BARNAUL – In early April, a roundtable discussion titled “The Bible and Traditional Values of Russia: Challenges of Public Education” was held in Barnaul, marking the anniversary of the Synodal translation of the Holy Scriptures. The event took place at the Barnaul Theological Seminary.
The meeting was initiated by the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches of the Altai Region in cooperation with the Barnaul Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. The event brought together representatives of Christian denominations, government authorities, as well as academic and educational communities.
Interfaith events are regularly held in Barnaul. Each year, the city hosts the Day of Christian Unity and interfaith prayer breakfasts. Christians from various churches also collect voluntary donations to support local medical and social institutions.
Participants in the roundtable included representatives of the Barnaul city administration, faculty and students of the Barnaul Theological Seminary and the Barnaul Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, clergy of the Barnaul Diocese, as well as ministers of Protestant and Catholic churches.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by representatives of regional authorities, including the Vice Governor of the Altai Region and the Chairman of the Public Chamber of Barnaul. Faculty members from the Altai Institute for Education Development and the Barnaul Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia also took part in the discussion.
The roundtable was moderated by Archpriest Georgy Kreydun, Doctor of Arts and Vice-Rector for Research and Theological Work at the Barnaul Theological Seminary.
Among the speakers were both Orthodox clergy and Pentecostal bishops, including Sergey Potapov of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Pentecostals and Vladimir Skandakov of the Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals).
In his address, Bishop Sergey Potapov emphasized the enduring value of the Holy Scriptures for the spiritual and cultural development of society. He cited the words of Alexander Pushkin:
“We will never give the people anything better than the Scriptures. In them we find the whole of human life,” highlighting the universality of biblical truths and their significance for national culture.
Bishop Vladimir Skandakov focused on the historical and social significance of the Synodal translation of the Bible. He noted that this translation, first fully published in the 19th century, became a key instrument for disseminating the Holy Scriptures in the Russian language and had a profound impact on shaping the moral framework of society. In his report, he also emphasized the role of the Bible in strengthening traditional family values.
Participants of the roundtable agreed that the Synodal translation of the Bible remains a vital cultural and spiritual heritage of Russia, contributing to public education and the preservation of fundamental values.
As part of the event, all attendees received тематические booklets on the history of the Russian Bible translation prepared by the Kemerovo Christian Center. The organizers expressed their gratitude to Pastor Yuri Stolyarov and his team for providing these materials.
The event received coverage in regional media, reflecting strong public interest in the intersection of religion, culture, and education.
The Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Pentecostals
