Romano Guardini: The Presence of Christ in Dostoevsky’s Text

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to the reception of Dostoevsky’s work by the Catholic theologian Romano Guardini. After a brief review of the development of his interest on Dostoevsky, the paper identifies in the idea of polar opposition and in the centrality of Christ’s personality two linking points between the German theologian and the Russian writer. The paper goes on in analysing the last chapter of Guardini’s work Religiöse Gestalten in Dostojewskijs Werk and the experience described there about his perception of prince Myshkin’s figure – an experience that testify how Dostoevsky’s text can be seen not only as a medium to communicate thoughts and ideas about Christ and Christianity, but also – and deeper – as the place where a real experience of Christ can take place.

Keywords

• dostoevsky’s theology
• romano guardini
• catholic theology
• the idiot
• prince myshkin; theology and literature