Political hesychasm?

Vladimir Petrunin's neo-byzantine interpretation of the social doctrine of the russian orthodox church

Kristina Stöckl

pp. 125-133

in: Janusz Dobieszewski (ed), Polish Studies in Russian religious philosophy, Studies in East European Thought 62 (1), 2010.

Abstract

Hesychasm is a Christian Orthodox mystical and ascetic tradition that has its roots in the monastic life of early Byzantium. It denotes a method of prayer and a way of life in monastic community, and it describes the overall process of orienting a person’s entire being towards an experience of the Divine.1Asceticism and experiences of self-transcendence are phenomena we encounter in every religion; suffice to think about Sufi Islam, Zen Buddhism or Yoga. Orthodoxy knows the practice of hesychasm, and what is indeed noteworthy about this is that Orthodoxy preserves a Christian ascetic and mystical tradition throughout history, whereas in Western Christianity forms of spiritual exercises and mysticism come to play a minor role. The twentieth century brings about a revival of interest in hesychasm both in Eastern as well as Western Christian theology, a revival that Sergej Khoružij describes as “anthropological turn in Christian theology” and connects with the names of Georgij...

Cited authors

Petrunin Vladimir