Chernyaev A.V. Nikolay Berdyaev's Mystical Intuitions

Abstract: In his article Chernyaev attempts to analyze interpretation of mystical problematics in Nikolay Berdyaev's writings. He demonstrates the development of this topic in the course of ideological evolution of the philosopher and performs contextualization of Berdyaev's interpretation of mystics in the historical-philosophical, religious and overall cultural environment of the Silver Age. Even though he did not claim to be a mystic, in his religious and philosophical works Nikolay Berdyaev appealed to the mystical experience of others. Berdyaev's intuitive interpretation of the nature and meaning of such mystical experience is the subject of the present research. In the course of his research Chernyaev has used the methods of textual, conceptual and comparative analysis; the main methodological principles include multidisciplinary approach and hermeneutic interpretation. The results of the research allow to conclude that Berdyaev interprets mystics as revolutionary to Orthodox church mysticism, and his subjective theory contains a lot of new findings compared to the Christian tradition. Even though Berdyaev had his own opinion on the matter, his views on mysticism reflected opinions of the intelligentsia of the Silver age whose typical features included the pursuance of religious revival and intellectual overcoming of Orthodox dogmatism.    

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