The Personalistic Mysticism of Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov): Sacramentological Context

The article examines Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)'s mystical theology through its sacramentological dimension, arguing that sacraments are central to Christian spiritual life. Mysticism is treated as a semantic shade of theology involving rational description of communion with God, while Orthodox dogmatic theology serves as the basis for critically analyzing spiritual experience. The author's personalistic interpretation integrates Orthodox mysticism into a sacramental context, viewing church sacraments as both foundation and catalyst for actualizing human personality and transitioning to a personal mode of existence. This perspective aims to improve study of 20th-century theological legacy and reception of Sophrony's ideas.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The main goal of the article is to study mystical theology of Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov) in his sacramentological dimension. The paper explores the role of sacraments in the author's understanding of the mystical aspect of Christian life. The methodological foundations of the work presuppose the understanding of mysticism as a semantic shade of theology, defined as a special interaction between a Christian and the subject of cognition; that is, as such communion with God, whose results can be described and expressed through rational means. At the same time, the confessional nature of Orthodox mysticism suggests that dogmatic theology acts as the basis and instance of a critical analysis of spiritual experience. An assessment of the mystical theology of Archim. Sophrony (Sakharov), from these perspectives, can improve both the process of studying the theological legacy of the past century and reception of his ideas. For this study, the integration of the author's personalistic interpretation of Orthodox mysticism into the sacramental context is of particular interest, which determines the specifics of Archim. Sophrony (Sakharov)'s view of the church sacraments. Special attention is paid to understanding the sacraments of the Church as the foundation and catalyst of the Christian spiritual life, which, according to Archim. Sophrony (Sakharov), is identical to actualization of the human personality and transition to a personal way of existence.