A Visit to St. Petersburg

Representing the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Theology, and the Centre of Excellence Reason and Religious Recognition, a three-person team consisting of Sami Pihlström, Anne Birgitta Pessi, and myself visited the Smolny College of the St. Petersburg State University during 13-14 March. Our inviting hosts were Marianna Sakhnovich and Danila Raskov.

All three of us gave presentations related with our own units and research themes at the Joint Theoretical Seminar on Religion and Society. We then heard a talk by Dmitry Panchenko on “Warfare and Burial: A Suggestion Concerning the Spread of Cremation in the Late Bronze Age Europe”. The overall purpose of the discussions was to continue and to further develop forms of cooperation between Smolny College and the institutions represented by the three of us. In connection with the visit, we also had a chance to meet Tatiana Artemyeva and Lyubov Bugaeva.

My traveling companions Anne Birgitta Pessi and Sami Pihlström

Our hosts Danila Raskov and Marianna Sakhnovich

Dmitry Panchenko 

Tatiana Artemyeva and Lyubov Bugaeva

Chancellor's and Vice-Rector's Visit

On Thursday the 6th of March, the Chancellor of the University of Helsinki Thomas Wilhelmsson visited our CoE together with Vice-Rector Keijo Hämäläinen. The Chancellor is in charge of promoting the sciences and the university's social interaction, and also of supervising the interests and activities of the university. The Vice-Rector's responsibilities include research, academic affairs, infrastructure, information technology, innovation activity, and relationships with government research institutes.

Risto Saarinen and Outi Lehtipuu started by presenting the central research ideas of the CoE

Ismo Dunderberg, Virpi Mäkinen, Thomas Wilhelmsson, and Keijo Hämäläinen

After presenting the research themes together with Outi Lehtipuu, Risto Saarinen introduced the CoE members. Then we heard Janne Mattila and Ritva Palmén talk about their individual topics. Minna Hietamäki also told us about her work closely related with the research themes in the context of The Lutheran World Federation. Saarinen presented his new web pages linked to the Research Database TUHAT, and Joona Salminen continued by officially launching the CoE's own web pages. We then had time for free discussion. Books from international publishers by CoE members were also on display in the Faculty Hall where the meeting took place.

Symbolism of Hands demonstrated by Saarinen and Lehtipuu

Joona Salminen launching the website

Minna Hietamäki discovering a chalice