Hegumen Andronik (Trubachev): A Researcher and Commentator of Priest Pavel Florensky’s Legacy

The article examines the life and research activities of Hegumen Andronik (Trubachev). Hegumen Andronik was a member of the Liturgical Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church and served as the abbot of the Valaam Monastery of Savior Transfiguration, participated in the publication of the Priest’s Handbook, Orthodox Encyclopedia, and other projects. Hegumen Andronik authored many liturgical texts and articles dedicated to Russian Saints (Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, Venerable Paphnutius of Borovsk, Venerable Ambrose of Optina, etc.). However, his most significant contribution was made to the study of Russian philosophy. The main work of Hegumen Andronik was analysis and preparation for publication of materials from Pavel Florensky’s archives. The article describes important points in the biography of Hegumen Andronik and the difficulties he overcame in his major activities. Hegumen Andronik did not only “re-discover” Florensky for Russian philosophy and theology but also proposed and substantiated the position according to which the works of the priest can be adequately understood. He substantiated that Florensky’s legacy is a part of the corpus of Christian philosophy, Christian science, and Christian art. In the opinion of Hegumen Andronik, this unique heritage can provide material for the development of theology, but in itself it is not theology. It becomes obvious that Florensky’s works are also of interest in other areas of human knowledge, since methodologically they go back to the ideas of “integral knowledge” and “theurgy,” according to which all areas of knowledge and human activity do not mix or lose their specificity but are synthesized in a common relationship with religion and worship.

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2. Andronik (Trubachev) (1982) On the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Priest Pavel Florensky (1882–1943). Theological Works (Issue 23, pp. 264–276). Moscow: Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate (in Russian).

3. Andronik (Trubachev) (1983) Preface. In: Theological Works (Issue 24, pp. 230–232). Moscow: Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate (in Russian).

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6. Andronik (Trubachev) (1998) Theodicy and Anthropodicy in the Works of the Priest Pavel Florensky. Tomsk: Vodoley (in Russian).

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