Nikolai Fedorov and the Orthodox Theology and Tradition: The Origins and Perspectives of Critique
Michał KRUSZELNICKI
DSW University of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4987-9218
Abstract
The present article is an attempt to reconstruct and analyze Russian theologians’ and religious thinkers’ critique of Nikolai Fedorov’s project of humankind’s Common Cause. The paper focuses on the classic and most signifi cant arguments against Fedorov’s ideas, discusses the main objections raised by his critics, and verifi es their postulates, subsequently exploring selected theological and philosophical issues pertaining to the topic. The analysis of the critique of Fedorov’s arguments highlights a frequently recurring argumentation scheme on the part of his critics which poses an intellectual challenge to Fedorov’s apologists. Far from deprecating Fedorov’s project from the standpoint of the Christian orthodoxy, the paper provides the groundwork for future analyses of his conception. The paper also points out that in order to describe the contribution of Fedorov’s insights into the timelessness of the Christian myth it is necessary to subject them to a thorough philosophical and theological scrutiny.
Keywords:
Nikolai Fedorov, project of the Common Cause, Orthodox theology, revival of the deadReferences
Atanazy z Aleksandrii. O wcieleniu Słowa. Translated by Michał Wojciechowski Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Akademii Teologii Katolickiej, 1998.
Augustyn. Państwo Boże. Translated by Władysław Kubicki. Kęty: Wydawnictwo Antyk, 2002.
Berdyaev, Nikolai. О naznachenii cheloveka: Opyt paradoksalnoy etiki. Pariž: Izdatel’stvo Sovremennye zapiski, 1931.
Berdyaev, Nikolai. O przeznaczeniu człowieka: Zarys etyki paradoksalnej. Translated by Henryk Paprocki. Kęty: Antyk, 2006.
Berdyaev, Nikolai. “Religiya voskresheniya: ‘Filosofiya obshchego dela N.F. Fedorova.’” In N.F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N.F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Krhiristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2004.
Bordeianu, Radu. “Maximus and Ecology: The Relevance of Maximus the Confessor’s Theology of Creation for the Present Ecological Crisis.” The Downside Review 127, no. 447 (2009): 103–26.
Bulgakov, Sergei. “K voprosu ob apokastasise padshikh dokhov.” In Bulgakov, Nevesta Agntsa: O bogochelovechestve. Paris: YMCA Press, 1945.
Bulgakov, Sergei. “Khozyaystvo i teurgiya.” In Bulgakov, Svet nevechernyj: Sozertsaniya i umo-zreniya. Vol. 1. Moskva: Inapress/Iskusstwo, 1999.
Bulgakov, Sergei. Światło wieczności: Medytacje i spekulacje. Translated by Jacek Chmielewski. Kęty: Wydawnictwo Marek Derewiecki, 2010.
Evdokimov, Paul. “Od śmierci do życia.” In Szalona miłość Boga. Translated by Małgorzata Kowalska. Białystok: Bractwo Młodzieży Prawosławnej, 2001.
Evdokimov, Paul. Prawosławie. Translated by Jerzy Klinger. Warszawa: Instytut Wydawniczy Pax, 1964.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Budushche astronomii.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 2. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1995.
Fedorov, Nikolai. Filozofia wspólnego czynu. Translated by Cezary Wodziński and Michał Milczarek. Kęty: Wydawnictwo Marek Derewecki, 2012.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Ni egoizm, ni altruizm, a rodstvo!” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 2. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1995.
Fedorov, Nikolai. Nikolai Fedorov to Vladimir Kozhevnikov, December, 1887. In N. F. Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 4. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 2005.
Fedorov, Nikolai. Nikolai Fedorov to Vladimir Kozhevnikov, July 8–12, 1898. In N. F. Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 4. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 2005.
Fedorov, Nikolai. Nikolai Fedorov to Vladimir Kozhevnikov, December 2–3, 1898. In N. F. Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 4. Edited by Anastasia Ga-cheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/ Evidentis, 2005.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “O bratskikh pomochakh i tolokakh.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 3. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1997.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “О pravoslavii i simbole very.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 2. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1995.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Ob ograshchenii oruzhiya, t.e. orudyy istreblenya w orudiya spaseniya.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 2. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Tradit-siya/Evidentis, 1995.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Supramoralizm, ili wsyeobshchyy sintez.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1995.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Syn Chelovecheskiy, ili prevrashcheniye dvenadtsati smertonosnykh voprosov v dvenadtsat’ zhe voprosov, zhizn’ prinosyashchikh.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 3. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1997.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Vnutrennaya regulatsiya ili preobrazhene zhyvushchikh.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 3. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1997.
Fedorov, Nikolai. “Vopros o bratstve, ili rodstve, i prichinach niebratskogo, nerodstvennego, nierodstwiennogo, t.e. nemirnogo, sostoyaniya mira i sredstvakh k vosstanovle-niyu rodstva.” In Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Evidentis, 1995.
Florovsky, Georgy. “Creation and Redemption.” In Florovsky, Collected Works. Vol. 3. Belmont, Nordland Publishing, 1976.
Florovsky, Georgy. “Puti russkogo bogosloviya.” In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N.F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2004.
Gavryushin, Nikolai. “Voskreshchenie chaemoe ili voskhishchaemoe? O religioznykh vozzrenyakh N. F. Fedorova.” Bogoslovskie trudy, no. 24 (1983): 242–59.
Golovanenko, Sergey. “Filosofiya obshchago dela.” Bogoslovskij vestnik 3, no. 12 (1913): 832–43.
Hamalis, Perry T. “The Meaning and Place of Death in an Orthodox Ethical Framework.” In Thinking Through Faith: New Perspectives from Orthodox Christian Scholars. Edited by Aristotle Papanikolaou and Elizabeth H. Prodromou. New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2008.
Isaac de Syrie. Sentences, un trésor de sagesse. Translated by Michel Hotman de Velliers. Paris: Éditions Saint-Irénée, 1949.
Jan Chryzostom. “Homilia Wielkanocna.” In Jerzy Klinger, O istocie prawosławia: Wybór pism. Warszawa: Instytut Wydawniczy Pax, 1983.
Jędrysko, Cezar. “Fiodorow po raz pierwszy.” Kultura i Wartości, no. 14 (2015): 167–73.
Jung, Carl Gustav. Wspomnienia, sny, myśli. Translated by Robert Reszke and Leszek Kolankiewicz. Warszawa: Wrota, 1999.
Kant, Immanuel. “Idea powszechnej historii w aspekcie kosmopolitycznym.” In Kant, Rozprawy z historii filozofii. Translated by Tomasz Kupś. Kęty: Antyk, 2005.
Kant, Immanuel. Religia w obrębie samego rozumu. Translated by Aleksander Bobko. Kraków: Homini, 2007.
Kozhevnikov, Vladimir. Vladimir Kozhevnikov to Nikolai Peterson, August 20, 1913. In N. F. Fedorov: Pro et Contra. K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N. F. Fedorova. Antologia. Vol. 2. Edited by Svetlana Semenova and Anastasia Gacheva. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkoy khristiannskoy gumanitarnoy akademii, 2008.
Łosski, Włodzimierz. Teologia dogmatyczna. Translated by Henryk Paprocki. Białystok: Bractwo Młodzieży Prawosławnej, 2000.
Medzibrodszky, Alexandra. N. F. Fedorov’s Place in Russian Intellectual History. Budapest: Central European University, 2014.
Milczarek, Michał. Z martwych was wskrzesimy: Filozofia Nikołaja Fiodorowa. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, 2013.
Nikitin, Valentin. “Ucheniye N. F. Fedorova i glavnye khristianskiye ispovedaniya.” In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N. F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2004.
Orygenes. O zasadach. Translated by Stanisław Kalinkowski. Warszawa: Akademia Teologii Katolickiej, 1979.
Paramonov, Boris. Russkij evropeets Nikolay Fedorov. Radio Svoboda. https://www. svoboda.org/a/438207.html .
Peterson, Nikolai. Nikolai Peterson to Еvgeny Trubetskoy, July 21, 1913. In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N. F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 2. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2008.
Pietras, Henryk. “Apokatástasis według Ojców Kościoła: nadzieja nawrócenia czy powszechna amnestia?” Collectanea Theologica 63, no. 3 (1992): 21–41.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. “Rozprawa o pochodzeniu i podstawach nierówności między ludźmi.” In Rousseau, Trzy rozprawy z filozofii społecznej. Translated by Henryk Elzenberg. Warszawa: PWN, 1956.
Schelling, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph. Filozoficzne badania nad istotą ludzkiej wolności i sprawami z tym związanymi. Translated by Bogdan Baran. Kraków: Inter Esse, 1990.
Schmemann, Alexander. O Death Where is Thy Sting? New York: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2003.
Semenova, Svetlana. “Filosofiya voskresheniya N. F. Fedorova.” In Nikolai Fedorov, Sobranie sochinenii v chetyrekh tomakh. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasia Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Moskva: Izdatel’skaya gruppa Progess/Traditsiya/Eviden-tis, 1995.
Semenova, Svetlana, and Anastasya Gacheva. “Filosof budushchego veka (lichnost’, uchenye, sud’ba idei).” In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N. F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2004.
Solovyov, Vladimir. Vladimir Solovyov to Nikolai Fedorov, January 12, 1882. In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N. F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and. Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2004.
Solovyov, Vladimir. Vladimir Solovyov to Nikolai Fedorov, June–July 1882. In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 letiyu so dnya smerti N.
F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 1. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Se-menova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2004.
Szczur, Piotr. “Dzieło stworzenia w Homiliach na Księgę Rodzaju św. Jana Chryzostoma.” Biblica et atristica Thoruniensia, nr 4 (2011): 321–39.
Tanzella-Nitti, Giuseppe. “Two Books Prior to the Scientific Revolution.” Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 57, no. 3 (2005): 235–48.
Tomasz z Akwinu. Suma teologiczna. Vol. 33. Zmartwychwstanie ciał. Translated by Pius Bełch. London: Veritas, 1983.
Tomasz z Akwinu. Suma teologiczna. Vol. 34. Rzeczy ostateczne. Translated by Pius Bełch. London: Veritas, 1986.
Тrubetskoy, Еvgeny. Еvgeny Тrubetskoy to Nikolai Peterson, July 21, 1913. In N. F. Fedorov, Pro et Contra: K 175 letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya i 100 leityu so dnya smerti N. F. Fedorova; Antologia. Vol. 2. Edited by Anastasya Gacheva and Svetlana Semenova. Sankt Peterburg: Izdatel’stvo Russkogo Khristianskogo gumanitarnogo instituta, 2008.
Тrubetskoy, Еvgeny. “Neskol’ko slov o Solovyove i Fedorove (Otvet N. P. Petersonu).” Voprosy filosofii i psikhologii, no. 4 (1913): 412–26.
Ware, Kallistos. Prawosławna droga. Translated by s. Nicolaia of Communauté monastique féminine Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Protection in Bussy-en-Othe. Białystok: Bractwo Młodzieży Prawosławnej, 1999.
Zenkovsky, Vasily. A History of Russian Philosophy. Translated by Richard Kline. Vol. 2. New York: Columbia UP, 1951.
Żylina-Chudzik, Julia. Mikołaj Fiodorow i jego “filozofia wspólnego czynu.” Part 3. https://minos-minal-omfalos.blogspot.com/2013/03/mikoaj-fiodorow-i-jego-filozofia.html.
