Heroism and holiness in the aspect of Orthodox theology

Authors

  • Oleg K. Shevchenko V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, 4, ul. Academika Vernadskogo, Simferopol, 295007, Russian Federation
  • Mariia A. Podlesnaia Institute of Sociology Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 5, ul. Bol’shaya Andron’evskaya, Moscow, 109544, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2159-4958

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu28.2024.407

Abstract

In the article, the authors formulate three universal postulates of the connection between the heroic and the sacred, characteristic of any European culture from Antiquity to the present day: “A hero is always a sufferer”; “A hero is always a tragic figure”; “A hero is a figure separated or separated from society, policy, family, history, common sense”. In Christianity (as in Hellas, Ancient Rome or Islam), these three postulates acquire their semantic texture. Heroism is comprehended as nothing more than determination and readiness for personal suffering for the sake of an allgood goal overshadowed by God’s will. A voluntary decision, or rather a compulsion of oneself to daily cooperation with God’s will with the awareness of the tragic result of one’s personal earthly existence. Heroism is rather a willingness and a state of compelling oneself to do. But holiness comprehends suffering, gives it deep content and consolation, which is higher than the worldly sadness of separation from society or the usual way of life. Postulates, hypotheses and intermediate conclusions are tested on the empirical material of the All-Russian survey conducted in 2023 (eight federal districts of the Russian Federation, 1350 respondents). Particular attention is paid to the answers of two categories of respondents: practicing (551) and nonpracticing (638) believers.

Keywords:

hero, heroism, saint, holiness, ancient hero, holy ascetic of Christianity, free will, relationship between God and personality, relationship between man and man

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References


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Published

2024-12-28

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 4 (2024)

Section

Research

License

Articles of "Issues of Theology" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.