.
In 1994, the deacon defended his dissertation and became a candidate of philosophical sciences. The next step is the candidate of theology. Labor “Tradition. Dogma. Rite was awarded the highest mark of the Moscow Theological Academy, on the recommendation of the Academic Council, Kuraev received the title of professor of theology. Until 1996, Andrei Vyacheslavovich held the post of dean of the Russian Orthodox University of St. John the Theologian, until 2013 headed the Department of Apologetics and Theology at St. Tikhon University for the Humanities. At the same time, the protodeacon performed the church duties assigned to him in the churches of the Nativity of John the Baptist and the Archangel Michael.
Kuraev's activities were highly appreciated by Russian and foreign colleagues, but in 2013, for his shocking behavior and the disclosure of some scandalous moments related to the internal issues of the Russian Orthodox Church, the protodeacon was expelled from the teaching staff of the academy. Kuraev's views on the situation in Ukraine, issues related to LGBT people and other topics, the attitude to which in society is ambiguous, were also criticized.
Personal life
The marital status of Andrei Kuraev is fully consistent with his rank. The protodeacon has no blood sons and daughters, however, he considers his spiritual children not only students, but also everyone who shares his views and needs support. Among them are students and military men, graduates of orphanages and prisoners - no one who has asked for advice and help will be left without participation and attention. According to Kuraev, his spiritual mission is to preach God's laws everywhere, including outside the temple.
