Structures of Personal Existence

Orthodox theology developed the notion of personhood through dialogue with existential philosophy. Bodea demonstrates this by examining the works of two of the most significant Orthodox thinkers of the twentieth century: Nikolai Berdyaev and John Zizioulas. Although viewed as main representatives of two different directions of Orthodox thought, this highly analytical book demonstrates that they both had a deep engagement with existentialist philosophy. This book exposes how Berdyaev's and Zizioulas's thought relates to existentialism as well as ontology, epistemology, and ethics. At the heart of all this, is the notion of personhood. In unsuspecting ways, while travelling on different roads within the Orthodox tradition, the challenges of existential philosophy bring both these thinkers to articulate a similar notion of human personhood. For them, the person stands against ontological objectification, it overcomes the division between knower and known, and transcends the dichotomy between good and evil. By paying close attention to Berdyaev's and Zizioulas's relation to existentialism, we uncover the structures of personhood in twentieth century Orthodox theology.