The monograph is dedicated to the history of higher educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church - St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kyiv and Kazan Theological Academies - in one of the important and difficult periods of their development, in the second half of the 19th century. The work examines the organizational structure of theological academies, their relations with the highest and diocesan church authorities; composition, position and activities of faculty and student corporations; main directions of activity of theological academies. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the educational and scientific activities of academies, the problems arising in these activities, and attempts to solve them. The author focuses on the reforms of 1869 and 1884, aimed at solving spiritual and educational problems, the development, implementation and results of these reforms. The proposals that were put forward in the process of developing reforms by teaching corporations, the episcopate and special commissions created under the Holy Synod to develop new statutes for theological academies are examined in detail. The publishing layout is saved in PDF A4 format.