“Hellenic religion of suffering God” in the “Philosophy of cult” of priest Pavel Florensky: formulating the problem

Abstract

This article points out the presence of common themes and directions of research in the religious and philosophical legacy of priest Pavel Florensky and Vyacheslav Ivanov, particularly the concept of religious cult put forward in Ivanov’s work “Hellenic Religion of the Suff ering God (Religion of Dionysus)” (Russ. Эллинская религия страдающего бога (Религия Диониса)) and in Florensky’s lectures in the “Philosophy of Cult” (Философии культа). The article draws attention to the fact that Florensky’s lectures, at least in their main part, contain elements of theological research and are essentialy an attempt at a theological interpretation of Ivanov’s concept. The article also emphasises the lack of theological criticism of this aspect in Florensky’s legacy and gives a brief outline of critical observations contained in philosophical works by S. Khoruzhy and N. Bonetskaya. Studying this issue, I consider it necessary, in the fi rst hand, to identify the reasons why Vyach. Ivanov’s texts attracted Florensky’s attention. In my opinion, this is both thinkers’ aim of the apology of Christianity employing F. Nietzsche’s works and Vladimir Solovyev’s metaphysics of unity. Ivanov attempted to develop Solovyev’s theurgy and “complement” his metaphysics by means of religious experience that would correspond this metaphysics. Overall, Ivanov’s views on the essential role of religious cult and sacred rites in man’s life fully corresponded Florensky’s beliefs.

Keywords

• Florensky
• Vyacheslav Ivanov
• Solovyev
• religion of Dionysus
• religious cult
• sacraments
• theology