A. A. Ershova. Religious education at school. Preparation of the text for publication, introductory article and comments by O.V.Sinitsyna

Abstract

This is the first time that an article by the Orthodox teacher and public figure Alexandra Alekseevna Ershova (née Shteven, 1865–1933) is published. In 1885–1895 in Nizhny Novgorod province, А. A. Ershova opened about 50 literacy schools for peasant children, made reports on public education at zemstvo congresses, corresponded with famous teachers, public and government officials such as S. A. Rachinsky, N. N. Neplyuev, Prince D. I. Shakhovsky, L. N. Tolstoy, K. P. Pobedonostsev and others. A. A. Ershova took genuine interest in the issues of school, education and upbringing even after her marriage, when her main concern was raising seven children, managing the Lebyazhye estate in Tula province, helping M. D. Ershov, her husband who was a member of the State Council and the last pre-revolutionary governor of Voronezh in state affairs. The article was written in the period after the February Revolution, but before the October coup in conditions when the Provisional Government’s decree “On Freedom of Conscience” was in force, enabling people to choose their own religion. The Universal Education Project provided for the transfer of all church schools to the Ministry of Public Education and the abolition of the compulsory teaching of the Law of God in schools. The author of the article raises the issue of the need to retain religious instruction at school, gives examples of the most beneficial effect of religion on education, and comes out as an apologist for the Christian faith.

Keywords

• religious instruction
• law of god
• church school
• christian enlightenment
• christian education
• pedagogy
• a.a.ershova