The article examines and theologically analyzes the idea of moral enhancement through psychedelic-induced mystical experience, specifically the 1962 'Good Friday Experiment' in the United States. Proponents of moral enhancement argue that humanity's moral degradation prevents responsible use of technology, and traditional moral sources like culture and religion are ineffective. They propose biochemical agents affecting the central nervous system as alternatives. The unique approach tested in the Good Friday Experiment aimed to improve moral state via mystical experience under psychedelics. The article offers a theological assessment from the perspective of Orthodox anthropology, critiquing this idea.
The article examines the concept of Divine beauty in the mystical theology of Greek patristics, particularly from the Great Cappadocians onward. It shows that this concept becomes a multifunctional theological tool used to describe the direct experience of God, which the Eastern Church tradition affirms as possible for humans. The analysis distinguishes normative mystical experience in Orthodox tradition from non-Christian mysticism. General conclusions characterize what the Greek fathers consider normative mystical experience.