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The research is supported by the Development Fund of St Tikhon’s Orthodox University, project № 03-0617/KIP 4

The article considers the connection with the concept of religious experience and the notion of person in philosophy of numbers existential personalism thinkers: P.A. Florensky and S.N. Bulgakov, D.S. Merezhkovsky and G.I. Chulkov. Russian thinkers increasingly usеd the concept of religious experience in the early 20th century often giving it one of the key roles in their religio-philosophical constructions. At times this concept becomes the sole basis for religious philosophy, whereas thinkers don’t provide a specific definition of religious experience. On the problem of personality the authors frequently underscore a person’s impossibility of defining; personality can only be perceived through experiential, religious experience. Experience covers freedom, personal choice, and personal concern, which define personality as something whole retaining its uniqueness during the mystical experience. Therefore, the author comes to the conclusion that in Russian religious thinking of the beginning of the 20th century the concept of religious experience and the notion of personality constitute each other. Being of key importance for philosophical constructs the concept of religious experience underpins such notions as dogma, faith, prayer, ets., what intention of the thinkers to substantiate its trans-universal character entails.

Key words: religious experience, personality, personalism, volition, sobornost, public sphere, D.S. Merezhkovsky, G.I. Chulkov, P.A. Florensky, S.N. Bulgakov

DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662.2017.3.124-133

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About the author

   

Nadezhda A. Koreneva – Teacher at Department of Philosophy of Religion and Religious Aspects of Culture,

St. Tikhon's Orthodox University of Humanities;

build. 1, 6 Lihov Lane, Moscow, Russia, 127052; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.