Education as a spiritual transfiguration of personality

Based on the analysis of scientific approaches to define the essence and social mission of education, its spiritual and creative nature is substantiated as a process of spiritual transfiguration of personality. A comparative analysis of the concepts of «transformation» and «transfiguration» was performed with the proven results that they are close in content, but the first one reflects the external structural changes of any objects or changes determined by external influence, and the latter one characterizes the internal changes of the very nature and content of these objects («regeneration», «revival»). The study of the definitions of the concept of «transformation» in the explanatory dictionaries led to the conclusion that it means «significant changes in the form and properties of the object», «change of its appearance» and relates mainly to social processes («social», «economic», «public», «radical» and other transformations). This concept describes the reformist actions in relation to change, modification, re-structuring, reorganization of social processes and phenomena. Its synonyms are «shift», «reform», «innovation», «renovation», «reorganization», «!review», «revision», «overturn», «restoration», «reconstruction», «modification», «improvement», «restyling», «revision», «modification», «alteration», «repair», «remolding», etc. The meaning of the «transfiguration» concept as represented in the dictionaries, means «the adoption of a different image», «absolute change of image» («complete change») and relates primarily to the personality, characterizing irreversible changes in one's nature, which are the result of one's spiritualization, spiritual renewal and elevation. Synonyms for the word «transfiguration» are «resurrection», «revival», «renewal», «metamorphosis», «transition», «re-creation», etc. Consequently, if we consider education as a purposeful, specially organized interaction between the educator and the student in an educational environment characterized by a certain level of spirituality, then it can be argued that the effectiveness of this interaction will be achieved only when it determines not only the spiritual transformation of this environment on the basis of its spiritualization, but it will contribute to internal regeneration – transfiguration – of the subjects of educational activity, who by spiritualizing the educational environment spiritually change and grow.