Apophatic model of the philosophy of religion of S. L. Frank and Christian religious-mystical experience: fundamentals and results of interdisciplinary synthesis

Summary

S. L. Frank's philosophy of religion uses a conceptual matrix of 'wise ignorance' and phenomenological method to study Christian religious-mystical experience. His approach, described as philosophical mystical theology, develops an apophatic model that reflects the essential archetype underlying diverse forms of Christian mysticism. The philosopher's own mystical-religious experiences and their rational categorization shape his metaphysical system. Frank's version of contemplative mysticism offers a theoretical reflection on profound layers of Christian religious-mystical experience without detracting from interdisciplinary generalizations.

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Abstract

The subject of this research is the approach of S. L. Frank towards the study of the religious-mystical experience of Christianity based on the conceptual matrix of "wise ignorance" and phenomenological method, which underlies the metaphysical system in his philosophy of religion. The authors examine in the specificity of philosophical mysticism of S. L. Frank and points of its intersection with the Christian religious-mystical experience. The unfolding of phenomenological approach to in-depth layers of the religious-mystical experience of Christianity means the functionality of philosophical reflection within the universal paradigm of Christianity, and thus, the characteristic archetype of religious-mystical experience. Special attention is given to the role of individual mystical-religious experiences of the philosopher and their rational categorization in creating his philosophical system. The main conclusions lie in theoretical provisions that Frank's philosophy of religion, outlined by him as a philosophical mystical theology, became the platform for the apophatic model of "wise ignorance", which led to theoretical reflection of the profound layers of not only mystical-philosophical, but also the religious-mystical experience of Christianity. The authors’ contribution lies in substantiation of the statement that the peculiarity of mystical-theological phenomenology of S. L. Frank is that it represents a version of contemplative mysticism and cannot be viewed as a special philosophical reflection on the diversity of Christian mysticism and the model of Christian mystical theology, which in no way detracts from the interdisciplinary nature of generalizations of the philosopher. The novelty of this article consists in explication of the philosophy of religion of S. L. Frank as a system of conceptual representations, which based on the model of apophatic "sophisticated ignorance", reflects the essential component (archetype) of the Christian religious-mystical experience underlying its diversity and divergence.

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