Dostoevsky’s Convictional Theology Expressed in His Life and Literature , livre ebook
315
pages
English
Ebooks
2021
Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne En savoir plus
Découvre YouScribe et accède à tout notre catalogue !
Découvre YouScribe et accède à tout notre catalogue !
315
pages
English
Ebooks
2021
Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne En savoir plus
Publié par
Date de parution
12 mars 2021
Nombre de lectures
1
EAN13
9781839734625
Langue
English
Poids de l'ouvrage
1 Mo
Fyodor Dostoevsky was not a theologian, and his books are not books of theology. However, there is a “living way” that emerges from the study of his life and work, convictions made manifest in the details of his own life and the lives of his characters.
Utilizing James William McClendon’s conception of biography as theology, Dr. Dumitru Sevastian explores the lived convictions that emerge from three distinct periods in Dostoevsky’s life, the pre-Siberian, Siberian, and post-Siberian, each represented by one of his novels, The Poor Folk, The House of the Dead, and The Brothers Karamazov. What emerges is a powerful expression of faith formed in community and tempered in suffering, an example relevant to all Christians seeking to model their lives and relationships on the dying and resurrected Christ.
Voir
Utilizing James William McClendon’s conception of biography as theology, Dr. Dumitru Sevastian explores the lived convictions that emerge from three distinct periods in Dostoevsky’s life, the pre-Siberian, Siberian, and post-Siberian, each represented by one of his novels, The Poor Folk, The House of the Dead, and The Brothers Karamazov. What emerges is a powerful expression of faith formed in community and tempered in suffering, an example relevant to all Christians seeking to model their lives and relationships on the dying and resurrected Christ.
Publié par
Date de parution
12 mars 2021
EAN13
9781839734625
Langue
English
Poids de l'ouvrage
1 Mo
Working on the life and writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky, Dumitru Sevastian has produced an instructive exercise in reconstruction of this inuential Russian writer’s theology. e book employs James Wm. McClendon’s “biography as the-ology” approach which provides the necessary interpretive lenses through which Dr Sevastian discovers Dostoevsky’s convictions and the communities which stood behind them and shaped them. is book demonstrates how life events and communities of inuence leave their imprint on one’s convictions and em-bedded theology. is is a good example of how to do theology biographically. Oleksandr Geychenko, PhD Rector, Odesa eological Seminary, Odesa, Ukraine
It was a pleasure to read this systematically worked through material by Dumitru Sevastian of Dostoevsky’s novels. Oen I have looked at the question of Dostoevsky and his faith struggles and convictions, reecting more per-sonally on the Eastern European context and Christianity. is research, that speaks so well to an Eastern Slavic soul, has helped me to see a clearer picture of Dostoevsky and his faith. I very much look forward to seeing this disserta-tion as a book to be read by many others. Peter Penner, D, Dr Habil Director of Advanced Studies, Euro-Asian Accrediting Association
Dr. Dumitru Sevastian’s book is excellent research, showing a new perspective on the theology of Dostoevsky through his life experiences and convictions. It is an investigation of character in community through Dostoevsky’s main books (e Poor Folk,e House of the Deadande Brothers Karamazov). Dr. Sevastian has demonstrated how the convictional theology of Dostoevsky can be an example for the life and mission of modern people living in dierent cultures. Sergiy Sannikov, PhD Emeritus President, Euro-Asian Accrediting Association
Dostoevsky’s Convictional eology Expressed in His Life and Literature
Dumitru Sevastian
© 2021 Dumitru Sevastian
Published 2021 by Langham Monographs An imprint of Langham Publishing www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK www.langham.org
ISBNs: 978-1-83973-202-7 Print 978-1-83973-460-1 ePub 978-1-83973-461-8 Mobi 978-1-83973-462-5 PDF
Dumitru Sevastian has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identied as the Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Requests to reuse content from Langham Publishing are processed through PLSclear. Please visit www.plsclear.com to complete your request.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
Translations of Russian quotations are the author’s own unless otherwise indicated.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-1-83973-202-7
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and an author’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth here or in works referenced within this publication, nor can we guarantee technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.
Contents
Abstract................................................................................................................ ix
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ xi
Abbreviations ....................................................................................................xiii Chapter 1 .............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction 1.1 Foreword................................................................................................1 1.2 Moldavian Contemporary Society .....................................................1 1.3 Moldavian Church – Its Mission and Vision ....................................8 1.4 Survey of Criticisms of Dostoevsky’s Religious Views ..................13 1.5 Convictional eology.......................................................................18 1.6 e Structure of the Study.................................................................21 1.7 Conclusion ..........................................................................................22 Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................ 23 Pre-Siberian Period: e Quest 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................23 2.2 Dostoevsky’s Convictions Shown in His Own Life During the Pre-Siberian Period .....................................................................23 2.2.1 Under Family Inuence (1821–1834)...................................24 2.2.2 e Academy of Engineers (1834–1843)..............................36 2.2.3 Merging into Literary-Political Circles (1843–1849)..........51 2.2.4 Imprisonment (1849)..............................................................62 2.3 eological Motifs ine Poor Folk.............................66.................... 2.3.1 e Perfect World....................................................................67 2.3.2 e Distorted World ...............................................................70 2.3.3 e Tragic End.........................................................................89 2.4 Conclusion ..........................................................................................92 Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................ 97 e Siberian Period: e Regeneration of Convictions 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................97 3.2 Dostoevsky’s Convictions Shown in His Own Life During the Siberian Period .............................................................................97 3.2.1 On the Way to Siberia (1850).................................................98 3.2.2 Katorga (1850–1854)...............................................................99
3.2.3 Service in the Tsar’s Army (1854–1859).............................104 3.3 eological Motifs ine House of the Dead................................106 3.3.1 e Sinfulness of Man...........................................................107 3.3.2 Freedom..................................................................................121 3.3.3 e Image of God in Each Person.......................................129 3.3.4 Repentance – e Only Way to a Radical Life Change ....135 3.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................142
Chapter 4 .......................................................................................................... 147 Post-Siberian Period: Self Sacrice 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................147 4.2 Dostoevsky’s Convictions Shown in His Own Life During the Post-Siberian Period..................................................................147 4.2.1 Arrival in Petersburg (1859–1863)......................................148 4.2.2 Signicant Losses (1863–1866) ...........................................153 4.2.3 Success and Acknowledgement (1867–1881) ....................156 4.3 eological Motifs ine Brothers Karamazov............................168 4.3.1 e Sinfulness of Man...........................................................169 4.3.2 e Image of God in Every Person .....................................182 4.3.3 Faith in God ...........................................................................190 4.3.4 Rebellion against God...........................................................199 4.3.5 Christ-Like Living of Life .....................................................205 4.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................217 Chapter 5 .......................................................................................................... 221 Dostoevsky’s eology 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................221 5.2 Synthesis of His Life and Writings .................................................221 5.2.1 Scripture .................................................................................221 5.2.2 Christ.......................................................................................223 5.2.3 Man .........................................................................................226 5.2.4 Redemption............................................................................230 5.2.5 e Church.............................................................................232 5.3 Conclusion ........................................................................................234 Chapter 6 .......................................................................................................... 235 Inuence of Dostoevsky’s eology on Society 6.1 Introduction ......................................................................................235 6.2 Inuence of Dostoevsky’s eology on the Society of His Time........................................................................................236 6.2.1 Inuence on Slavophilism: K. Leontiev..............................236 6.2.2 Inuence on Westernism: M. Antonovich .........................244
6.2.3 Inuence on the Narodnik Movement: N. Mikhailovskiy ...................................................................250 6.2.4 Inuence on Radical Christian inkers: V. Soloviev ......255 6.3 Inuence of Dostoevsky’s eology on a Baptistic Community.......................................................................261 6.3.1 Faith in God ...........................................................................261 6.3.2 Rebellion against God...........................................................263 6.3.3 On the Way to God ...............................................................264 6.3.4 Life in God..............................................................................265 6.3.5 e Mission of the Christian ...............................................268 6.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................269 Chapter 7 .......................................................................................................... 271 Conclusion: e Challenge of Dostoevsky’s “Christ’s Way” for the MECBC 7.1 Introduction ......................................................................................271 7.2. Challenge for the Life of the MECBC...........................................272 7.3. Challenge for the Mission of the MECBC in Its Orthodox Context ...........................................................................276 7.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................281 Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 283
Abstract
e theology of F. M. Dostoevsky is the focus of this investigation. Quite oen the theology of Dostoevsky has been viewed with a desire to dene Dostoevsky as one of “them” or as “foreign” to Russia. In assessing his beliefs, researchers oen came from their personal viewpoints of acceptance or re-jection of those beliefs. e present research proposes a new perspective. It focuses on the expression of theology in the life experiences and convictions of Dostoevsky as revealed in his own personal context and in his writings. It is an investigation of character in community. e book divides logically into seven chapters: following an introduction in chapter 1, the rst part of chapters 2–4 investigates the life of Dostoevsky. For this task primary sources were used: F. M. Dostoevsky’s memos and note-books; “Diary of a Writer”; a collection of his letters; memoirs of his wife and daughters; and reminiscences of Dostoevsky’s co-workers, acquaintances and friends. e conclusions arising from the rst part show that Dostoevsky’s convictions changed from faith in God to disbelief in the pre-Siberian period, and then in the Siberian period his convictions changed again with a return to faith in Christ. In the post-Siberian period Dostoevsky’s life of faith can be seen when he conquered many of his former doubts. During this period “Christ’s Way” was the dominant image in Dostoevsky’s life. e second part of chapters 2–4 investigates three of Dostoevsky’s novels: e Poor Folk,e House of the Deadande Brothers Karamazov. e motifs of these books are evidence of his theology. e primary sources which were used in this part are these three novels. In these novels Dostoevsky illustrated a deep and implicit theology in some detail by using the life stories of the characters in his novels.
ix
