This article in a complex form examines the contribution of N. Berdyaev to the comprehension of the religious mysticism of Christianity. The purpose of the work is to reconstruct the philosopher's approach to the study of this phenomenon. The authors found that the peculiarity of N. Berdyaev's approach lies in the fact that the philosopher “sprouted” his own philosophical and religious ideas within the framework of an extremely interested appeal to the religious mysticism of Christianity while simultaneously opposing both other types of religious mysticism and the phenomenon of the occult and esoteric mysticism. The propensity for religious knowledge of the types of mysticism was combined with the implementation of its classification through the prism of the philosophical opposition “genuine –inauthentic”, as well as on the basis of the categorical opposition “essence – phenomenon”. His critical attitude towards the interpretation of mysticism as a psychological as well as irrational phenomenon is evident. N. Berdyaev made a great contribution to understanding the religious and mystical experience as the innermost core of the Christian religion. His research work in the interdisciplinary space of existential philosophy, religious studies and the philosophy of religion was permeated with currents of apologetic efforts to uphold the religious meaning of genuine mysticism within its Christian paradigm, reflected in a specific way in the mysticism of the Eastern and Western churches. Without dwelling on this, he develops the concept of gnostic and prophetic mysticism as the semantic core of the so-called mystical church, with the realization of the creative potential of which he connects the possibility of a new stage in the development of Christianity.
Key words: philosophy of N. Berdyaev, Christian mysticism, religious studies, philosophy of religion, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, deification
DOI: 10.22250/20728662_2023_1_100
About the authors
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Mark V. Shugurov – Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor; Professor at the Department of Philosophy of Saratov State Law Academy; 1 Volskaya str., Saratov, 410028, Russia; shugurovs@mail.ru |
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Sergey I. Mozzhilin – Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor; Professor at the Department of Theoretical and Social Philosophy of Saratov State University; build. 12, 10A Volskaya str., Saratov, 410028, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |