Russian Sophiology and the Philosophers of Will: The Theanthropic Theology of Solovyov and Bulgakov and their Critical Appropriation of German Voluntarism.

Abstract

This thesis explores potential theological contributions of Russian Sophiology. Its argument is twofold. First, it is argued that the Russian theologians’ development of the idea of God as eternal, divine-humanity in relation to Sophia enabled them to address both longstanding and contemporary theological problematics in bold and original ways. Second, it is argued that among the vastly diverse sources upon which Russian Sophiology drew, its critical reappropriation of elements of the German voluntarist tradition stands behind some of Sophiology’s most creative and controversial theological proposals. In order to demonstrate this twofold claim, this work is organized around the major systematic themes that form the Christian narrative of reality: Trinity-Christology, creation, fall, and eschatology. To limit our focus, the thought of Vladimir Solovyov and Sergius Bulgakov will be considered in relation to each of these themes, and the particular issues that attend them. It is argued that the theanthropic theology of divine-humanity is at work not only in their Christocentric redefinition of the Trinity, but also plays a critical role in the other theological loci surveyed. Furthermore, it will be argued that in each of these areas there is a critical appropriation of the voluntarist tradition, not only the sophiological theosophy of Jacob Boehme, but also the 19th century philosophers of Will: Friedrich Schelling, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Eduard von Hartmann. It is argued that the Russian theologians utilize this voluntarist legacy, particularly the metaphysical principle of an unconscious, impersonal, corporeal Will, not only in their development of the idea of God’s eternal divine-humanity, but also to explore the ultimate origins of matter and becoming, the nature of the fall and its connection to the evolutionary process, and the eschatological spiritualization of matter.