Sophiology

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sophiology (from sophia Σοφια greek for- wisdom) in Russian София is a branch of Christian theology primarily concerned with the Wisdom of God. Secondary and tertiary aspects of sophiology involve the relationship between the visible and invisible worlds, the role of nature, as well as teleology. Sophiology has roots in Wisdom Theology, nineteenth and twentieth century Russian Theology, preeminently Sergei Bulgakov through the influence of Vladimir Solovyov, and contemporary feminism. Russian Orthodox Priest Georges Florovsky and Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky opposed the interjection of the deity Sophia. Vladimir Lossky stated that it was a misguided uniting together of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary into a single deity or hypostasis of God.

[edit] Bibliography

• Sergei Bulgakov, Sophia, the Wisdom of God: An Outline of Sophiology (Library of Russian Philosophy), Lindisfarne Books, 1993. (ISBN-10: 0940262606, ISBN-13: 978-0940262607)
• Vladimir Lossky The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, SVS Press, 1997. (ISBN 0-913836-31-1) James Clarke & Co Ltd, 1991. (ISBN 0-227-67919-9)
• Oleg A. Donskikh, ‘Cultural roots of Russian Sophiology’, Sophia, 34(2), 1995, pp38-57
• Brenda Meehan, ‘Wisdom/Sophia, Russian identity, and Western feminist theology’, Cross Currents, 46(2), 1996, pp149-168
• Thomas Schipflinger, Sophia-Maria (in German: 1988; English translation: York Beach, ME: Samuel Wiser, 1998) ISBN 1578630223
• Mikhail Sergeev, Sophiology in Russian Orthodoxy: Solov’ev, Bulgakov, Losskii, Berdiaev (Edwin Mellen Press, 2007) ISBN 0773456090 and ISBN 9780773456099, 248 pages

[edit] See Also

• Pavel Florensky
• Georges Florovsky
• Vladimir Lossky
• Sergei Bulgakov
• Holy Wisdom
• Sophia
• Hagia Sophia
• Phronesis
• Vladimir Sergeyevich Solovyov

[edit] On-Line Resources

Icons and images of Sophia (Holy Wisdom):

• Icon of Sophia, the Wisdom of God - A good brief overview of the Sophia icon
• Sophia - Divine Wisdom, by Eileen McGuckin, Icon 53
• Sophia - Divine Wisdom, by Eileen McGuckin, Icon 72
• Holy Wisdom (early 18th century)
• Another icon of Sophia

Essays related to Sophia or Sophiology:

• Lilianna Kiejzik on the emergence of the study of Sophia (Sophiology) in Russian philosophy - in Polish
• Gregorios Wassen, Introduction to Sophiology
• Gregorios Wassen, The Divine Sophia in the Holy Trinity
• Gregorios Wassen, Sophia in Fr. Sergius Bulgakov's Theological Thought
• Jonathan Seiling, Kant's Third Antinomy and Spinoza's Substance in the Sophiology of Florenskii and Bulgakov - Presented at Florensky conference in Moscow, September 2005
• Joseph H. J. Leach, Parallel Visions - A consideration of the work of Pavel Florensky and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin - Contains a section on Sophia
• Cambridge Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, The Figure of Wisdom in the Patristic Tradition
• Discussion thread at Monachos.net: Sophia in the patristic tradition

Bibliographic:

• Sophia Bibliography - Compiled by Mikhail Sergeev
• Sophiology - Online Resources - Compiled by Robert Thompson