Doctoral studies of Bishop Irinej Ciric in Vienna (1906-1908): A contribution to the formation of the history of the Serbian old testament biblical studies

The main subject of this research are doctoral studies of Bishop Irinej Ciric in Vienna at the Faculty for Philosophy (department for oriental studies and semitic phylology) from 1906 to 1908, as a contribution to the history of formation of the Serbian Old Testament biblical studies. Having in mind that the course of the highest academic education of one of the most renowned Serbian biblical scholars has not been a subject of the inquiry, this paper will analyze the documents from the Archive and the Library of Vienna University which present curriculum of subjects, notes on the rigorous exams at the and of the promotion and review of his doctoral dissertation. Special attention is dedicated to the analysis of content and to the literary-historical criticism as the main methodological framework of his dissertation. The paper will present some of his most influential teachers as well as the broader historical and academic context of studying in the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century. The aim of this research is to give insight into the implementation and transmission of academic patterns acquired in Vienna into the developing the Serbian Old Testament studies and further impact on its formation.