Religion, Beliefs and Worldview

Department: RELIGION, BELIEFS, WORLDVIEW/  WELTANSICHT/

The Department is the inheritor of the  Research group “Religious and philosophical paradigms and Intercultural Dialogue” (2003) former sections “Philosophy of Religion” ( till 2008) by the Institute for Philosophical Research – BAS and section “Sociology of values, religions and everyday life “(till 2010) of the former Institute of Sociology.

This is the only one at the moment in Bulgaria secular, academic Department of World Religions.

Subject area:

1. World religions – currently known over 2000 denominations in the US, 600 in the EU and 110 were registered in Bulgaria. Religion accompanies and determines the entire history of mankind.
2. The personal life of the man – religions and beliefs are existential need for individual and integrator of mental ‘life.
3. Social processes and mental health – religions and beliefs are important to everyday life, behavior in society, geopolitics, culture and for inter-personal relations.
4. The history and present state of religious doctrines& philosophy of religion, theology, sociology, psychology of religion; purely religious aspects of ethics, aesthetics, anthropology and social doctrines.
5. Logic, Epistemology, Metaphysics, Worldview/ Weltansicht/ in Philosophy of world-religions.
6. The Department is open for discussions with representatives of the atheistic worldview and scientism.

    Actuality: The importance of forming worldview, understanding of social processes and culture. Create geopolitical and behavioral strategies. Religion is directly correlated with the worldview and even outlook, values and human spirituality. Religion and beliefs have: personal motivating, socio-governing, state-forming, values and mental-regulating and integrating spiritual functions.

     Necessity: It is currently the only not bound to a specific denomination or secular academic structure Department of Religion in Bulgaria. It constantly has 6 to 8 proven professionals (of which 4 are currently habilitated / 1 professor, 3 associate professors / and the rest are doctors of philosophy) with the ability to complete research and doctoral studies.

-In the report in 2011. Members of the department have: Monographs: 4; Studies: 11; articles in thematic collections or journals: 19;  abroad: 2 items; Published reviews- 2; scientific popularisations 1 / Total: 39 publications .

–In 2012, members of the department have 25 publications, 11 citations and are organizers of one international and two national conferences.

In 2013 members of the department have: 32 scientific papers publications;  8 studies, 24 articles. Of these 28 belongs to permanent staff and 4 to PhD students. One is abroad and one in foreign language; 18 citations. We organized 1 international and 1 national conference.

In 2014 The members of the department have: 30 scientific papers publications; of which: studies – 8; Articles- 20; Abroad: 2;  Other publications -.2; citations – 22; participation in conferences – 19; national- 9; international -10 ; national and internal seminars – 13; lectures 2.

     In 2015, the Department has issued three separate monographs/books:  Prof. DSc. St. Penov ( “Dia­lectical Lo­gos of Religion. The Philosophy or the Abrahamic Religions”, Publishing House “Propeller”, 452 p.); assoc. Prof. Dr. Veselin Bosakov (“Islam and Modernity”, Publishing House “Ivray”, 362 p.) and assoc.Prof. Dr. Emilia Il. Petrova (Europeanization and national identity S.IK “St. Iv. Rilski”, 124 p.). The stuff of the De­par­tment Religion issued a total of 30 scientific  papers and articles. The department and rese­arch group have conducted 1  international and 1 national conference.  We have been quoted  25 times.

Until now the Department organized three international projects with 5 conferences outside the BAS system, we have  participation in 6 international and over 20 national conferences.

Completed a research project to MES – from 2005 -2010: Religious and geostrategic paradigms and the future of Orthodoxy in the EU; Assessed as “excellent” in 2011 / SSH 1505.

Lectures and seminars at universities – 300 hours (120 +80).

Expert Services: Parliamentary Committees on “Religions affairs”, “Education and Science”. National Investigation Service; Prosecutor’s  Office of Bulgaria; Headquarters of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, National Council of Religions in Bulgaria.

Citations: average 18-25 per year. In 2015 : St. Penov -8;  Em. Petrova – 5; Veselin Bosakov- 3; Sevdelina Nikolova – 2; Lyudmil Petrov 3; Borislav Ninov -2. {Former members 2011-2014 (Elena Petrova – 4, Al. Apostolov – 3, N. Mihaylov- 3)}

Section and groups prepared in 2011 international academic Conference “Dynamics of world religions and orthodoxy” in a joint project with foreign universities. We edited a same-titled collection.

In 2012 section and Research group “Religious and philosophical paradigms and Intercultural Dialo­gue” held under the patronage of the President of BAS academician Stefan Vodenicharov International Russian-Bulgarian academic conference in Sofia RCIC with participants from BAS, Sofia, St. Petersburg and Elec state  universities on the theme: Religion ,Values, Orthodoxy and intercultural dialogue.

 In 2013 The Department of Religion  participate in the R Sc. program of HQ BAS – Orthodox faith, religious values and intercultural dialogue. Director – prof., DSc. Stefan Penov according to the Order of the President of 9,01,2013 13/1, the conference was held with international participation from Russia, Israel and Bulgaria – RCIC in Sofia

In 2014, section Religion and research groups organized and held under the patronage of the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Academician. St. Vodenicharov in RCIC in Sofia conference  with international participation from Russia, Israel and Bulgaria: Religion and Science in the XXI century.

In 2015. Section Religion and research groups organized and held under the patronage of the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Academician. St. Vodenicharov RCIC in Sofia international conference on the project of the Department of Religion and research group: Traditional religious Worldviews and the Values of the XXI century.

Head of the Department, together with the Chairman of the Board of National  Council of Religions – associated member of the section and ISSK -Dr Rupen Krikorian participated in the preparation of the Declaration of  Tolerance between religions and ethnicities signed in BAS 5.02.2013.  On 16.02.2015 there was a meeting between the President of BAS Acad. Stefan Vodenitcharov and NCRB to discuss different views on fundamental national objectives and the sustainable development of Bulgaria.There were undertaken joint activities in education. After meeting NCRB issued a statement in line with the Declaration of BAS – address on the occasion of  introducing subject “Religion” in Bulgarian schools.

 

The Department and scientific Research group preparing traditional 2005 till now / 2005- 2016 / joint Russian-Bulgarian projects with international conferences, Religion, Values, Orthodoxy ; Bulgaria and Russia in the 21st century. (for the R Sc. group, see archives); “Religion and science in XXI century“. “Traditional religious worldviews and the values of the XXI century“. The head of the Department-Prof., DSc St. Penov in his capacity as Chairman of the Expert Scientific Council of the National Council of Religious Communities in Bulgaria and Institute of Interreligious and Ethno-Cultural Dialogue together with the Chairman of NCRCB and Director of IIECD – Dr. Rupen Krikorian organize annual conferences on general theme: HUMANISM-SCIENCE-RELIGION and RELIGION, WORLDVIEW, VALUES.

To the Department there is group- for Research& Science:  Religious and philosophical paradigms and intercultural dialogue, created in 2003, which conducts RS projects and joint research with scientists, philosophers and theologians from Bulgaria and abroad-Russia, Great Britain and Israel and international academic departments and institutions.

Permanent seminar: From 2011 till now acts/marked as a permanent and steady evolution sectional seminar: RELIGION – VALUES – INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE, and by June 2015 seminar is subordinated to our new project: TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS  WORLDVIEWS AND VALUES OF THE XXI CENTURY.

The successfully completed, approved and adopted successfully implemented by the Scientific Council – ISSK Research Projects from the  Department of “Religion, Beliefs, Worldview» are:

– 2009 – 2012 years – Religious and Philosophic and geostrategic Paradigms and the future of Orthodoxy. Head- DSc St. Penov.

– 2012 – 2015 years – Religion, Values, Orthodoxy  thinking and Intercultural Dialogue (Europe and the world in the XXI century.). Head – DSc. Stefan Penov; participants: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elena Petrova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Veselin Bosakov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Borislav Ninov; Prof. Emilia Petrova; Assist Dr. Lyudmil Petrov, Dr. Sevdelina Nikolova.

–New 3 years our academic project for the period June 2015-June, 2018: Traditional Religious Worldviews and Values of the XXI century. Head – Prof. DSc Stefan Penov, members of the research team/ staff/: Assoc.Prof. Dr. Veselin Bosakov; assoc.Prof. Emilia Petrova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Borislav Ninov; Assist. Prof. Lyudmil Petrov; Assist. Prof. Dr. Sevdelina Nikolova; Prof. DSc, PhD  Petko Ganchev; Dr. Sergey Metodiev.

Personnel training – the Department of Religion prepares doctoral students in philosophy and the sociology of religion. Until now successfully defended dissertations to acquire the educational and scientific degree PhD are – Dr. Sevdelina Nikolova / 2013 / Dr. Sergei Metodiev / 2015 /. In 2012  Prof. Dr.Stefan Penov acquired scientific degree – Doctor of Sciences.