СВЕТИ ЈУСТИН ЋЕЛИЈСКИ И ДОСТОЈЕВСКИ: ПРОБЛЕМ ЉУДСКЕ ДЕТЕРМИНИСАНОСТИ И СЛОБОДЕ
SAINT JUSTIN OF ĆELIJE AND DOSTOYEVSKY: THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN DETERMINISM AND FREEDOM

Author(s): Nemanja Škrelić
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion, Philosophy of Religion, Eastern Orthodoxy, Theory of Literature
Published by: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju
Keywords: Father Justin; Dostoevsky; freedom; determinism; existentialism; subject; object; catholic personality; transformation
Summary/Abstract: In this paper I deal with the problem of human determinism and freedom as a problem noticed and resolved by Father Justin through his reading of Dostoevsky. As the main source for this paper I use Justin’s book Philosophy and Religion of F.M. Dostoevsky, with a consideration that he wrote this book when he was twenty eight years old, which adds special value to it. Along with this book I also use the revised version of his book entitled Dostoyevsky on Europe and Slavdom, as well as his text “Dostoevsky as a prophet and apostle of Orthodox realism” published in his collection of essays entitled Philosophical Crevasses. In the first part of the paper, I recall some critiques addressed to Father Justin on his book on Dostoevsky. Thus, I will outline the basic elements of Justin’s approach to Dostoevsky. The second part of the paper focuses the main theme of the paper. It will be argued that, according to Justinʼs view, neither rationalism, nor anthropocentrism nor freedom that opposes God’s will can solve the problem of ontological nullity and determinism of human objective reality. The human being does not succeed in solving problems through rationalism, anthropocentrism, and self-sufficiency, but rather ends up in self-destruction through despair and nihilism. We will see that, by dealing with these problems, Father Justin enters the field of existential philosophy. According to Justin, Dostoevsky finds the answer to the problem of determinism and ontological nullity in Christ, who by his incarnation eliminates ontological nullity and liberates human beings from the state of determinism. Thus, human being ceases to be part of objective reality and objective reality becomes part of human being, and the Orthodox saints are eminent examples of this. According to Fr Justin, they escape solipsism that makes them merely parts of reality, and in their union with others, they become the bearers of all human nature. In the concluding part of the paper, I attempt to explain what Father Justin implies under Dostoevsky’s Orthodox realism, and I do so through what was already said.

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