Vladimir Soloviev

[Reader Nilus]

Does anyone know of any Church comment or feelings of the Church on Vladimir Soloviev? On another board someone posted this link, Russia and the Universal Church by Vladimir Soloviev (originally published in 1889) http://praiseofglory.com/solovievrock.htm and asked me how Soloviev is viewed in Orthodox Circles. I know he flirted with Roman Catholicism and is said to even take communion from RC priests which would put him out of communion with us if he did that.
Nilus

[bogoliubtsy]

My understanding is that Soloviev's writings were kind of a precursor to what would come with Bulgakov, Schmemann, and the rest of the Parisian school. Soloviev's writings dabble in Sophianism and are at times far removed from a traditional Orthodox spirit...this I gather from the little bit I have read about him, as I have not actually read him. I don't believe ROCOR thinks too highly of him.

[Methodius]

I know the Russian Uniates consider him their Father of their flaw-sophy. He was a philosopher rather than a theologian and this caused him to sometimes come up with flawed thought when dealing with the Church.

[Nevski]

Hello, Nilus (O you of The Dalles who are known by another name elswhere!)

Based on what little I've read, Soloviev was indeed a sophiologist, a sort of gnostic philosophy that has been condemned by the church. He was also a Romaphile (which is why many Catholics like him) and is also said that he received communion from a Roman priest.

I'm not sure that, as a poster mentioned above, that he greatly influenced the Parisian school, and while sophiological tendencies are certainly noted in Bulgakov, I've never heard that Schmemann ever imbibed any of this.

Soloviev was an intereting and engaging writer, and had some good things to say. But, theologically, he was quite off the mark.

Nevski