Abstract:
Nicolas Berdyaev’s spiritual autobiography was, unfortunately, the least well-known of his
publications. Therefore, we will try to shed light on it, emphasising its philosophical and
political value. We will describe the manner in which the author speaks in order to deepen our
understanding of it. We will also consider the genesis of some of his works, noting the influence
his spiritual experiences had on them. We will emphasise some of the main political aspects his
spiritual autobiography contains, showing its usefulness in areas like political theology.
Therefore, we will present the interdisciplinary value of this autobiography, together with its
potential for building bridges between spirituality and different areas of science (theology,
psychology, philosophy, politics, history, philology and possibly sociology) in an analysis
dedicated to providing a holistic understanding of his work. We will observe how his spiritual
experiences informed his way of thinking, allowing him to critique topics like modernity, a
system based on freedom, love and human dignity and a profound understanding of
eschatology as the accomplishment of the world and its mission.
CONTRIBUTION : The research investigates Berdyaev’s memorial work showing why it can
be considered a spiritual autobiography and it emphasises also its relevance for the
philosophical area.
Description:
Rev. Iuliu-Marius is
participating in the research
project, ‘Political Theology’,
directed by Dr Tanya van
Wyk, Department of
Systematic and Historical
Theology, Faculty of Theology
and Religion, University of
Pretoria.
