Maksim Shatkin

The relevance of the study is due to the necessity of defining the terms of dialogue between secular and religious educational institutions in the contemporary context of the search for new forms of national traditions and spiritual values of Russian people reproduction, as well as those institutions regional experiences synthesis. Thus, the purpose of the study is to identify the forms and prospects of cooperation between secular and religious educational institutions (on the example of interaction of secular universities and theological seminary). The main method in the study is the scientific method of theoretical analysis of scientific experience of domestic and foreign teachers, psychologists and clergymen who studied problems of interaction between secular educational institutions and religious organizations. During the study of this problem institutional approach was used, that allows to analyze the peculiarities of secular and religious educational institutions and to highlight possible spheres for cooperation. The article gives a comprehensive analysis of Penza region experience in the sphere of secular universities and theological seminary interaction. Traditional nature of the relationship between secular and religious educational institutions, characteristic of pre-revolutionary Russian system of education, is noted. The authors researched institutional and extra-institutional forms of cooperation established between teaching staff of Penza universities and Penza clergymen teaching at Penza theological seminary. The authors paid special attention to the activities of one of the most interesting extra-institutional sites in the Penza diocese – " Philosophical-theological cafe" (converted in 2017 into the "Religious-philosophical society"). This dialogue platform brought together more than five educational and cultural institutions of the region. "Religious-philosophical society" comprises more than ten scholars in the Humanities and representatives of the clergy. The authors of the article analyzed factors of positive and negative pedagogical effect of existing forms of communication between representatives of the Church and students. The conditions necessary for their successful communication are described. The results of secular universities and theological seminary interaction are shown. It is concluded that the construction of the interaction and integration of religious and secular spheres is not only possible and successful, but promising. The results of the study can be used by authorities as a theoretical framework for education policy and church-state relations development, as well as in the development of cooperation strategies between secular and religious educational organizations.