Demuri Jalaghonia, (), PhD, Professor at Ivane Javakhishvili State University, Faculty of Humanities; Head of the Academic-Research Institute of Philosophy; Head of the Chair for Political Philosophy

A Dialog between Freedom and Civilizations in the Epistles of the Beatified the of all Georgia, Ilea II

“Who does not seek a friend he is the enemy of himself” Shota Rustaveli

Interest towards the opportunity of a dialog between freedom and civilizations is increasing daily. But how this dialog is possible if these categories are to some extent mutual bounding, and at the same time they imply dilemmas (discussions) in themselves. How much the freedom phenomenon is possible to be explained in the civilizations dialog context? To find an answer to this question I will have to change the course of the traditional way of research in order to demonstrate the concept of the problem. To find a “decision” of the problem we decided to use and depend upon a very interesting and original idea given in the epistles of one of the great theologians Iliai II. As Samuel Hantington writes: “the world policy in entering a new phase and intellectuals have already begun to express their concepts about what the end of the world history will be. Will it carry back the traditional opposition between states or will they be weakened against the background of globalization?

Why has the subject of a civilization dialog been generated in the order of day?

Scholars say that in global policy only nation-states will occur as the most important participants of the world phenomena though main conflicts will take place among different nations and groups. In the judgment of experts in global policy there will be a collision of civilizations.

We must define what we mean by civilization. Civilization is the highest cultural group of people and the highest form of people cultural self-actualization which distinguishes him from other animated things. Civilization is defined by means of common objective elements such as: language, history, religion, traditions and institutes and subjective self-determination. Here we must comprehend that the people self-determination has diversified levels. Firstly we must be aware that the differences are real and basic. They differ by their history, language, culture, traditions and what is the main thing – their religion.

iIrakli Shiolashvili was born on 4 January, 1933. When he was 24 years old he was ordeined a monk by Father Zinobii and was given the name of Ilia. In 1960 he graduated from the Zagorsk Ecclesiastical (Spiritual) College. The same year he defended a qualification thesis:” The History of the Athon - Monastery of Iveria” and was assigned a candidate of theology. The same 1960 year he became a Father Superior, in 1961 became an Archimandrite. On 25 of of 1963 Archimandrite Ilia was assigned a . In 1969 he became the Metropolitan. On 25 December, 1977 he was elected the Catholicos the Patriarch of all Georgia. From 1978 to 1983 he was the President of the World Committee. In 1997 The Georgian left the World Committee.

These differences are more basic than those existing between political ideologies or political regimes. Differences do not mean conflicts. Conflicts on their part do not implicate act of violence though the differences between civilizations are the reasons for the longest and bloodiest conflicts during many centuries. (3-11)

At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century we still have the most complicated and unsolvable questions: who are we? Where do we come from? What is our destination, and where do we go to?

Catholicos the Patriarch Ilia II with his divine philosophic judgment tries to profoundly show in his epistles the concept of the problem which stands before the mankind and gives original analyses of the problem according to Christian approach.

The philosophic judgment of Ilia II is based on three treasuries: God, Native Country and a Man. Theologically the Native Country is understood as the God’s dwelling place belonging to both “you and me”. As the Man is firstly “mine,” a Man close to “you” – society, mankind.

In his epistles he writes that all the three treasuries are unified in a triad, and they cannot exist without each-other, all his theological, spiritual, moral, theoretical and practical activity runs in the vector of this triad. “God, Love, Notion and he himself talks with love in his eternal prayers teaches us to achieve unification with God, with our native country and our countrymen. Naturally there arises a question how it is possible to systemize this triad into one whole, unification of religion and the knowledge.

We must say that Georgia has a deep tradition of this unification, and to restore this tradition that is «the Guelatian thinking” here appears Ilia II in the 20th century.

In XI and XII centuries when there was a”golden period” in Georgia the king David IV the Builder built Guelati Academy2. The Guelati theological-philosophic Academy became a New Jerusalem and the second Athena, a spiritual and scientific research center. It was the temple of intellect and faith.

Guelati Academy continues the eastern theology of Alexandian School (from where the Alexander exegeses of the Holy Scripture originates) and the Patristic the line in the history of Christian thoughts: Clement from Alexandria who formulated the principle of the ecclesiastical doctrinal statement and knowledge harmony based on the Holy Scripture. Origene who explained in ellinistic thought categories established views (opinion) of the Cappadocia Holy Fathers and Areopagus from his first experiments which represents a wonderful model of faith and knowledge harmony (4.10)

1,David IV the Builder (24. 01. 1073 – 1125) from 1089 – 1125 the King of Georgia from the Bagratian Dynasty, one of the most successful Georgian monarch was canonized to by . 2. Guelatu Monastery- an architectural complex of Georgia. It was built in 1106 by David IV the Builder. The complex includes Academy which is in ruins today, about 300square meter, David IV the Builder is buried there. It is included in the list of UNESCO cultural monuments,

Clement from Alexandria always acknowledged the synthesis of faith and science i.e. of “Jerusalem and Athena” with his whole life and works. He attached importance to faith in first place and afterwards to the science based on faith. According to him we must seek God and our life holy notion on the crossroad of the faith and the intellect. He divides the Christians into two groups based on the . The first are the slaves of god. These are the believers that have primitive knowledge of the faith who consider the Holy Scripture in a simple way; they do not profoundly regard its sacral idea and are satisfied with the stories and symbols in a straight understanding.

The second group consists of agnostics, philosophers (scientists) who by means of their faith and knowledge are on the higher spiritual and mystical understanding level. He calls them the friends of God.

The Patriarch Ilia II says: a man must pass a way of perfection, from the being the God’s slave to the God’s friend if he wants to find his place and destination in this world. (2.161)

The main motive power for such a man is not a desire to receive a decoration or punishment but impartial love of God and desire to do good. Such person is free from envy, fear, evil and other passions. He loves all the people and tries to make them come closer to God. This is the principle of Guelati understanding.

Guelati became a symbol for Georgian national idea and this was considered the strength of Georgian statehood.

That time as today in Georgia all the religion Christian, Judaist, Islamic, Gregorian temples coexisted, and there had never occurred any confrontation among them. A Georgian had always been able to lead a dialog of cultures. The base of such dialogues had always been the very principle of Guelati understanding. Catholicos the Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II is the one who stimulates the revival of this understanding and continues the path lead by the King David and Grigol Khandzteli.

Georgia is situated on the merge of Asia and Europe, between the and the Caspian Sea, on the South of the Caucasian Range, our country was the crossroad for traders between the East and the West. Because of its geopolitical location this territory had always been the interest for such countries as Urartu, Media, , Arab, Persia, Mongolia, Osmals, Rome, Greece and . Thousands of shed their blood to protect their Fatherland.

Our Holy and Devine Ilia II says: we may say that Georgia is one of miracles having in mind its survival from all the dangers it has suffered and it still has its individuality, nationality, uniqueness. Of course it was God’s mercy and the gift which fills Georgians hearts with particular love, courage, selflessness, fidelity.

Georgians spare no effort to please a stranger, everything he has he wants for the guest. There is a word in Georgian: “sautskhoo” (sa-means “for” and “utsxo” means a “stranger” so in all it can be translated as “for a stranger”) but it means the most wonderful, beautiful, the best. There is a saying which reflects the way of our living: “Guest belongs to God” is he a Christian, or not; a Georgian or some other nationality, an enemy or a friend and if he is your guest you should treat him like God with respect and this is your family dignity.(2.214)

Such approach in a Georgian character comes from a great respect of Christian faith and love.

The Patriarch says: “Our people have always been notable for their tolerance. At the same time Georgians assumed and transformed other countries cultural achievements it into Georgian way. (1.216)

A man is a great secret of a being. By his nature he is free being. This gift has been given to him by God. He is the bearer of a free will a therefore he has ability to make a free choice.

Grigol Nazianzel denotes: God has pleased a man giving him free will. It depends on him what he will choose goodness or badness, similarity or dissimilarity to God. Man can freely command his nature as he is created in the image of God.

Ilia II denotes: The God image is in every person as it is formed in the rule of law. This is a certain condition of a man’s his being according to which he must resemblance God. Just this very thing is the aim of a man’s life.(2.52.53)

And he goes on: it is very difficult to understand a man. He is created as the image of God, soul and body, yes; these are the component parts we know about. Is the soul what we already know about or is it something we do not know? It is still unreachable for us. How can we explain let’s say ability to think, what living is, what mind is, what heart is.(2.60)

Jaspers denoted: the thing that I am what I am, is not realized by myself but is given to me, therefore it points to deep ties to transcendent, and freedom of a man is its existence. And this comes from the God’s distinctness as the distinctness of freedom is the God’s representation.

Quite different is the attitude of unbelievers to the freedom: one part of unbelievers that estrange themselves from god thinks that freedom is the thing that is rendered to them by the government; the second part thinks that freedom lets them do anything they want, have right to do anything, refuse to any prohibition. True freedom is the choice when you are always watched by the “third eye”- the voice of conscience and your behavior is determined by this, what is a freedom without this?

The Patriarch Ilia II denotes: true freedom raises a man to the heaven, rendering him peace, joy, gayety and happiness; but freedom should be gained by struggle, first of all by struggle with himself and the malice that is established in him.

Christianity in Georgia has a history of 2000 years. In the first century St. Andrew the first-called, St. Svimon from Canaan, St. Matata, St. Thadeoz, St. Bartolomeo came to Georgia and declaired Christianity. All the culture of Georgia is ------with Christianity. Christianity determined and still determine all the spheres of our life. Our church gained autocerphalia in the V century and its place in the Orthodox Diptych was sixth.

Freedom is a contradictory phenomenon. Freedom turned out to practice absolute, totalitarian yearning that when the freedom becomes a doer self-willed behavior.

A man’s desire towards absolute freedom brought greater disaster to the man himself and the mankind as it grew into totalitarian violence towards others. Desire to absolute freedom eliminates freedom.

A man conquered freedom historically. It is a result of the man’s historical development. He gained freedom of activity, speech, conscience, religion. All this originated contradictions. How all this can coexist?

Then third millennium is a very complicated period which is call the period of globalization. It was invoked by the development of science and techniques. Thus much it is an inevitable process. We cannot stop it and it is not necessary at all to do this. ILia II denote that some people consider globalization as the society of homogeneous members which is a mistake. Values of mankind should not be lost, the national and spiritual values that belong to one or another county or people. The world society of today must make an acknowledgement of the necessity of this, notwithstanding the reality of our difference or pluralism of opinions we should be more respectful to each other and coexist in peace.

We can compare tolerance with a bridge which enables us to go from the bank of envy, hate, oppression and violence to the other bank of understanding, support, agreed upon activity and goodness.

The problems of war and peace between countries are mainly solved by politicians though ILia II thinks that in those countries where the desire to restore peace and impartiality is real, the religious persons can do much but they will need supporting factors as well.

It seems it is easy to fulfill this as all the basic religions call for goodness and tolerance and their followers are too many in the world but as he admits there is no desirable result because there are such groups in various religions and cultures which spiritually support terroristic organizations until today and the role of great religions are not properly used.

Catholicos the Patriarch Ilia II says: in the XXI century it is actual to develop historical model of civilizations dialog which will enable peoples to unite in order to solve global and local problems. Today everyone knows that the time solving problems by means of violence has gone. Today it is shifted by economic and cultural factors though in this case we must be very careful not to become another reason for confrontation but must promote the process of favoring the development of intercultural enrichment and economical profitability of all countries.(2.249)

The society of today must make an acknowledgement of the necessity of mutual respectfulness and peaceful coexistence in spite of the differences between us and the pluralism of ideas.

We do not need to be too attentive to see that the inner spiritual advance of people in toto legs behind the technique fast development and if the balance between them is not retrieved people will be the victim of their inventions.

The Patriarch Ilia II says that it is true that the orthodox religion being is far from the international politics but word has a strong influence, that political leaders are obliged to support the initiation of the world safety mechanism which includes several basic directions.

In 2001 the Patriarch Ilia II took part in the international conference “Dialogue between Civilizations” which took place in under the aegis of UN. There he presented a report which consisted of four basic directions. They are as follows: 1. Actuation of UN and its expansion with new structures where any participating independent country will have a deciding vote; 2. Recognition of all the territorial integrity existing today and fixing their existing boarders. 3. Make real determined attempt to achieve peaceful coexistence of the countries; 4. Set up international military forces to retain peace in the countries.

It is natural that there will be many other suggestions and offerings but it is basic to recognize that the dialog of civilizations is one of the terms saving the world.

The patriarch denotes: it is true that the moral calls have no material or physical power but they are of great importance. It resembles international law which has no function of punishing but has right to bring it to public notice and if this exposure is based on strong foundation it will bring results. The church can do much to defeat (overcome) existing disbelief among people because responsibility for peace lies not only on Christians but all the people. Christians must be ready to cooperate with the people of other religions or those who have no faith at all.

That is why according to our Patriarch the mechanism for the church how to serve the world of today must be found of course alongside with its basic duties towards the Holy Script and New Testament.

Despite the thing that history stays as a great teaching for mankind it can no longer be a horizon of political decision, all the problems should be seen and the decisions should be taken in the common orbital prism.

Dehumanized planetary culture is our common fate. It is our duty to bring back human basics and create inevitable condition for self-creating and self-development in unique culture of the world people on international level.

To achieve consent, solidarity among people it is not quite necessary to make voluntarily each other resembling or achieve resemblance by force. Once and forever we must study that the basis of the dialog is the base of consent, which creates inimitability of each of us. The only base of solidarity between the cultures and people, their uniqueness and universality, consent on the base of dissimilarity it is the base of the dialog.

The Patriarch Ilia II says: the modern world society must admit necessity of that in spite of our dissimilarity and the ideas plurality we must study how to respect mutually each other and coexist.(2.218) Notwithstanding the difference in religions we always tried to have peaceful relationship with our neighbors. In Georgia itself there lived and still live a lot of people having different religion. Georgia always respected them, has always displayed tolerance, responsibility towards them. This was a characteristic feature for our country and our church.(1.2002)

Interest towards the discussed subject was stirred up by the situation of today. Everything in the world undergoes crisis, writes Berdiaef(5), not only social and economical but cultural ans spiritual as well, everything became a problem.

That is why in the beginning of XXI century it is more actual to create such a model of a dialog of civilizations that will enable people unite forces to solve global and local problems and as the Patriarch Ilia II says: in the new epoch no one can avoid the process of globalization but we must oppose it with our traditions, original unique culture and create a state based on modern technologies and achievements. All this will be possible by means of a cultural dialog based on true freedom.

Bibliography : 1. Catholicos the Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II, Epistles, Speeches. Vol. II Tb., 1997. 2. Catholicos the Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II, Epistles, Speeches. Vol. III, Tb., 2008 3. Samuel F. Hantington. Political Articles, Collision of Civilizations, Tb., 2001 4. Damana Melikishvili, Gelovani ….The Other Athena and the other Jerusalem, Tb., 2006; 5. Nikolai Berdiev, The fate of a Man in the Modern World. Tb., 2003.