معرفی
Riho Altnurme is a Professor of Church History and Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Tartu. He has held numerous leadership roles including Dean of the Faculty of Theology (2006–2015) and has been a visiting professor at the University of Latvia. His academic work is deeply rooted in Estonian and Baltic religious history, with a focus on church-state relations and theological developments under Soviet rule.
His research interests include:
- Church history, particularly of Estonia and the Baltic region
- History of theology in Estonia
- Secularization and religious change
- Church-state relations in the 20th century
- Interconfessional and ecumenical relations
- Historiography and methodology of church history
Altnurme's recent publications reflect a strong engagement with transnational religious history, the impact of secularization, and the role of religious institutions in modern society. His work spans book chapters, edited volumes, and journal articles, often analyzing the interplay between religion, nationalism, and political transformation in Eastern Europe. He has contributed significantly to understanding how religious communities navigated persecution and maintained identity under Soviet rule.
His scientific honors include:
- Honorary doctorate from the University of Latvia (2024)
- Honorary doctorate from the University of Helsinki (2023)
- University of Tartu Medal (2021)
- Rektor-von-Ewers-Preis for his doctoral thesis (2002)
Altnurme has supervised over 15 doctoral and master’s students and has led major research projects on secularization, church history, and religious heritage. He is actively involved in academic service, including editorial work for the Theological Journal and leadership in the Estonian Church History Society, which he co-founded in 1997 and continues to chair. He also directs a research group on Estonian church and religious history and participates in international scholarly networks such as the Commission Internationale d’Histoire et d’Etudes du Christianisme.
He has led or contributed to numerous research projects funded by the Estonian Research Council, the European Commission, and national archives, focusing on mapping religious heritage, ecumenism, and the dynamics of religiosity in civilizational context.
