THE PROBLEM OF VIKTOR NESMELOV’S PSYCHOLOGICAL ARGUMENT FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY: “PRO ET CONTRA”

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of “psychological” argument for the existence of God of Viktor Nesmelov, professor of Kazan Theological Academy, represented in his fundamental work “Science of Man”. The main interpretations of this argument, formulated both contemporaries of Nesmelov (Nikolay Berdiaev, bishop Anthony (Khrapovitsky)) and modern researchers of his legacy (priest D. Lushnikov, bishop K. Goryanov) are considered. The basic prerequisites and origins of Nesmelov’s anthropological doctrine are analyzed. The main of them were V. Snegiryov’s psychological doctrine and anthropological ideas of St. Gregory of Nyssa. The main ideas of Nesmelov’s Christian anthropology, related directly to his formulation of “the idea of God” (the doctrine of consciousness and self-consciousness of man; idea of man as the “main riddle” of the universe; idea of the fundamental “duality” of human nature; doctrine of Theosis and God-manhood, doctrine of sin and universal salvation (apokatastasis), etc.) are revealed. Besides that, Nesmelov’s criticism of the main existing arguments for the existence of God (ontological, cosmological, teleological, psychological, etc.) is analyzed. The main conclusion based on the analysis of Nesmelov’s anthropological system is made: his argument for the existence of God represents rather a methodological program for creating such argument in the future. The base of this argument should be made of not only by an “ abstract knowledge”, but the “living worldview” and the “living unity of God and man”.