This site offers glances at different elements of Russian philosophy and culture, particularly with respect to their interrelations with Russian religious traditions. Often religious matters and theological views and methods are influenced and conditioned by philospophy, philosophy in turn being under the influence of the various elements of culture and historical experiences.

Without doubt, it is essential to penetrate the riches and extensions of Russian history, culture and philosophical thought so as to understand the Russian man, the Russian mind and finally the Russian theologian, monk, priest and believer. The riches of Russia and of the Russian Orthodox Church have attracted the intellectuals of Europe and North America, particularly since the emigration to the West of a noticable portion of Russia's aristocracy and intelligentia after the 1917 revolution.

Further, to understand the people of today's Russia and in a special way, those who make up the Russian Orthodox Church it is most important to be aquainted with the cultural, ideological and sociological developments that took place in the various stages of the Soviet era.

Atheism was the official response of the Soviet regime to religious thought. Various expressions of this philosophy formed to a greater or lesser sense the Soviet identity upon which the psychology of the peoples of contemporary Russia has been formed. In order to penetrate the Russia of the post-perestroika period, an appreciation of the legacy of atheism is essential. It is only when one realises the meaning of atheism and its effect on Russia for over 70 years, does one become aware of the most laudable efforts and successes of the Russian Orthodox Church in overcoming the yoke which they had to carry for the greater part of a century.

Religious aspects of Russia's non-religious philosophy is a survey of the attitude to religion of various Russian philosophers. Since the 1920's much interest in Russia's religious philosophers has been shown. Men like Solovyov, Bulgakov and Florenskij are much read and appreciated. Literary authors such as Pushkin, Dostoyevskij and Tolstoj are even better known. However, a synthesis of the thoughts of the many other Russian thinkers, regarding religion is difficult to attain.

The vocation to be a philosopher is an attempt to promote the spirit or philosophical method of Saint Thomas of Aquinas as an alternative to the method of the scholastics and neo-thomists. 

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