Nikolai A. Berdyaev in the Netherlands: on the history of the catholic reception of russian thought in the 1920s–1930s

Abstract

This article proposes a historical and philosophical reconstruction of the Catholic reception of Nikolai A. Berdyaev in the Netherlands in the 1920s–1930s. It draws on materials from Dutch periodicals (newspaper articles, interviews and lecture programmes) from the studied period and reconstructs the history of the Dutch speeches of the philosopher in 1929, 1931 and 1937, as well as the history of his contacts with representatives of the Dutch intellectual community. Specifi cally, the article analyses of the thematic directions of the Catholic reception of Nikolai A. Berdyaev’s ideas, among which one should particularly note the criticism of Soviet Communism and the secularisation processes within the liberal capitalist system. It is established that the concept of Nikolai A. Berdyaev was positively received by Dutch Catholics, who held the position of “integral humanism” and strove to overcome the cultural crisis that affected Western Europe by revitalising religiosity. The signifi cance of the Dutch episode in Nikolai A. Berdyaev’s biography is determined in the context of his ideological evolution. The historical and philosophical analysis of the philosopher’s presentations given in the Netherlands allows us to make more clear the history of the formation and implementation of the conception of a number of his key works. It is shown that lecture trips to Holland gave Nikolai A. Berdyaev the opportunity for a fruitful dialogue with representatives of the Dutch philosophical and religious community, during which the philosopher could disseminate, clarify and develop his ideas.

Keywords

• russian philosophy in emigration
• foreign reception of russian philosophy
• new middle ages
• nikolai a. berdyaev
• jacques maritain
• русская философия в эмиграции
• зарубежная рецепция русской философии
• новое средневековье
• н. а. бердяев
• ж. маритен