Vladimir Solovyov
07 September 2000 18:36
Some may have seen recent reports of the words of Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, the Archbishop of Bologna, who was speaking about the Antichrist at a conference in March. He believed the Antichrist was alive today and was a “fascinating personality” whose outward charm and plausibility had deceived his enemies.
The Cardinal was speaking at the conference in Bologna on the work of Vladimir Solovyov (1853-1900), the Russian philosopher and mystic, whom he praised as a “forgotten prophet” who had “lucidly foreseen” the horrors of the 20th century. In his last writings, the cardinal said, Solovyov had predicted the rise of the Antichrist after a century of bloodshed, wars, revolutions and the breakdown of the nation state.
Solovyov is not well known in the West but he is influential in the East. Here are some recent quotes about him:
“There are many today who regard the present era as indeed the end of history, and the notion that our time may not be merely a “fin de siècle” but a “fin de l’âge” is gaining adherents. In such time, it may be particularly useful to explore the impressions and intuitions offered to us by one of the great souls and sincere hearts of recent times. The gentle lover of Lady Wisdom, Vladimir Solovyov, asks no more of us than this and, were he with us today, assuredly he would accept no less.”
“Solovyov, Russian philosopher and mystic who, reacting to European rationalist thought, attempted a synthesis of religious philosophy, science, and ethics in the context of a universal Christianity uniting the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches under papal leadership.”
“Vladimir Solovyov was cited in the Encyclical Fides st Ratio (n. 74) as an example of a modern thinker who knew how to stabilize a prolific relationship between philosophy and the Christian faith. Knowledge of this thinker from Eastern Europe could open new horizons in Western thought, contributing, in this way, to the overcoming of the blind chains brought by the wave of “post modernity.” He is without doubt one of the greatest among Russian philosophers and theologians of the 19th Century.”
In looking for references to Solovyov, the following excerpt from an Angelus homily from 1996 by the Pope was found:
“Humanity is indebted to the Christian East for immense treasures. Here I would like to acknowledge the rich and varied cultural forms resplendent in the monumental architecture of Constantinople, Moscow, St Petersburg and of so many other cities. This culture is also reflected in the gleaming mosaics, the golden cupolas, in the icons rich in mystery, in the very movements of the liturgy, so solemn and majestic. Eastern religious art witnesses to the splendour of Christ, whether it presents him in the imposing figure of the Pantokrator, or points to him in the silent communion of divine intimacy, according to what appears, for example, from the delicate icon of the Trinity by Andrej Rublev.
“The culture of the Christian East has also produced vigorous literary expressions, contributing notably to elevating the conscience of humanity even in our contemporary age. Desiring to give an example very dear to me, I am thinking of Vladimir Soloviev. For him, the very basis of culture was recognition of the unconditional existence of others. Hence his rejection of a monolithic type of cultural universalism, incapable of respecting and accepting civilization’s many different expressions. He was consistent with this view even when he became an ardent, impassioned prophet of ecumenism, doing all in his power for reunification between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.”
Finally, for those interested in learning more about Vladimir Solovyov, the following links are offered:
http://www.valley.net/~transnat/solsoc.html
http://praiseofglory.alabanza.com/soloviev.htm
