Sobornost as a Means of Anthropoidea in Russian Philosophical Thought

Abstract

In the present article the problem of seeking the purpose of life in the Russian religious thought is analyzed in the context of closely intertwined concepts, those of theodicy and sobornost. It is demonstrated that the meaning of life in Russian culture is interpreted as the spiritual salvation not only individual, but collective, which can be attained on the way of cooperation between Man and God. Hence, the key concept of Russian thought, sobornost, is originated. The article formulates two ways of interpretation of sobornost. The first one understands it as the means of overcoming the human incompleteness and isolation by unifying individuals with others and with God in the Church. It tends to counterpose the positive social order, the State, non-human in its essence, and the God-like church community of self-realized individuals. The second one, on the contrary, sees the ideal of sobornost realized in the Russian Orthodox Empire.