Philosophy of religion and philosophical theology between faith and knowledge: Russian philosophical spiritualism of the late 19th century (A. Kozlov)

Abstract

This article deals with the project of philosophy of religion and philosophical theology suggested by A.A. Kozlov, the representative of philosophical spiritualism, an influential direction of the Russian metaphysical thought of the late 19th century. Special attention is paid to the problem of relationship between faith and knowledge, religion and intellect, as well as the role of philosophical refl ection in their normalisation. The project in question is considered in the context of the Russian religious thought of that time. The article analyses the basic distinction between the “awareness of God” and “knowledge of God” proposed by Kozlov on the basis of G. Teichmüller’s ideas. The article examines his concept of religion, its structure, his understanding of the relationship between religion and rationality, his concept of church as an institute of organising religious consciousness, relations of church and the state, church and institutes of knowledge. Kozlov’s philosophical theology is dealt with in the context of his critical analysis of the ontological argument for the existence of God and Anselm’s of Canterbury formula credo ut intelligam. The fi nal section of the article shows the place of spiritualistic conceptions of religion and philosophical theologies in the discussion field of the Russian thought, their distinguishing features and signifi cance.

Keywords

• spiritualism
• A. Kozlov
• religion
• philosophy of religion
• philosophical theology
• faith
• knowledge
• ontological argument of existence of God
• awareness of God
• knowledge of God