M. M. Tareev’s kenotic ecclesiology: an attempt at a reconstruction

Abstract

The article attempts to reconstruct and comprehensively analyze the ecclesiological conception of Mikhail Mikhailovich Tareev (1867-1934), Professor of Moral Theology at the Moscow Theological Academy at the beginning of the 20th century. The study consistently outlines the characteristic features of Tareev's theological approach, examines the features of his ecclesiology, proves the author's definition of his ecclesiology as kenotic. The specifics of the Tareev’s method is the division of the elements of the problem being analyzed into categories of absolute (internal) and relative (external). In other words, this problem appears in his extensive legacy as a problem of the correlation of content and form. Russian theologian understands the Church as a form of Christianity. Christianity as an inner, mystical, spiritual life has the life of the Church as its vestment. Christianity is possible only in the Church, and produces it. Being the realization of spiritual life in the world (“mir”), the Church must be holy and free from the world. At the same time, it is through the Church that the Christian spirit, or the spirit of Christ, influences the world, transforms it by Christ’s grace. According to Tareev, Christians represent a golden chain, on the one hand, connected with Christ and the saints, on the other hand, uniting all the living faithful. The Church is defined by the Russian theologian as a Society, a Kingdom, an Organism, a Union etc.; it is founded by Christ during His sufferings. Church’s purpose is to serve as an intermediary between the mystical life of the individual and the historical life of society. Due to the symmetry of Tareev's Christology and ecclesiology, the latter is defined as kenotic. The article ends with the designation of possible reasons for Tareev's formulation of his idea of the Church