The Concept of “Pseudomorphosis” in the Book by G. V. Florovsky “Ways of Russian Theology”

Abstract

The concept of pseudomorphosis is used by G. V. Florovsky as such a borrowing, which is of an instrumental-technological and formal-scholastic nature and, therefore, does not meet the deep interests of the Church of Christian peoples and the creative development of theological thought. He emphasizes the positive, stimulating significance of theology in the history of Russian not only of Patristics, which is usually paid attention to, but also of Western theological thought, especially since the sixteenth century, which is often overlooked. From the point of view of G. V. Florovsky, theological pseudomorphoses are overcome on the basis of multilateral historical ties: Patristics and the ‘comprehending growth’ of theological thought, theology and church life, theology and secular philosophy, theology and culture of the people, Orthodox theology and the theological thought of other Christian confessions. According to G. V. Florovsky, the ‘Catholic’ synthesis of the Church means that universal, communal force, which manifests itself in theological thought on the historical basis. The transformation of external borrowed forms into pseudomorphoses is explained by G. V. Florovsky with specific historical reasons: the lag of Orthodox thought from Western religious and philosophical thought, the political interests of the warring countries, the separation of the clergy from the needs of laic believers, their historical experience and culture. The Russian theologian considers as pseudomorphic those theological borrowings that formally and dogmatically, and not organically and synthetically, enter the autochthonous cultural-historical context. It is here that the source of uncreative imitation and scholastic tendencies in Russian theology manifest themselves. G. V. Florovsky shows, that borrowings alien to the interests and needs of the believers turn into clericalism and political servility of Church hierarchs. This statement by G.V. Florovsky is relevant till nowadays; it is combined with another, equally relevant conclusion by him: a dialogue with Western theology has a positive, stimulating value for Russian Orthodoxy as well.