"Orthodoxy in the Teachings of the Slavophiles"

Golenko, Vladimir Vladimirovich

Abstract

The article examines a complex of interrelated issues, specifically the nature of the Orthodox faith and its distinction from Western denominations (Catholicism and Protestantism) as interpreted by the Slavophiles. It also analyzes the relationship between faith and reason, and between knowledge and religious experience - themes that became central to Slavophile epistemological thought. The study demonstrates the influence of Orthodox doctrine on social structure, forms of state power, and the way of life of the people, as well as the potential for restoring unity among divided Christian churches. The studys novelty lies in its comprehensive analysis of the Orthodox component of Slavophile teaching, integrating its philosophical, anthropological, social, and ecumenical aspects. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on isolated facets of Slavophilism, this article presents Orthodoxy as the foundational principle of the entire Slavophile worldview. It shows how I.V. Kireevsky developed the concept of the integrity of the spirit and of "believing thought" as an alternative to Western rationalism, drawing upon Patristic anthropology. A.S. Khomyakov provided a philosophical and theological justification for "sobornost" - the unity of believers in Christ grounded in love and freedom - in contrast to Catholic authoritarianism and Protestant individualism.

Keywords: slavophilism, orthodoxy, sobornost, spirit, thought, doctrine.

Full text PDF

List of literature

1. Aksakov K.S. Gosudarstvo i narod. Moskva: In-t russkoj civilizacii, 2009. 602 s.
2. Antonov K.M. Slavyanofily i I.V. Kireevskij: Ctanovlenie issledovatelskih tradicij. Vestnik Pravoslavnogo Svyato-Tihonovskogo gumanitarnogo universiteta. Seriya 1: Bogoslovie. Filosofiya. 2006. Nomer 16. S. 55-92.
3. Doleckaya S.V. Formirovanie antropologicheskih idej v russkoj pravoslavnoj pedagogike: vzglyady I.V. Kireevskogo i A.S. Homyakova. Problemy sovremennogo pedagogicheskogo obrazovaniya. 2024. Nomer 85-1. S. 144-147.
4. Ermolovich V.V. Ierarhiya i sobornost: k religioznoistoricheskoj identichnosti drevlepravoslavnyh hristian (Pomorskoe soglasie). Nauchnyj rezultat. Socialnye i gumanitarnye issledovaniya. 2023. T. 9, Nomer 3. S. 69-79.
5. Zhdanova D.S. Russkoe pravoslavie kak cennostno-smyslovaya sistema. Aktualnaya kultura. 2025. Nomer 2.
6. Zenkovskij V.V. Istoriya russkoj filosofii. T. 1. Paris: YMCA press, 1989, 469 s.
7. Kireevskij I.V. Kritika i estetika Sbornik. 2-e izd., ispr. i dop. Moskva: Iskusstvo, 1998. 462 s.
8. Kireevskij I.V. Polnoe sobranie sochinenij: v 3 t. Institut nauchnoj informacii po obshchestvennym naukam Rossijskoj akademii nauk. 1816-1839. Sankt-Peterburg: Rostok, 2018. 606 s.
9. Livcov V.A. Vzaimodejstvie Russkoj pravoslavnoj cerkvi s ekumenicheskim dvizheniem (konec XIX - nachalo XXI vv.). Sankt-Peterburg: Obshchestvo s ogranichennoj otvetstvennostyu "Izdatelskij Dom "Alef-Press", 2013. 580 s.
10. Matyash T.P. Bogoslovskie istoki zapadnoevropejskoj i russkoj religioznoj filosofii. Gumanitarnye i socialno-ekonomicheskie nauki. 2012. Nomer 4(65). S. 58-65.
11. Mekushkin A.A. specifika filosofii kak formy intellektualnoj kultury pravoslaviya. Vestnik YUzhno-Rossijskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta (NPI). Seriya: Socialno-ekonomicheskie nauki. 2023. T. 16. Nomer 2. S. 243-249.
12. Pervoobraz i obraz: Sochinenie v 2-h tom. Moskva: Iskusstvo; SPb.: Inapress, 1999. T. 1: Svet nevechernij: Sozercaniya i umozreniya. 359 s.
13. Polozhenkova E.YU. Sootnoshenie religioznoj filosofii i hristianskogo bogosloviya v istorii religioznoj mysli: Ontologicheskij i gnoseologicheskij kontekst: avtoreferat dis. ... doktora filosofskih nauk: 09.00.13. Rost. gos. un-t. Rostov-na-Donu, 2004. 49 s.
14. Popov E.A. Opyt obobshcheniya transformacii cennostej v usloviyah sovremennoj mezhkulturnoj kommunikacii (po materialam Vsemirnogo obzora cennostej). Aktualnaya kultura. 2023. Nomer 1.
15. Slinchenko O.A. Rol pravoslaviya v formirovanii samobytnoj russkoj kultury vo vzglyadah rannih slavyanofilov: filosofsko-pravovoj aspekt. Zadonskie Svyato-Tihonovskie obrazovatelnye chteniya: Materialy HX Mezhdunarodnogo foruma, posvyashchennogo 300-letiyu Svyatitelya Tihona Zadonskogo, Lipeck, 3031 oktyabrya 2024 goda. Lipeckij gosudarstvennyj pedagogicheskij universitet imeni P.P. Semenova-Tyan-SHanskogo, 2024. S. 46-50.
16. Solovev S.M. CHteniya i rasskazy po istorii Rossii: Russkaya letopis. Iz "istorii Rossii s drevnejshih vremen". Publichnye chteniya o Petre Velikom. Rasskazy iz russkoj istorii XVIII veka. sbornik. Moskva: Pravda, 1989. 765 s.
17. Hondzinskij P.V. Sobornost v russkoj bogoslovskoj tradicii. Voprosy teologii. 2019. T. 1. Nomer 3. S. 427-440.
18. Homyakov A.S. O starom i novom. 1878. S. 359 - 377.
19. Homyakov A.S. Pisma k V. Palmeru. Bogoslovskie stati Polnoe sobranie sochinenij Alekseya Stepanovicha Homyakova Homyakov T. 2. 1886. S. 345 - 415.
20. Homyakov A.S. Polnoe sobranie sochinenij Alekseya Stepanovicha Homyakova. T. 2. 3-e izd. Moskva: Univ. tip., 1886-1906, 1886. 450 s.
21. Cimbaev N.I. Slavyanofilstvo: iz istorii russkoj obshchestvenno-politicheskoj mysli XIX veka : v pomoshch studentu-istoriku. 2-e izd., ispr. i dop. Moskva: Gos. publichnaya ist. b-ka Rossii, 2013. 446 s.

Citation

Golenko, Vladimir Vladimirovich "Orthodoxy in the Teachings of the Slavophiles" Agrarian History, Number 27, 2026 P. 21 - 31. doi: 10.52270/27132447_2026_27_21