The Mother of God in the Theology of Sergius Bulgakov
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The Soul of The Human Race: The Mother of God In The Theology of Sergius Bulgakov by Walter Nunzio Sisto A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of St. Michael’s College and the Theological Department of the Toronto School of Theology In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology awarded by the University of St. Michael's College © Copyright by Walter N. Sisto 2013 The Soul of The Human Race: The Mother of God In The Theology of Sergius Bulgakov Walter Nunzio Sisto Doctor of Philosophy University of St. Michael’s College 2013 Abstract This dissertation examines the role of the Mother of God in Sergius Bulgakov’s Sophiology. It places Bulgakov’s Mariology within the contexts of the Russian Religious Renaissance and Russian Sophiology. With respect to Russian Sophiology, Bulgakov systematically develops the insights on Mary proffered by Vladimir Solov’ev and Pavel Florensky. I demonstrate that his The Burning Bush (1926) should be seen as the fullest development of Sophianic Mariology initiated by Solov’ev. The influence of the Russian Religious Renaissance is evident in his emphasis on sexuality. Bulgakov incorporates the popular theory from this movement that each person consists of a “spiritual bisexuality” into his Mariology. Like many of his peers, Bulgakov was an essentialist who interprets the human experience in terms of sexuality. Within this anthropological vision, Mary has a unique importance because she is the fullest manifestation of the feminine potential in humankind. I argue that the pneumatological context of his Mariology reveals the liberating and inclusive role of the feminine. Mary reveals the vocation of Christian disciples to become “Spirit-Bearers” or “Divine Mothers,” to give birth to Christ in all their thoughts, words, and actions that entail a creative engagement with the world. We are all called to be prophets like Mary. Given Bulgakov’s essentialism, this means that discipleship entails the actualization of our femininity. This actualization involves our adoption into the life and mission of the Holy Spirit, Who is the archetype for our feminine potential. The result is an anthropologically-centered vision of Mary that places Mary firmly within the human race. Mary is the fullest expression of Sophia from the perspective of humankind. This study ends with a critical evaluation of Bulgakov’s thought from the feminist and Neo-Patristic perspectives. ii Abbreviations BB— Sergius Bulgakov, The Burning Bush: On the Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God. Translated by Thomas Allan Smith. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009. BL— Sergius Bulgakov, The Bride of the Lamb. Translated by Boris Jakim. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002. FB-- Sergius Bulgakov, The Friend of the Bridegroom: On the Orthodox Veneration of the Forerunner. Translated by Boris Jakim. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003. JL— Sergius Bulgakov, Jacob's Ladder: On Angels. Translated by Thomas Allan Smith. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010. LG—Sergius Bulgakov, The Lamb of God. Translated by Boris Jakim. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008. Kindle e-book. Sophia— Sergius Bulgakov, Sophia: The Wisdom of God – An Outline of Sophiology. Translated by Rev. Patrick Thomas. New York: Lindisfarne Press, 1993. The Comforter—Sergius Bulgakov, The Comforter. Translated by Boris Jakim. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004. Kindle e-book. UF—Sergius Bulgakov, Unfading Light: Contemplations and Speculations. Edited and Translated by Thomas Allan Smith. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012. PGT—Florensky, Pavel. The Pillar and Ground of Truth. Translated by Boris Jakim. Princeton: Princeton University, 1997. iii Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..1 1 Chapter One: Early Life and Theological Genesis .................................................................... 7 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Section One: Background ................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Section Two: Religious Experience and the Madonna ..................................................... 14 1.4 Section Three: Sexuality and the Russian Religious Renaissance .................................... 17 1.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 22 2 Chapter Two: The Mariologies of Vladimir Solov’ev and Pavel Florensky ........................... 23 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 23 2.2 Section One: Vladimir Solov’ev and the Mother of God ................................................. 24 2.2.1 The role of Mary in Solov’ev’s Sophiology ......................................................... 25 2.3 Section Two: Pavel Florensky and Bulgakov ................................................................... 32 2.3.1 Pavel Florensky and Mary .................................................................................... 34 2.3.2 Three Acclamations .............................................................................................. 37 2.3.3 Immaculate Mary .................................................................................................. 42 2.4 Section Three: Bulgakov and His Predecessors ................................................................ 43 2.4.1 Bulgakov and Solov’ev ......................................................................................... 43 2.4.2 Bulgakov and Florensky ....................................................................................... 45 3 Chapter Three: Bulgakov’s Sophiology and Theological Method .......................................... 47 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 47 3.2 Section One: Sophia .......................................................................................................... 48 3.3 Section Two: Theological Methodology .......................................................................... 59 3.3.1 Theological Dialectics .......................................................................................... 59 3.3.2 Biblical and Liturgical Hermeneutic ..................................................................... 62 iv 3.3.3 Liturgical Tradition ............................................................................................... 69 3.3.4 Scripture ................................................................................................................ 72 3.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 75 4 Chapter Four: Humankind, the Fall, and Mary ........................................................................ 77 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 77 4.2 Section One: Bulgakov’s Anthropology ........................................................................... 77 4.2.1 Image of God ........................................................................................................ 77 4.2.2 Image of God as the Image of the Son .................................................................. 84 4.2.3 Image of God as Image of the Divine Son and Holy Spirit .................................. 87 4.3 Section Two: Bulgakov’s Doctrine of Sin ........................................................................ 96 4.3.1 Original Sin ........................................................................................................... 97 4.3.2 Human Heredity and the Trinitarian Image ........................................................ 106 4.4 Section Three: Bulgakov’s Doctrine of Grace ................................................................ 111 4.5 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 120 5 Chapter Five: Bulgakov’s Mariology ..................................................................................... 121 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 121 5.2 Section One: The Pneumatophoric Hypostasis ............................................................... 122 5.2.1 Mary and the Immaculate Conception ................................................................ 124 5.3 Section Two: The Preparation for the Pneumatophoric Hypostasis ............................... 130 5.3.1 Temple Virgin ..................................................................................................... 130 5.3.2 St. Joseph ............................................................................................................ 132 5.3.3 Virginity .............................................................................................................. 134 5.3.4 The Annunciation of the Cross ........................................................................... 139 5.3.5 Pentecost ............................................................................................................