V. V. Zenkovsky’s assessment of S. L. Frank’s attitude to the problem of the beginning of the world

The article deals with the views of S. L. Frank on the problem of the creation of the world, their critical assessment is given, made by V. V. Zenkovsky in his History of Russian Philosophy. The difference in the understanding of this problem by thinkers is stated. S. L. Frank accepted the pantheistic concept of the emanation of the Absolute. Accordingly, he made a conclusion about the essential connection between God and creation, V. V. Zenkovsky fundamentally rejected pantheism, insisting on the essential difference between God and creation. During the study, methods of comparative analysis were used, which involve a reasoned and consistent identification of similarities and differences in the philosophical positions of S. L. Frank and V. V. Zenkovsky. Hermeneutic methods were also used to better understand the semantic content of texts. It is argued that "antinomian panentheism", which S. L. Frank adhered to, is a modification of the pantheistic worldview. Therefore, his ideological position was rightly criticized by V. V. Zenkovsky from a Christian theistic point of view. The author makes an assumption that the reason why the philosopher, realizing the vulnerability of his views, nevertheless did not leave them, was the prevalence of the psychology of the Christian religion over its ontology in his religious experience. For S. L. Frank, the personal connection between God and man was extremely important, but he believed that church authority rejected its necessity. The author of the article considers this opinion of the philosopher to be inadequate, since at the Palamite Councils in Christian dogmatics a definition was developed on the synergistic interaction of God and man. This opened up for the latter the possibility of deification by grace.

S. L. Frank, V. V. Zenkovsky, creation, emanation, ontognoseology, metaphysics of unity, panentheism, theosis, grace, synergy