1) Епископ Феофан.

Works by “Reverend. Theophan" 54 with remarkable completeness, closeness and accuracy reflect the spirit and character of the patristic ascetic worldview, which was the subject of his especially careful comprehensive study and constant unremitting attention. A wonderful, rare and outstanding expert in ascetic writing, Rev. Feofan reflected its features not only in his numerous creations, but also in his life, testing the truth of the ascetic basic premises with his own spiritual experience. Ascetic works of Sts. They had fathers for the bishop. Theophan not only has deep theoretical interest, but also immediate importance for life itself, in which the main principles of the patristic worldview were carried out by him with all possible consistency and completeness. This circumstance lies in the special, rare value of the bishop’s works. Feofan for every researcher of the ascetic worldview. To the Reverend Feofan - at least partly the words of the teacher are applicable. Macarius of Egypt: “those who have within themselves the Divine wealth of the spirit, if they communicate spiritual teaching to someone, then, as if bringing out their own treasure, they give it to them” (a word about love. Chapter V. Outline of Christian moral teachings, p. 220). At the same time, and what is also especially important, Rev. Theophan was influenced not by one, even an outstanding and completely authoritative ascetic writer, not even by one particular group of them, expressing the features of only one or another direction of the ascetic worldview - no, his acquaintance with the ascetic patristic writing was outstanding not only in depth, but also in the breadth of the ascetic material he embraced, since it included almost all of the most outstanding ascetic Orthodox writers, starting with Anthony V. and ending with Gregory Palamas. 55 Excellent acquaintance Bishop. Theophan with a large number of the most outstanding, characteristic and important ascetic writers had the consequence of the penetration of the saint by their common spirit, the assimilation by them of the most significant, characteristic, basic features and salient aspects of their worldview, and everything subjective, individual, found in one or another ascetic writer, was naturally smoothed out, eliminated, or received its proper place and meaning, when compared with the worldview of other ascetic writers. This, at least, is the case with Rev. Feofana in the vast majority of cases, the opposite is only minor exceptions. Thus, the patristic ascetic worldview, which passed through the prism of deep and careful study of the bishop. Theophan, became, as it were, his own, so that his own worldview, without any exaggeration, can be called patristic - not only in its general spirit and basic content, but even in the very form of its expression and disclosure. The very way of presenting and revealing the ascetic worldview of Bishop. Feofana is completely alien to even a trace of abstraction, scholasticism, or dogmatic formalism. Rev. System Theophanes, in full agreement with the peculiarities of the patristic works, rests entirely on the psychological basis of real observations of the religious and moral life of man in its various moments, in various ways and forms of its expression and various stages of its development. The almost inexhaustible richness of the content of the bishop's work. Feofana is in complete harmony with the elegant simplicity of presentation. The artistic figurativeness of the language, achieved by the frequent use of expressive similarities and personifications, sharply and favorably distinguishes the works of Rev. Theophan from a number of other theological works and also very closely relates them to the patristic writings. Hence, the creations of Rev. Theophanes rise above the significance of the manual and approach the significance of one of the important and primary sources with which an Orthodox researcher must constantly monitor the correctness and accuracy of his understanding, interpretation and presentation of the ascetic worldview. Throughout our further research, we will repeatedly see factual evidence and detailed confirmation of our thought that the worldview of Bishop. Theophanes is a completely accurate, sometimes to the point of adequacy, reflection of the essential fundamental provisions of the patristic ascetic teaching. Having in mind, therefore, to present a documentary, accurate and detailed substantiation of our thesis in our dissertation itself, for each of its most significant and characteristic points, in our present preliminary essay we will limit ourselves to only a presentation and brief analysis of only the most basic provisions of the asceticism of Rev. Feofan, - we will only indicate its starting point and the main driving principle from which his entire system develops and with which it is all imbued. With such a beginning, penetrating the entire ascetic system of the bishop. Theophan, all his theological positions, which impart the basic tone to his entire worldview, should rightly be recognized as the doctrine of the assimilation by each individual person of the salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ. “Asceticism,” as a set of mandatory requirements, the best ways and the most perfect means of pleasing God, serves, in the general sense of the theology of the bishop. Theophan, only by the method, by which the transition is made from the region of sinful unregeneration to the sphere of Christ’s grace-filled heavenly kingdom. But the essence and features of any method are determined by the content and nature of the goal that is achieved by this method, for the sake of which all work is undertaken, produced and carried out. In other words, the concept of “asceticism” - in its Orthodox understanding and interpretation - can be derived, defined and established only on the basis of the most accurate analysis of the Orthodox teaching on salvation." “Asceticism” is included in the concept of “salvation” as one of its essential, composing and formative moments. Separating the Orthodox teaching on “asceticism” from the Orthodox teaching on “salvation” is not only undesirable, but downright impossible. This is the connection between these concepts in essence, this is how it appears in patristic and ascetic writing, and the same, in completely complete and exact agreement with the latter, it appears in the work of the Reverend. Feofan. Hence the main provisions of the Orthodox teaching on “salvation” in the system of theological views of Bishop. Theophanes must be understood as accurately and correctly as possible if we wish to understand the features of his teaching about the essence of Christian “asceticism”. The Right Reverend author deliberately and specifically deals with the disclosure of the Orthodox teaching about the essence, ways and means of assimilation by each person of the “salvation” accomplished by Jesus Christ in his essay entitled: “Letters to one person in St. Petersburg regarding the appearance there of a new teacher of the faith” (St. Petersburg, 1881), i.e., regarding the emergence and spread of Pashkovism, which is in essence Protestantism transplanted onto Russian soil. The main point of this teaching is the salvation of a person solely by faith in Christ alone, in addition to good deeds, on which the achievement of “salvation” in no case and in any sense does not depend and with which, therefore, it is not in any connection. Considering this teaching incorrect, erroneous, false, disastrous, the Reverend. Theophan, in mind and in connection with it, reveals the Orthodox teaching on salvation, with the goal of highlighting its specific features in comparison - mainly - with the Protestant view on the same subject. Ep. Theophan even offers an attempt to briefly, but, if possible, accurately formulate the essence of Orthodox teaching on this subject in the following words: “The beginning of a new life in Christ or the beginning of salvation is not given for nothing for faith, but is based on free movements of the spirit, according to faith, with the help of the grace of God... She will be saved not by faith, but by the intense activity of her powers, excited by faith, with the help of the grace of God.” 56 Analyzing the above formula, we find that it includes the following particular provisions. 1) the salvation of a person is an act of spiritual life that has a beginning and continuation, in other words, it is a religious and moral process. 2) accomplished by two factors - subjective and objective - the free, intense activity of the forces of the person himself and the grace that assists this activity, and 3) faith is necessary, precisely because it determines the intense activity of all the forces of man. In order to accurately understand this formula and correctly evaluate its merits, it is necessary to consider and analyze each of its basic concepts and determine their relationships. According to Bishop Theophan, the highest goal and final result of salvation, the essence and content of eternal life 57 lie in immediate and living, direct communication with God. 58 In order to achieve communion with God, to become capable of “participating in the divine nature,” 59 a person must cleanse himself of everything sinful, passionate and grossly sensual 60 and acquire the highest religious and moral perfection, “to adorn his soul with all sorts of virtues.” 61 “Purity of heart from everything sinful, 62 purity not only in words and deeds, but also in thoughts, feelings and aspirations” 63 and positive holiness - God-likeness - make a person capable of communication with God. 64 As a person achieves the state of “holiness,” his ultimate goal—communion with God—is gradually realized. 65 This realization is achieved gradually; it has a beginning, a continuation and an end. 66 Thus, “salvation” is achieved by man here on earth, although not in its entirety; “in all its lordship,” 67 in perfect, endless and unhindered development, it will become the inalienable property of a Christian only in the afterlife. In this case, the degree of bliss will be in exact accordance with one or another degree of human receptivity. “Everyone’s portion of bliss will be given as much as anyone can contain this bliss, and this capacity is determined by how someone has opened their nature to receive heavenly blessings. 68 Hence, although in enduring labors and hardships on the path of salvation, a Christian inspires himself with the desire and hope of receiving “reward” and achieving “heavenly bliss,” however, this happens and is observed only at the first stages of a person’s religious and moral development 69 and is only permissible in order to maintain and strengthen zeal to live holy and not succumb to sin; the main attention should be focused precisely on achieving holiness, purity of heart, 70 as the only and obligatory condition for the implementation of communion with God, as the supreme goal of man. Since only the conscious and free actions of the human condition have moral significance and, therefore, only they can determine and condition the state of “holiness,” then in the matter of assimilating “salvation,” every, even the smallest, deed must be done “consciously and according to one’s own personal effort, 71 “with unconstrained consciousness and freedom,” 72 “there is nothing mechanical in spiritual life.” 73 From this point of view, Rev. Theophan says that “man works out his salvation with the help of God’s grace. 74 The “salvation” of a person, both in general and in its particular moments, is accomplished by the inseparable interaction of human freedom and Divine grace, “by their mutual combination.” 75 Under the “grace” of the Divine bishop. Theophan, having rejected all scholastic subtleties and divisions, fully agrees with Holy Scripture 76 and the fathers of the church, he understands the Holy Spirit acting in people. The Holy Spirit enters into the closest unity with man, 77 enters with his “spirit” - with the highest, God-like side of his being - into inner, mysterious real communication. 78 “The guidance of the Spirit is not external, but comes from within, for the Spirit of God has been united with our spirit and acts from it.” 79 The Holy Spirit, who dwells in the depths of the human being, is the basis of grace, and human communication with the Holy Spirit is the essence of grace. 80 Dwelling in man, the Holy Spirit is a necessary, main, in the proper sense, creative force in the process of internal religious and moral transformation of man and his assimilation to Christ and God 81) 82). “The distinctive feature of the Christian life is that it is a life of grace.” 83 If it can be said that “man, with the help of grace, works out his own salvation,” then it is no less true that “the Holy Spirit working in us works out our salvation with us.” 84 The action of these two factors in salvation is “inseparable.” 85 That is why the Right Reverend Theophan, on the one hand, says that “in every turn of internal movements (feelings of sinfulness, repentance, faith, determination to live holy) the person himself acts “with his will and the exertion of his strength,” and on the other hand, he asserts that it is “the Holy Spirit that arouses feelings of sinfulness, repentance, and the decision to begin life properly.” 86 Likewise, in one place of the “Letters” it is said that a person, after baptism or repentance, “proceeds from the purpose of cleansing the soul and body from everything sinful, passionate and sensual, to build from his nature a worthy church to the Trinitarian God,” 87 while in another it is categorically stated that it is “grace that builds the believer into the habitation of God, cleansing him from everything passionate and sinful and adorning him with all kindness." 88 As for the question of how Bishop Theophan imagines the image of the relationship between grace and freedom, whether he recognizes the compatibility and simultaneity of their action or admits the sequential-variable nature of their relationship, it is difficult to answer this question with certainty, due to the existence of a dual coverage of this issue in the works of Bishop Theophan. According to His Grace Theophan, “the gift of faith is preceded by the desire for faith and the seeking of it.” 89 From a comparison of these words with the description of natural properties and the manifestation of the human “spirit”, as the highest side of human nature, it can be assumed that by “the desire for faith and the pursuit of it,” the saint means the manifestation of the abilities inherent in the “spirit” of man - the fear of God, conscience, the search for communion with God, with dissatisfaction with all created things. 90 One or another degree of development of these abilities makes a person capable or incapable of the influence of grace on him. A person’s readiness to follow a grace-filled calling, known to divine providence, serves, one might say, as a condition for the very action of grace on the soul. 91 The action of the Spirit of God on a person through the word of the gospel consists in exciting, strengthening, and reviving the natural good thoughts and feelings inherent in his “spirit.” 92 Under the influence of grace, a struggle begins in the soul of the one being called between the old acquired beliefs, inclinations and aspirations, and between those new ones that arose in him under the influence of grace. His will has not yet settled on one mood and alternately inclines towards sin, then rushes towards God. 93 What is the relation of grace to this process of shaping man's determination to follow its call? “On whom does this decision depend?” asks Bishop Theophan and answers: “on the person himself. He himself must pronounce it personally and willingly.” 94 Excitement does not complete the work of converting a sinner, but only begins it, and after it comes work on oneself and very difficult work.” 95 The grace of God, having revealed to man the love of God and the horror of sin, allows him to strive for this love and for holy communion with it. First, on the basis of inclinations and predispositions to determine in the direction of grace, which lies in the natural state of man, determination must be formed, “inclination of the will,” so that grace comes to the aid and helps to establish what the will is inclined towards. 96 So, according to the literal meaning of the expression of Bishop Theophan that we cited, the grace of God comes to the aid of a person only after he has independently formed the determination to follow the gracious call through the word of the gospel 97 grace “follows the will,” 98 “it consolidates,” 99 “tempers” the already formed decision. 100 In the same way, in subsequent Christian life, only “after a person has strained his strength to the possible limits, grace comes to his aid in completing the work, replenishing what is impoverished in his own strength, which is also God’s.” 101 With no less clarity and categoricalness, the same thought is affirmed in the following words: “Grace follows in the footsteps of will.” 102 It comes to the rescue only when a person has already exhausted all his strength. “But as he grows stronger and sees some success, let no man dream that he himself, through his own efforts, can reach the end of what he is looking for. And he cannot completely conquer a small passion, not just a large one, and especially all (passions). In general, cleansing the soul and body from passions is a matter of grace. 103 “Grace (after baptism) is already inherent (in man), but it will act after personal movements, replenishing their powerlessness with its strength.” 104 “It is true that grace accomplishes everything and is always ready with its help, but it always acts in connection and agreement with the inclinations of the will of man. She comes to the aid of the worker when he does not have enough strength to complete any task.” 105 “The Spirit of God transforms our inner structure, but not by creative power and strength alone, but by following the conscious and free decisions of the person himself and in accordance with them.” 106 Along with these and similar expressions, testifying to the sequentially variable nature of the relationship between freedom and grace, in the work under consideration we also find thoughts of a different nature, asserting with no less categoricalness the compatibility and simultaneity of the action of these two factors. Here are the most specific ones. “Grace and freedom, combined into one, act inseparably throughout the entire course of life.” 107 In the working out of salvation by each... everything is done by the interaction of freedom and grace. Salvation is sung by their inseparable action... A person, for his part, strains all his strength, but it is not he who does the work, but the grace that is co-present with him - without it, he will not do anything.” 108 The key, if not to a complete and completely reliable, then, in any case, to a probable resolution of the bewilderment regarding Bishop Theophan’s true view of the image of the relationship between grace and freedom, seems to us, to be given by the following passage from his “Letters.” “If there were no will, the grace of God will not, by its own power, against the will, produce that which should depend on the movement of will... Grace remains inseparable from freedom, assisting and strengthening desires and strength in the cause of salvation, but never touching the sanctuary of freedom - its arbitrary choice and inclination.” 109 From the above excerpt the conclusion follows that, according to His Grace Theophan, a person’s determination to follow Christ and the choice of good in subsequent Christian life depend entirely on a person’s freedom; grace does not, so to speak, exert any pressure on the inclination of the will towards good. The free determination of a person, or more precisely, the real ability for it, known to divine foreknowledge, serves as a necessary preliminary condition for grace to contribute to the formation of this decision 110 and strengthen it, 111 - but preliminary only logically, and not in time: otherwise Bishop Theophan could not say that “the Holy Spirit awakens the decision to live correctly.” 112 In the same way, when a person performs, or, more precisely, attempts to perform a good deed, grace assists his forces only in the case when, on the part of the person, the tension of these forces “occurs to the highest degree, such as our nature can bear.” 113 Thus, the tension of a person’s forces is a condition for their strengthening by grace, the joint action of grace with them, but again the condition is only, so to speak, logically, and not temporarily preceding. This can be seen from those words of Bishop. Theophan, which categorically affirms the joint and inseparable nature of the action of freedom and grace. 114 Wanting to highlight the idea that a person participates with his own strength in every act of salvation, that without tension their grace does not help a person - having the intention, therefore, to note the logical precedence of the objective factor by the subjective, Bishop Theophan, for polemical purposes, for clarity, uses such expressions that apparently testify to the temporary precedence of grace by freedom. Thus, we are inclined to the assumption that Bishop Theophan allows for the simultaneous nature of the action of freedom and grace, 115 - in this case, quite accurately expressing the patristic teaching on this subject. Hence, it should be recognized that the expression of the formula about the significance of grace in the matter of man’s assimilation of salvation is not entirely accurate in essence, according to which it has only a secondary, “auxiliary” significance, while the main, primary one is attributed, as it were, to the powers of man: in reality, according to Orthodox teaching, these two factors are equivalent. From the same point of view, the definition of the meaning of “faith” in the assimilation of salvation by a person should be considered successful in the formula under consideration: “The beginning of a new life in Christ is not given for nothing for faith, but is established by the free movements of the spirit, according to faith.. It is sung not by faith, but by the intense activity of human powers, excited by faith.” By faith, Bishop Theophan means the heartfelt acceptance and content of revealed truths in all their completeness and integrity, 116 in full agreement with the teachings of the church. 117 The use of the term under discussion in this meaning, and hence the definition of the meaning and role of faith in the process of man’s assimilation of salvation, sharply distinguishes the work of Bishop Theophan from a number of other theological systems. Usually, theologians give the concept of faith, in comparison with Bishop Theophan, a broader and more special meaning - the meaning of “the complete devotion of a person to the Person of the Savior of the world in all his thoughts, feelings and behavior,” 118 or “the complete attraction and aspiration of the believing soul to the highest object of his faith - God or love for Him, elevating it to internal and living communion and unity with Him.” 119 Both usages of words can equally find justification and sanction in the Holy Scriptures and in the writings of the church fathers. Along with the meaning of confidence, 120 both in Holy Scripture 121 and among the church fathers, the word “faith” is also used to mean the holistic mood of a person’s soul, complete devotion to Christ. His Eminence Theophan himself sometimes – and not rarely – expands the concept of “faith” to the second meaning we indicated. 122 If so, then the predominant use of the concept of “faith” in the narrow sense of “heartfelt confidence” and its introduction with this very meaning into the formula can be explained exclusively by polemical purposes: for the convenience of distinguishing between the Orthodox and Pashkovian understanding of the method of assimilation of salvation, Bishop Theophan takes the term “faith” in the narrow meaning that the Pashkovites gave it, 123 and assigns it its proper place in the Orthodox understanding of the process of salvation. But, despite this accident, this word usage has an undeniable advantage over the other - broad - and contributes to a clearer and more prominent expression of the features and shades of the Orthodox teaching about the method and factors of a person’s assimilation of salvation. The advantage of this terminology is that it makes it possible to define the meaning of “belief” at the very beginning of the human acquisition process. This is understandable. Only “faith”, in the sense of “heartfelt affection”, is and can be inherent in a person in the first steps of his moral development and even in his subsequent Christian life, 124 while “faith”, in the sense of a stable disposition of the soul, embracing all its powers, already constitutes the completion of Christian life when it is lived by a member of the Church in complete unity with the latter and in the sphere of its grace-filled means; The moral development of a Christian finds both its expression and its fruit in the strengthening and growth of faith. 125 Thus, the basis for expanding the original concept of faith is that faith, as a heartfelt confidence, developing normally under favorable conditions and complicated by the mental states that arise due to its influence on the mental life of a person, forms precisely that complex mental phenomenon that is described by our theologians under the name of “saving faith.” 126 The use of the concept of “faith” in a broad sense is quite convenient and appropriate only in those cases when the goal is to present the matter of assimilation of “salvation” in a general, so to speak, perspective, to illuminate it from a fundamental perspective, for the purpose of which it is necessary to indicate only a characteristic moment of this process. In such cases, the terminology under consideration finds a place both in the Holy Scriptures (especially in Apostle Paul, when he sought to note the Christian principle of assimilation of salvation, in contrast to the Judaistic principle of acquiring “one’s own” righteousness) and in the fathers of the church, when they meant to present the process of assimilation of salvation in its entirety, in the overall picture, without setting out to highlight its gradual procedural nature. But when we are talking specifically about the process of assimilation of salvation by a person, then it is more appropriate to use the term “faith” in the narrow, immediate meaning in which Bishop Theophan takes it in his formula. What, according to the formula, is the meaning of “faith” so understood in the process of a person’s assimilation of salvation? “The beginning of a new life in Christ or the beginning of salvation is not given for nothing for faith, but is presupposed by the free movements of the spirit, by faith”... It cannot be otherwise from the Orthodox point of view that communion with God requires likeness to God, religious and moral perfection - complete aversion from sin and a decisive, complete turn to God. “Faith,” understood in this sense, reveals to man the truth that God is ready to have mercy on the sinner and accept him into the fellowship of his love. 127 In man, under the influence of this confidence, a sincere and ardent desire is awakened in man to actually enter into union and communion with God. But one desire and readiness to turn to God does not in itself express a significant, fundamental change in the nature and personality of a person, and does not change his moral system. 128 In order to turn from sin and enter into a living union of love with God, it is not enough just to be sincerely convinced of the mercy and closeness of God the Savior, but it is necessary to give a completely different course and character to your entire religious and moral life, to rebuild it on completely new principles. 129 Man is convinced that his salvation lies only in God; now he must with all his being and truly strive for holy communion with God, and do for his part everything that depends on him. Since any, even sincere, belief can actually turn out to have no influence on the will, there is no doubt that the initial “faith” may not affect the moral structure of a person’s life. 130 In order for “faith” to actually have a fundamental influence on changing the entire religious and moral life of a person, he must “voluntarily and self-willingly” pronounce a “decision by faith.” “Neither faith determines him necessarily, nor does God force him against his will.” 131 Faith serves as an impetus, 132 foundation, 133 i.e., an incentive, a motive for a religious and moral revolution - its animating, penetrating and directing principle; however, in the matter of salvation, it is this latter that is important. “The decision to give up sin and begin a holy life is the main moment in the matter of conversion, the root, the source.” 134 “Consciousness and will, passing over to the side of good, with its love, strikes with hatred all evil and all passion, and, moreover, its own.” 135 The essence of the religious and moral side of revival lies in the determination to serve God from here. “This determination, which embraces the entire being of one who approaches the Lord with faith and is baptized, is the new man. 136 Rebirth “does not happen mechanically; it is preceded by a decision of the will, which is sealed by grace; hence the moral renewal, conscious and felt. 137 It is this determination to leave sin forever and serve from here entirely to God alone that grace actually affirms in baptism. 138 In the said “determination” the truly mysterious union of freedom and grace takes place. “For the sake of this decision by faith, the grace of God enters inside, through the sacrament, and combining there with the spirit of man, holding that decision and tempering this decision, lays down the seed and embryo of a new spiritually grace-filled life.” 139 The instrument for the perception of grace is not “faith” in itself, but the free, sincere, firm and irrevocable determination of a person - or more precisely, faith, but since it conditions, causes and supports precisely this determination and ensures its actual implementation in a person’s life. “The movement of faith is a complete revolution of everything internal. 140 “Faith marks a great revolution in the believer, and a great change in God’s attitude towards him. In the believer, the quality begins to love all righteousness and hate all lawlessness, for the sake of love for the Lord.” 141 “Faith is the most sublime act of the spirit and is the fruit of love, or sincere, living communication with God and disappearance in Him with the heart.” 142 “It is impossible to sincerely believe without being ready to do everything, and it is impossible to believe or keep faith without unremitting work in the spirit of faith,” 143 since “faith embraces the entire nature of man.” 144 The essence of rebirth, from the moral side, lies, therefore, in a radical change in a person’s life definition, in a rearrangement of the volitional center of gravity. 145 In a sinful man the soul and flesh predominate; in a regenerate man the spirit predominates. 146 The morally free revolution of a person consists in the fact that the sinful past loses its defining power for him, becomes alien to him, and arouses in him no longer sympathy, but decisive disgust. 147 Sin, as a property of a person’s past life, is literally blotted out and destroyed by grace if a person has sincerely turned away from it, if he has broken all ties with the sinful past through the firm determination of his will. 148 “Only the sins of the repentant and the believer are not imputed, but are blotted out in him.” 149 If “justification,” “rebirth,” and “sanctification” of a person necessarily presuppose a moment of personal, conscious, free-moral participation of the person himself, the essence of which lies in aversion from sin and total aspiration to God, then further success in the process of religious and moral Christian improvement is certainly determined by the free will of a person - to follow the vow given at baptism, to remain or not to remain faithful to the once made decision - to serve God and avoid sin. 150 Why, “anyone can fall, no matter how high a level of perfection he stands.” 151 “In baptism lies” only the “beginning” of salvation. 152 “The determination” to destroy everything unnatural and achieve god-like perfection “is only the beginning of the matter,” 153 - the beginning of a gradual, consistent process of religious and moral improvement. This is understandable. The baptized person has “spiritual objects in his thoughts and spiritual deeds in his intentions,” 154 but not yet in their actual implementation - the actual implementation of these intentions is only a matter of the future. The gracious kingdom of Christ began in man, but has not yet penetrated his entire nature, has not transformed it, has not made it completely like itself. 155 “Zeal for a good Christian life does not combine in itself all good dispositions, but is only their seed, conception and embryo. Just as a seed grows and eventually produces a stem and branches, so zeal (for salvation) finally grows into good dispositions. 156 On the other hand, “sin is hated in the spirit, but the body and soul sympathize with it, cling to it, because they are clothed with passions. The good or the will of God is loved in the spirit, but the body and soul do not sympathize with it, turn away from it, or, if this is not the case, do not know how to do it.” 157 Therefore, a person will have to struggle with the remnants of his former sinful dispensation, with passionate habits, with habits in general to live according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. 158 In baptism, man gained the first significant and, one might say, decisive victory over sin, 159 in “a general battle with it.” 160 But in order to finally triumph over sin, it is necessary to expel it completely from one’s nature, from all peripheries; human personality - you need to completely free, cleanse your soul and body from the slightest remnants of the “old man”, from the slightest attacks of sinful selfishness. 161 In the future life of a Christian after baptism, he will therefore have to face a continuous and constant feat of non-stop, gradual cleansing from sinful impurities, tireless and endless work of further improvement on all sides of the personality - he will have to ascend from infancy to the age of “a perfect husband”; the end of this ascent is God-likeness, as the possibility and ability for holy communion with God. 162 “The power of new birth and life begins to destroy sin in a person, and at the same time destroy the consequences of sin - the disorder of the forces and parts of the being, or restore in him true life, which multiplies in him, grows, passes from strength to strength and fills him with joy. And here, having been worthy to receive the spirit of life, he will live forever, for the second death will not have power over him.” 163 The consciously free active participation of the person himself in this process constitutes its necessary condition and mandatory assumption, apart from which this process of religious and moral life cannot begin, much less continue. Faith, which brings all a person’s powers into constant active tension, constitutes the basis and essence of the personal moment of a Christian’s actual participation in his assimilation of the salvation of Christ. The internal work of a blessed person in the indicated direction finds its expression, manifestation and implementation in “good deeds”. What is the mutual relationship between “faith” and “good deeds”, according to Bishop Theophan? “Salvation comes from good works, but it is impossible to succeed in good works as one should without faith. Faith motivates to do good deeds, faith indicates them.” Why, “faith is an accomplice to good deeds. The main thing is business, and she is a benefit” 164. “It is impossible to sincerely believe without being ready to do everything, and it is impossible to believe or keep the faith without unflagging work in the spirit of faith.” 165 “The true life is the righteous life; but the righteous can live righteously only by faith. Without faith there is no true righteous life, and there is no salvation.” 166 But “faith, when alive and fiery, cannot hide in the heart without detection, but come out by itself in word, and in gaze, and in movement, and in deeds. So faith and its confession, in their truth, are inseparable.” 167 “Faith is the basis, the fulcrum and point of departure for love... Love expands on the basis of faith, multiplying like flowers in good soil.” 168 “Faith is the greatest feat, the highest of all feats, the root and basis of them.” 169 “Faith” is not a state that is acquired once and for all and does not depend on the will and disposition of a person; on the contrary, it most accurately reflects and imprints the general, basic and essential direction of a person’s entire life activity - his interests, requests, aspirations, aspirations, way of life and behavior. Thus, faith itself is supported, warmed, improved and revealed by feat, 170 by performing “good deeds.” That is why “a perfect deed is a step forward along the steps of moral perfection,” 171 Insisting on the need for “good deeds” for salvation, Bishop Theophan explains that in this regard they are necessary and important not in themselves, not as any merit, but only as a means of creating and strengthening the internal religious and moral mood, the state of God-likeness. 172 This is undoubtedly the meaning of the expression of the Reverend. Feofana: “one should be rich in good deeds, but one must take more care of good dispositions.” 173 Hence, “good works” in the proper sense cannot be called factors in achieving salvation, just as “faith” cannot be recognized as such. In the true and precise sense, such a subjective factor is the intense activity of human forces, aimed at achieving God-likeness, striving to achieve the closest unity with God, revealing itself in full and perfect agreement with the suggestions and guidance of grace, consistent with it in everything. 174 All “actions, exercises, labors” undertaken and carried out by a Christian for this purpose, “the common name is feat,” 175 i.e., in other words, using the Greek word instead of the Russian word, asceticism. 176 Thus, according to the general meaning of the teaching of Rev. Theophan, asceticism, “asceticism” has a very broad meaning: it embraces actually all consciously - free, intense human activity, aimed at assimilating the salvation of Christ, towards achieving God-like perfection, under the constant guidance of Divine grace. Only moments, individual aspects, characteristic and necessary manifestations of this “feat” of the entire Christian life are “faith” and “good deeds.” “Faith is the greatest feat, the highest of all feats, the root and basis of them.” 177 Thus, “asceticism” permeates all Christian life, giving a specific character to both “faith” and “good deeds” in their Orthodox understanding and interpretation. Consequently, according to the thought of Rev. Theophan, “asceticism,” asceticism are essential, obligatory, unconditionally necessary for the actual assimilation of the justification of Christ, for the achievement of likeness to God, which provides a person with the ability and receptivity to communion with God. From the revealed basic premises, from the very concept of the essence and conditions of the process of assimilation of Christ's salvation by each individual person, the inevitable conclusion follows that asceticism is mandatory for every Christian who wants to be a Christian not only in name. From this point of view, even the highest feats of Christian self-sacrifice are included in the circle of “duties” of a Christian if there are conditions that provide the possibility of the actual implementation of these feats and if, at the same time, this and not another way of behavior of a Christian in the most appropriate and direct way leads to the obligatory highest Christian goal - likeness to God and communion with God. However, isn’t the bishop shying away? Theophan from the severity of this conclusion, does he remain true to his basic principle when analyzing the Orthodox teaching “about duties, or commandments”, 178 “about advice” 179 and “indifferent actions”? 180 This point of Orthodox theology, in its essence, is very characteristic and especially accurately reflects in its disclosure the main premises of the doctrine of “salvation”, and therefore we turn to the analysis of the teaching of Bishop. Feofan on this issue. In this case, to our surprise, we meet at Rev. Feofan, apparently, some inconsistency, inconsistency. Starting to present and reveal this issue, Rev. The author speaks, apparently, fundamentally in the spirit of strict distinction and significant delimitation of the named phenomena of the moral field, in the sense usually accepted in theological systems of the scholastic direction. 181 “A deed that is commanded and, therefore, obligatory, differs from advice and action that is indifferent - it is distinguished by an internal or conscientious compulsion towards it... On the contrary, what is relied on in the form of advice, as the best, only pleasantly disposes one to oneself, but does not force us - in relation to actions that are indifferent, our moral feeling is indifferent, that is, it does not say anything about them: act as you want.” 182 However, a more detailed and thorough analysis of what can be called “advice” is given by Bishop. Feofan to the absolutely correct and indisputable conclusion that, in essence, “advice” is also “duty,” but only conditional, obligatory only for some Christians, subject to the presence of certain conditions. “There is an obligation in the council, but not such that the one who does not fulfill it becomes a criminal. He is only less perfect. 183 However, it is still impossible to stop and calm down at this point; it is necessary to continue the thought further. After all, “perfection” is a common Christian obligation, an unconditional requirement. 184 There is no reason to talk about the possibility of any relaxations, restrictions and exceptions, if we keep in mind the actual normal requirement, task, ideal. “It is more common for a Christian to choose everything that is best and most perfect, of course, if it is possible to fulfill it.” 185 A Christian “is distinguished by the fact that he always chooses what is different in his actions.” 186 From here follows a conclusion that not only weakens, but directly paralyzes all previous attempts by the Eminence to establish any fundamental difference between “advice” and “commandments.” According to the ep himself. Feofan, “in general, it is impossible to find a solid basis on which one could remove from us the obligation to choose the best... In general morality, outside of Christianity, it’s like this: in Christianity this should not happen. He who refuses the best degrades Christianity in himself and descends to the level of natural morality. You just need to remember: a) that this certainly concerns only the best, the perceived best, to which there is, moreover, full possibility; why it will become obligatory for the weak also, if you explain this to him: for then the reason why it is not fulfilled will remain only one’s reluctance; b) that this does not apply to the most important councils - celibacy and arbitrary poverty. It's definitely not "for everyone." 187 But why from the circle of “advices”, of which “in life” “there may be countless numbers”, 188 - in the indicated sense, only the two mentioned above are excluded - this is the question of Bp. Theophanes does not touch upon, and therefore does not resolve, the bewilderment aroused by this circumstance. Meanwhile, a more detailed and accurate theological analysis of precisely these two “advices,” which he himself calls “samples of advice,” 189 i.e., the most important, typical and characteristic “advices,” would be of fundamental importance in understanding the subject being revealed. The reader remains completely bewildered: how do “celibacy” and “voluntary poverty” actually relate to the general Christian demand for God-like perfection and how, on the other hand, should we look at Christian possession of property and Christian marriage? The mutual relationship between these states remains unclear. The author is hardly right when he recognizes the rich young man, who turned to Christ with a question about ways or means of achieving “eternal life,” as having actually fulfilled all the commandments necessary for salvation.” 191 An analysis of the Gospel accounts of this event, at least, does not authorize us to do so. In fact, the rich young man wanted to learn from Christ the conditions for achieving “eternal life” (Matthew 19:16). Christ in response names him the most important of the 10 commandments, indicating in their observance the means of obtaining “eternal life” (17–20). At the same time, what is especially important, the Lord takes the moral law contained in the 10 commandments, not in the form in which it was revealed by Him, clarified, supplemented and raised to the highest degree of perfection in the conversation on the mount, but in its former, Old Testament sense. What the young man preserved and fulfilled was, therefore, imperfect in view of Christ’s law, the new perfection commanded by him. When the young man, who was unable to rise to the level of fulfilling the demand proposed to him by Christ, sadly departed from the Lord, then Christ speaks of the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, undoubtedly referring primarily to the withdrawn young man. Consequently, although the young man always tried to preserve the commandments of the Old Testament law, he did not enter the Kingdom of Christ, which, in terms of moral requirements, represents an immeasurably higher level in comparison with the Old Testament law. The words of Christ: “if you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments” undoubtedly have an Old Testament meaning and are borrowed from the book of Deuteronomy: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, love the Lord your God, listen to His voice and cleave to Him; for this is your life.” 192 However, the Old Testament could not impart moral perfection to man, or better yet, man himself could not rise to the last level. “The law has not perfected anything.” 193 In fact, “the commandment given for life even served man “to death.” 194 This explains that the best people of the Old Testament did not feel satisfied in the state under the law, did not find tranquility and peace of conscience. The rich young man also belonged to such people. Despite all the sincerity of his desire to fulfill the Mosaic Law, he still felt unsatisfied and realized that his moral development was lacking something essential. It was for this sincerity of awareness of his imperfection and the desire for further development that Christ fell in love with the young man. 195 When the young man testified that he always kept the commandments, of course, of course, in the spirit of the Old Testament, and yet does not feel inner peace and satisfaction, does not consider himself worthy and involved in the “eternal life” sought and desired by him (this, undoubtedly, is the meaning of his question: “what is still lacking for me,” v. 20), then the Lord calls him to renounce wealth, indicating to him in this the replenishment of what is still missing for the eternal inheritance life, 196 realization of Christian perfection. 197 The ideal of perfection is universally binding for all Christians. 198 Therefore, the young man’s renunciation of wealth was not indicated to anything exceeding the necessary Christian requirements, but precisely these latter. This is especially evident from the fact that when the young man was unable to fulfill the instructions of the Savior, Christ speaks of the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, 199 obviously meaning in the closest image the rich young man who departed from the Lord with sadness, realizing himself unable to fulfill the condition specified by Christ to achieve what he was looking for, i.e. "eternal life." The fact that Christ expresses his instruction on renouncing wealth in a conditional form cannot mean that these words suggested something that was not obligatory for the young man, that he could accept or not accept. After all, the idea of ​​the need to keep the commandments, as a condition for achieving the Kingdom of Heaven, is also expressed in conditional form (v. 17). Why the general Christian demand for self-denial is expressed in relation to the young man in the form of an offer to distribute his property to the poor is explained by the fact that the young man not only did not fulfill the instructions of Christ, but also “left Him” with sadness. Consequently, he was attached to wealth, so addicted to it that he preferred it, albeit with sorrow, to the attainment of the kingdom of heaven. 200 That in the words: “if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give it to the poor”, of course, is not some special, highest perfection, but a necessary moral requirement; this, undoubtedly, comes from parallel passages in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. Here the words: “if you want to be perfect” are replaced by the expression: “you lack one thing,” 201 that is, you lack, of course, to achieve what the rich young man was looking for and what he asked about - “the kingdom of heaven.” If Christ promises the young man “treasure in heaven,” then this does not express the thought that the young man will receive any special, exceeding the usual, bliss. This expression obviously figuratively denotes the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven, in relation to the fact that the young man had to sacrifice entirely his earthly treasures, wealth, in order to achieve moral perfection, for the ease and convenience of following Christ. And to all his followers, without exception, Christ makes a demand: “do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” 202 The patristic comments of this Gospel narrative fully confirm the general meaning of the proposed exegesis. According to, for example, St. Gregory of Nyssa, “it is known from history that the young man was rich; I think that he was a man who loved the enjoyment of worldly pleasures and was covetous, for it is said that he was saddened by the advice to renounce the possession of his property, and did not dare to exchange it for eternal life.” 203 Basil the Great, in particular, reveals the idea that the rich young man undoubtedly did not fulfill the Gospel commandment to love his neighbors as himself. 204 As a result, it turns out that the so-called “advices” are “commandments”, obligations, but not for all people and under all circumstances, but only for some Christians, under certain conditions. “There are unconditional duties that a Christian person must fulfill, no matter who he is, and no matter what the circumstances; and there are conditional ones, obligatory only under certain conditions... For the one to whom they go, they have the force of unconditional ones, for they are nothing more than their closest application to his life.” 205 Some inconsistency in the bishop's judgments. Theophanes on this issue is explained, although not scientific, but highly respectable considerations, pastoral care for weak, not yet strong Christians, but still sincerely seeking salvation, the “kingdom of heaven.” “If all the best were an indispensable law, where would the weak be given, and who could not fall into despair about their salvation? “Meanwhile, when it is left in the form of advice, how comforting it is for a weak and timid spirit, and at the same time, how inspiring for a Christian who feels quite strong!” 206 And in such reasoning, Bishop. Theophan remains completely faithful to the patristic teaching, where the idea is also sometimes accepted that the distinction between “advice” and “commandments” actually refers to the presence among Christians of people who have not yet strengthened in spirit, with weak forces, whom the severity and unconditionality of moral demands could confuse and repel. St. Gregory the Theologian, blaming Julian for “forcing Christians to hold themselves to the very heights of virtue χριστιανούς), expresses the idea that in the Christian law something else is prescribed as necessary, so that those who do not observe it are exposed to danger; the other requirement is not necessary, but is left to free will, so that those who observe it receive honor and reward, and those who do not observe it do not incur any danger.” 207 In these words, apparently, the legal understanding of the matter of religious and moral improvement can find support. However, the words of the saint following the passage given above provide the key to understanding the issue in a different sense, compared to the one that can be presented directly. Gregory the Theologian, as a substantiation of his position, refers to the fact that it is impossible to prescribe by law what is not characteristic of everyone. 208 It is necessary to demand due perfection, but without going beyond the limits of wisdom and human strength characteristic of Christians. 209 The closeness of the above teaching of Gregory the Theologian and the analyzed reasoning of Bishop. Theophana is beyond doubt and is visible upon closer comparison. Precisely expressing in general the main features of the patristic ascetic worldview, Bishop. In some cases, Theophanes in his works does not present an accurate analysis of important and central ascetic terms, which, however, require clarification and interpretation, especially since from this or that definition, this or that understanding of their meaning, various directions originate, both in the theoretical disclosure of “asceticism” and in its historical implementation. In this case, we mean, first of all, the terms that denote the main manifestations of the highest godlike side of man (his “spirit”) - “mind” or “mind” (νους) and “heart” (καρδία). In patristic writing, the basis of asceticism is sometimes the “heart” - in full agreement with the teaching and terminology of Holy Scripture, and sometimes the “mind” (νους), - not without significant influence from the then metaphysics and psychology. Ep. Theophan in his worldview reflects both of these currents of ascetic patristic writing, without more precisely defining their relationship, as well as their relationship to the teaching of Holy Scripture, without putting them in an organic connection, so that these currents in his system are, as it were, parallel, essentially not coordinated, not brought to unity. In one place, Rev. Theophanes asserts that “the center of the human being is the heart”; It is precisely through this that he comes into contact with everything that exists. 210 Hence “the clothing of the spirit is the feeling that overshadows it.” 211 Elsewhere in the same work, Rev. says that it is “the human mind that is the treasure of the mysteries of God, for it directly enters into communication with the invisible world and directly experiences it with its spirit.” 212 Meanwhile, in a consistent theological system, only one of these principles should be accepted and implemented, with the second subordinate to it. Combining them should lead to an undoubted inconsistency of the conclusions. If “reason” is the basis of contemplative asceticism, then the way to achieve such contemplation is the method of purely dialectical renunciation of all specific definitions, except for the thought of the “intimate incomprehensibility of the Great God.” 213 A person strives to achieve a state when “all movement of the spirit ceases and a kind of deep silence settles in him, as if life were dying out. 214 When a sober thought passes over all creatures, is transported beyond the world and is immersed in the contemplation of God, then it finds that, just as it is certain that He exists, it is also certain that He is not anything known in creatures; when he looks around at all these negations, he is instantly introduced into some kind of Divine darkness, in which he can see nothing but an immense infinity filled with essentials, striking deeply and imposing silence on word and thought. This is the most sublime state to which an earthly creature can reach. Man is then admired to the point of being a seraphim.” 215 “Anyone can ascend to this amazement himself through detached and calm deepening... As anyone can, he must do this, for here the truest and most fitting worship of the creature to the Creator and Lord is performed in the spirit. 216 “When a thought is immersed in the Infinite and comes out of itself, it disappears in deep amazement.” This state is “the true state of the creature in relation to the Creator”; “Here a true, and not a mental, penetration of her being takes place by the power and action of the Divine.” 217 “This is the most sublime and most graceful thing that a finite and created mind can give birth to.” 218 “This is a most selfless sacrifice. We can say that in this is the true life of our spirit, or true communion of Divine life.” 219 “To ascend to this state, or to desire and seek to be raised into it, is as natural to the spirit and fruitful for it as it is obligatory, for by this one pays tribute to the Lord and our God.” 220 Thus, this highest state of Christian perfection - “admiration”, “amazement” or, in other words, ecstasy absorbs and excludes all activity, all aspirations, all feelings, with the exception of only the feelings of “amazement” and “surprise”. This, as the Rev. himself puts it. the author, there is, as it were, the “dying” of life. – But doesn’t this teaching contradict the depiction of the state of communion with God that we find in the bishop himself? Theophan and according to which it turns out that this communion with God is “a living union, life in God, affirmation in Him with the whole being: thought, heart, will”? 221 In general, the relationship of ecstasy, as the highest goal of contemplative asceticism, to the requirements of the ideal of religious and moral perfection does not seem clear in the presentation of the Reverend. Theophilus and arouses extremely important and serious bewilderments. In fact, ecstasy, understood in the indicated sense - as a state of complete detachment from everything, excludes all real relationships with people, the world, and everything external without exception. If this ecstasy is truly the highest state, unconditionally obligatory, then the fulfillment of various prescriptions of the moral law, set out in detail and in the system of Rev. Feofan, loses all meaning and significance and even turns out to be absolutely impossible. It is not possible to consider this fulfillment as a means to achieve ecstasy, since many, not to say all, moral precepts not only do not contribute, but decisively oppose complete contemplation. This should certainly include all – without exception – external activity, all relationships with people, with the outside world. But how, in this case, is the requirement of love for one’s neighbors fulfilled, how do the requirements of love for God, on the one hand, and people, on the other, relate in general? These and related questions of the Most Reverend. Theophanes leaves it without consideration, due to the requirements of ecstatic contemplation. It is not clear, according to the image of Bishop. Feofan, also the relationship of a Christian striving for “ecstasy” or having already achieved it - to the church, to churchliness and, in particular, to church prayer. According to Rev. Theophan, “common prayer has great power, according to the promise of the Lord, to be there especially, “where two or three are gathered in His name” (Matthew 18:19–20). The prayer of one is as strong as he alone is strong, and only if he does not alienate himself from the common prayer; and if he deliberately alienates himself from her, then his lonely prayer is completely insignificant. In common prayer, everyone’s prayer is as strong as everyone praying together. 222 “He who has entered into a living union” with the church “together enters into deep communion with all its members.” 223 “This communion is as close as the communion of the members in the body.” 224 But is such church prayer, performed in the spirit of close communication with members of the church, compatible with a state of ecstatic contemplation, in which “both man himself and every creature disappear from thought, and God alone is contemplated? 225 How do both characterized states relate to each other? – The answer to these and similar questions is from Rev. Unfortunately, we do not find Feofan... “The Church is also a repository of grace-filled means of salvation,” 226 says Rev. Feofan. But if “amazement” is the highest goal of Christian aspirations and if, according to the statement of His Eminence Theophan. “Everyone can ascend to this amazement himself through a detached and calm deepening,” 227 then the question arises: what kind of need in the Church, in grace, appears and is felt in the process of a person achieving “amazement,” since this state is the result of personal exertion of strength, is the Church not superfluous in this case, is special grace-filled help needed at all? If we turn to the history of Christian asceticism, we will see there confirmation of the position that the desire for ecstasy and the achievement of this state, generally speaking, are not compatible with concreteness, with any kind of distraction from internal experiences, and therefore were accompanied by withdrawal from people and even avoidance of church meetings 228) 229). In relation to all these and similar questions, the works of Bishop Theophan present only data that themselves require their comprehensive and detailed analysis, since they do not clarify the features of the patristic teaching, but only more or less accurately convey, state, and reflect them. In any case, paying due tribute of respectful gratitude to the works of Bishop Theophan on asceticism, having received from them a lot of valuable data that contributed to a more accurate, correct and definite understanding of the patristic teaching on the issues raised in our dissertation, we, however, consider theological research on Christian “asceticism” not only not superfluous - in view of the existence of all the works of Bishop. Feofan, but also very useful, corresponding to the very peculiarities of these works by Rev. Feofan, who only outline, present rich and extremely valuable material, but do not resolve many cardinal and essentially important issues included in the area we are studying. In any case, the works of Bishop. Theophan is of exceptional importance in the history of our theology and in particular in the disclosure of the Orthodox teaching on asceticism. Other works, to which we are now moving, cannot in any way compare with them, although they have a certain, sometimes quite significant, share of positive significance in clarifying the issue that interests us. The ascetic worldview of Rev. We studied Theophanes mainly from the following works: "The Outline of Christian Moral Teaching." Ed. 2nd. Moscow. 1895 "The Path to Salvation." (A short sketch of asceticism). The third part of the outline of Christian moral teaching. Eighth edition. Moscow. 1899 “Letters to a person in St. Petersburg regarding the appearance of a new teacher of faith there.” St. Petersburg 1881 "Letters to different people and about different subjects of faith and life." Moscow. 1882 "Interpretation of the first eight chapters of the Epistle of St. Apostle Paul to the Romans." 2nd edition. Moscow. 1890 “Interpretation of IX-XVI ch. Epistles of St. Apostle Paul to the Romans.” Ed. 2nd. Moscow. 1890 “Interpretation of the Second Epistle of St. Apostle. Paul to the Corinthians." Moscow 1882 “Interpretation of the Epistle of St. Apostle. Paul to Ephesians." Moscow. 1882 “Interpretation of the Epistle of St. Apostle. Paul to the Colossians and Philemon." Moscow 1880 "Interpretation of the epistle of St. Apostle Paul to the Philippians and Thessalonians, first and second." Moscow 1883 "Interpretation of the Pastoral Epistles of St. Apostle Paul." Moscow 1882 In the present case we mean his wonderful fifth volume translation of the Greek Philokalia, supplemented, in addition, by “many paternal articles on spiritual life that were not included in the latter.” (N.P. Arkhangelsky (now Rev. Stefan). The task, content and plan of the system of Orthodox Christian moral teaching. Simbirsk 1894, p. 58. cf. p. 61). Indication and list of Sts. Fathers - ascetics, whose creations - in their characteristic and prominent views - were included in the named work of Bishop. Feofan, see, for example, in cit. op. Arkhangelsky, pp. 61–62. 47, 48, 78, 88 and 124 pp. Average Drawing, pp. 115–116. page 17 Wed. Plot. first eight chapters Rome. (VIII, 13th Art.), pp. 487–488 Tolkov. (Eph. 5:8), page 348. pp. 65, 67, 83, cf. Drawing, page 121. Path, page 21. cf. "Letters", pp. 79, 80, 90. Wed (Rom. 25:36; 5:5, 8:9); (Titus 3:6); (and Cor. 3:16; 6:19.). Plot. lane Ch. (Rom. 8:15), v. 490. Only such an interpretation of Orthodox teaching fully corresponds to reality. According to Orthodox teaching, it is the harmonious combination of the divine and the human with the predominance of the first, with the free and active subordination of the second, that is the norm of the relationship between Divine grace and our human powers in promoting our “salvation” (Prof. A.L. Katansky, “The Doctrine of the Grace of God in the Creations of the Ancient Holy Fathers and Church Teachers. St. Petersburg. 1902. p. 13). If, in some places in the “Letters” of Bishop. Theophanes seems to violate such harmony in favor of the predominant importance of human forces, this is explained by the polemical tasks of labor. p. 87; Wed pp. 76–77, and pp. 43 and 45; Wed Drawing... page 205. Wed. Tolkov, to Ephesus. (ch. III, art. 16), p. 209; cp. ibid. (ch. IV, art. 24), p. 300. Cp. pp. 70, 71. Cp. Tolkov. 2 Seq. Cor. Chapter IV 2– art., pp. 117–118; Cp. ibid. Art. B, pp. 118–119. page 74 Wed. 72. Commentary, epil., to Ephesus. (Chapter III. Art. –10) p. 209. “The purpose of the arousal of grace and its power is that it removes a person from the bonds of sin and places him at the point of indifference between good and evil” (The Way, p. 133). “The aroused one is brought by grace into a state intermediate between sin and virtue” (ibid., p. 133). p. 72. Cp. I. Zlatoust. ln er. ad Ilebr. xom. XII, 3, col. 99.In ep. ad Philipp, hom. I, 3, col. 185–186, etc. page 79. cf. 59, 78. 90, 100. Tolkov. lane eight chapters Rom., p. 361 (explanation 15, art. VI ch.) ibid., p. 453 (explanation 2, chapter VIII, cf. p. 286 (explanation 13, article VIII chapter). p. 80. Cp. And Chrysostom. In pp. ad Philipp, hom. VIII, 2, col. 240. p. 72. cp. The Path, page 21. Neither grace without these decisions, nor these decisions without grace, do anything; they act together." Plot. lane eight chapters to Romans, p. 362 (15 art. VI ch.) pp. 17, 28, 24, 66, 68, 81, 84. o. I. L. Yanyshev. From lectures on moral theology. Right Review 1886., p. 760. En. Sylvester. The experience of rights, dogmatic theology. vol. IV p. 210. (John 3:12; 16:31–32; Rom.6:8; 14:17; 10:17; 10:8–9; 2 Cor. 5:7; and Cor. 14:21; 7:14; 2 Cor. 6:14–15; Eph. 1:13,19; and Thess. 4:14; 1 Cor. 5:17 ). For example, (John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:8–9; Rom. 1:16–17; 110:9–10, Galat. 2:16; 3:26). Letters, p. 84. Especially Tolk. IX – XVI ch. Epistle, to Rom., p. 106; ibid., p. 106 (6–8 art. X. ch.). “Faith does not suddenly become so strong, but from weak beginnings it grows to a perfect husband.” Last Ephesus (ch. III, verse 17), p. 213. “In the matter of our salvation, arranged according to the Gospel, everything is conditioned by faith, but faith not standing at one level, but rising higher and higher, as, of course, everyone actively deepens in the accomplishment of his salvation. Plot. lane eight chapters to Romans, pp. 74, 75. Cp. ibid, p. 282 (VI Chapter. Art. Explanation); ibid. pp. 282–283 (explanation VI Chapter 22 Art.). O. I.L. Yanyshev, Rev. Macarius, Rev. Sylvester et al. Page 70, 71. Wed. Tolkov. (Eph. 3:17), page 213. Tolovki, first, eight chapters. (Rom. 2:6), p. 189. "Letters", page 71. The path to salvation, page 135. Cp. I. L. Yanyshev. Right Review, 1886, p. 754. "Letters", p. 71, cf. page 100. “The Way to be Saved,” pp. 267–268. Interpretations, epil., to Kolos. (Col. 3:10), page 167. Plot. last Ephesus (Eph. 4:22), p. 296. Cf. Last Galat. (Gal. 5:24), p. 379. Commentary. Last Philip. (3:10), page 120. Tolkov. IX-XVI ch. Epistle, to Rom. (10:6–8), page 106. Tolkov, first. eight chapters Last Rom. (3:26), page 288. cit., cit., p. 282 (4:21). Tolkov. Last Ephesians (1:7), page 61. "Letters", p. 89. Interpretation. lane eight chapters Rom. (6:12), page 352. Drawing, p. 127. Cf. Path, pp. 186–187. E.F. is talking here about what is usually denoted in patristic writing by the term έξις. Wed. eg Nemesius. De nat. hominis, p. XXXIV, col. 765;A. Cp. col. 780. ibid., p. 190. Cf. p. 201. Wed. Tolkov, first. eight chapters Rom. (VI-12 art.), p. 350–351 (cf. pp. 353–354). "Letters", p. 79 Cf. 57. "Letters", page 79. Cf. "The Path", pp. 186–187. "Letters", p. 80 Cf. 61.69, etc. Tolkov, first. eight chapters (Rom. 6:5), p. 269. Cf. Tolkov. Last Ephesus (3:17), p. 214. Interpretation. 2 Solun. (1:3), page 410. Tolkov, first. Eight chapters Rom. (1:17), page 78. Tolkov. IX-XVI ch. Rom. (X, 9), p. 108. Tolkov. 2 Solun. (I chapter. and -3 art.), p. 410. Tolkov. IX-XVI ch. Last Romans, page 106. Drawing, p. 165 Cf. page 134. Letters, page 104. Cf. Commentaries, first, eight chapters, Rom. (2:16), page 160. Drawing, p. 135. Cf. page 164. That's why Rev. Theophan, in the formula he proposed, replaces the concept of “good deeds”, accepted in our theological systems and colored by a legal connotation, with the concept of “intense activity of human powers,” which more accurately and definitely expresses the Orthodox point of view on the essence and nature of the process of assimilation of “salvation” by each person. The path to salvation, pp. 224–225. Rev. Feofan prefers the Russian word to the Greek term according to his general custom - in his theological works, to avoid, if possible, foreign terms, especially since he strove for a popular presentation of his works. Tolkov. IX-XVI ch. to Romans, page 106. p. 90. Wed. Prot. A. Vukolov. About evangelical advice. St. Petersburg. 1853, pp. 12–13; Wed pp. 10, 45 65, 79, etc. The influence of this book (now completely outdated) was noticeably reflected in general in the disclosure of the issue under consideration by E.F. Deut. 30:19, 20; Wed. 15, 16; 8:1. Mrk. 10:21. Wed. OK. 18:22, Cp. Basil Vel. Creation Part IV, pp. 100–101. MSG T. XXXI, col. 280V-281V. Gregory N. Contra Eunomium. Lib XI, T. XLV, col. 860 CD:... φιλοκτήμονα · λυζειυίΐα – γάρ αυτόν γφι πρός τήν z-j μ – ί ουλήν τής των ?? ζωήν ανταλλάςαβ & αι . Cp. Prot. A. V. Gorsky History of the Gospel and the Apostolic Church. Ed. 2nd. 1902. pp. 165–166. Nevzorov. The Morals of Stoicism, p. 109. Vasily V. Η omilia in divites. With. I. T. XXXI. col. 281AB. A more detailed discussion of this subject and, in particular, a more thorough analysis of the patristic data relating to it can be found in the serious, businesslike and completely scientific article by Archimandrite (now bishop) Sylvester, “An Orthodox response to the Old Catholics’ scheme of good deeds” Tr. Kyiv. Spirit. Academ, part I. pp. 8–78; 167–213. Gregory Bogosl. Og. IV (Contra Julianum I). With. XCIX. T. XXXV. col. 633 V: τής ήμετέρας νομοθεσίας τα μεν ανάγκην εχε τοΐς εκιταττομένοίς , α καί μή φυλάττουσι κίνδυνος ; ? μή φυλάττουσ᾿ δε, ούδ αντίν ’ ουν ν, ινουνον. Cp. lib. cit. col. 633C: τί σοι βούλεται τό ταΰτα νομο ετειν, α μή "τών πάντων έστίν. ibid..: εν 6 ροις δει μένοντας ήμετερας φιλοσοφίας , καί τής άνίίρωττίνης δυνάμεως. ουτοις άττα᾿τείν. We will present some characteristic facts related to this case when analyzing the views and judgments of F.F. Gusev. In the teaching on “amazement”, Rev. Theophanes reflected the influence mainly of the so-called Dionysius the Areopagite, Mark the Ascetic and his other followers. On Dionysius the Areopagite, Rev. Feofan points out quite clearly, however, himself. Wed. Damn it. hr. moral teaching, p. 383. For more information on this, see Chapter III. our dissertation, in a department that reveals different directions of ascetic teaching and ascetic practice of contemplation. Wed. prof. I.V. Popov. Mystical justification of asceticism in the works of the teacher. Macarius of Egypt. Theologian. Vestn. November, page 553.