What turns a man into a beastman? Theriantropy in theology of st. Demetrius of Rostov
Abstract
This article is devoted to the doctine of the prominent preacher and church writer Demetrius of Rostov (1651–1709) on sin that turns a sinner into a beast. The author of the article demonstrates the biblical origins of this doctrine and its connection with the views of metropolitan of Rostov on sin and its eff ect on man. The article examines various images of animals from sermons of St. Demetrius of Rostov. Special attention is paid to the image of pig, which is associated with carnal sins. It is demonstrated that the Rostov metropolitan did not simply use animals and birds as allegories of vices and virtues but also pointed to the deeper link between sin and the “animal”, non-reasonable, element in man. The author of the paper also discusses the images of “half-humans, half-animals” in Келейный летописец by the saint. The article proves that St. Demetrius regarded these images not as curiosities from natural science but as examples of the destructive eff ect of the sin on man that makes humans similar to beasts. It is also shown that metropolitan’s statements about people-monsters go back to the ancient Jewish tradition and narratives about the fate of the builders of the tower of Babel. The author of the paper gives examples of people-beasts who are in fact more righteous than good-looking sinners, whereas saints conceal the beauty of soul under the rough, almost animal-like looks. The conclusion is that St. Demetrius in his dealing with therioanthropy reveals his views on the paradoxes of the relationship between the outer and the inner in man as well as on the role of intelligence in spiritual life.
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