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The authors of the article substantiate the idea that the ideal of ecclesiasticism, monasticism and spiritual eldership was the most important in the whole philosophy of K.N. Leontiev. Not the priesthood as a whole, but the monastic clergy forms an integral attribute of Orthodoxy, but Leontiev was skeptical about the white clergy. He made a proposal for the church of the “cathedral-patriarchal structure”, i.e. to strengthen the centralization of church institutions with the simultaneous introduction of cathedral principles. His entire philosophy of Christian history is built on the elevation of the role of ascetic practice and spiritual experience. Leontiev attached particular importance to spiritual eldership, the essence of which was spiritual mentoring on the part of true believers and monks with life experience.

Key words: aestheticism, pessimistic worldview, ascetics, monastic clergy, statism, spiritual eldership, Christian family, church organization, conciliarity

DOI: 10.22250/20728662_2023_3_129

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About the authors

Sergey V. Pishun – Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of the School of Arts and Humanities of the Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok, Russia); F 602, level 6, building F, Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Li Ping – Senior Lecturer of the Department of Russian Language and Culture of the Institute of Foreign Languages of Hulunbuir University (Hailar, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China); 83 Genghis Khan Road, Hailar, 021008, China; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.