“I Want to Live for Immortality”: Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky in Search of God

Ioniţă Apostolache

doi:10.18290/rt206712-1

Ioniţă Apostolache University of Craiova, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8722-6998

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rt206712-1

Keywords: apologetic, Christian existentialism, Dostoevsky, “Legend of the Great Inquisitor”, liberty, Karamazov Brothers, Russia

Abstract

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky is one of the most important Christian writer in 19^th century Russia. His works develop images, typologies, thought patterns and existential interpretations. In our present research we try to emphasise the confessional elements of Dostoevsky’s existential thinking. Starting from a brief biographical presentation, we discover the Christian value of his message; which, always ciphered with types and symbols, actually represents a valuable Christian confession and apology, in reference to the concrete sense of existence. In this regard, this great Russian writer speaks of an earthly existence, burdened with personal sins and passions, liberated by faith in God. Therefore, we have tried to analyse, from the apologetics perspective, the problem of liberty from his “Legend of the Great Inquisitor,” a magisterial chapter from his masterpiece Brothers Karamazov.

Author Biography

Ioniţă Apostolache, University of Craiova, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Romania

Rev. Ioniţă Apostolache, PhD – Associated Professor at the University of Craiova, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Romania. His scholar interests focus on apologetics and Syriac theology. He is an Orthodox priest from the diocese of Craiova, at the Obedeanu Church (Romania)

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