THE BEGINNING AND THE END IBD

Sinopsi

The great Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev (1874-1948) believed that the dawn of the twentieth century would bring an end to the old atheistic and positivistic worldview and the beginning of a new era of the spirit.áHis philosophy goes beyond mere rational conceptualization and tries to attain authentic life itself: the profound layers of existence in contact with the divine world. He directed all his efforts-philosophical as well as in his personal and public life-at replacing the kingdom of this world with the kingdom of God. According to him, we can all attempt this by tapping the divine creative powers that constitute our true nature. Our mission is to be collaborators with God in His continuing creation of the world.Written at the beginning of the world apocalypse which was World War II, The Beginning and the End is Nikolai BerdyaevâÇÖs main book on eschatology. He describes his book as an 'essay in the epistemological and metaphysical interpretation of the end of the world, of the end of history', hence he calls it an 'eschatological metaphysics.' For Berdyaev the end of the world is a divine-human enterprise: man not only endures the end, but he also prepares the way for it. ManâÇÖs creative activity is needed for the coming of the kingdom of God: God is in need of this activity and awaits it. Berdyaev tells us that the eschatological outlook is not limited to the prospect of the end of the world, it embraces every instant of life. This is how he puts it: 'What one needs to do at every moment of oneâÇÖs life is to put an end to the old world and to begin a new world.''Nikolai BerdyaevâÇÖs writings are always insightful, penetrating, passionate, committed-expressions of the whole person. They are as intensely alive now as when they were first written.'-Richard Pevear, translator ofáWar and PeaceáandáThe Brothers Karamazov'Nikolai BerdyaevâÇÖs writings retain their freshness as vehicles for thinking not just about the future of Russia, but about the spiritual challenges facing the modern world.'-Paul Vallier, author ofáModern Russian Theology: Bukharev, Soloviev, Bulgakov'Nikolai Berdyaev is one of the few who have found the Christian answer, and yet do not cease to question with those whose lives are still torn asunder by disbelief, doubt, and sufferings, one of the few who dare to be, as thinkers, Christians and, as Christians, thinkers.'-Evgeny Lampert, author ofáThe Apocalypse of HistoryBoris Jakim has translated and edited many books in the field of Russian religious thought. His translations include S. L. FrankâÇÖsáThe Unknowable, Pavel FlorenskyâÇÖsáThe Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Vladimir SolovyovâÇÖsáLectures on Divine Humanity, and Sergius BulgakovâÇÖsáThe Bride of the Lamb.