Participation of N. A. Berdyaev in the activities of the Russian Student Christian Movement (RSCM) in 1923–1935

Abstract

The article examines the history of N. A. Berdyaev’s participation in the activities of the Russian Student Christian Movement (RSCM). Based on the analysis of archival data, publications in the “Bulletin of the RSHD” and memoirs, the activity of Berdyaev in the RSHD is studied in the period 1923–1930s, which developed in several directions: leadership of youth circles in Berlin (1922–1925) and Paris (1925–1932), lecture trips across Europe and the Baltic countries with the aim of organizing RSHD circles, participation in local and general congresses, starting with the first Psherovsky congress. The connection between Berdyaev’s publications in the “Vestnik RSHD” and other journals with his activities in the RSHD and his thoughts about the ways of its development is shown. In the appendix to the article, a “Memorandum” written by Berdyaev in December 1926 is published. This document reflects Berdyaev’s views on the church schism of 1926 (exposing the Karlovac Synod of excessive conservatism and politicization of the church) and the principles on which, from Berdyaev’s point of view, the Movement was founded: the relationship between freedom and conciliarity, the responsibility of the laity for the life of the church, churchliness and a creative Christian attitude to solving social problems of society, apologetics of Christianity in the modern world and cooperation with Western Christian denominations.

Keywords

• church history
• russian emigration
• metropolitan eulogius (georgievsky)
• karlovac schism
• religious education of youth
• conciliarity