SOLOVIEV, VLADIMIR°

SOLOVIEV, VLADIMIR ° (1853–1900), Russian philosopher and theologian. Born in Moscow, he was the son of S.M. Soloviev, professor of Russian history at Moscow University. Vladimir Soloviev also lectured at this university but suffered the criticism of reactionaries for the liberal character of his Christianity. From 1877 to 1881 he held a post at the Ministry of Education in St. Petersburg, and later devoted himself to writing. His mystical vision, high intelligence, and religious tolerance made him one of the most outstanding men in Russia, and his philosophical and theological writing were influential. He vainly tried to reunite the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and in 1896 he himself was received into the latter.

An interesting component of Soloviev's thought is his theological and practical philo-Semitism. In this he was almost alone in Russian mystical Christian circles and differed from his friend, Feodor Dostoyevski. Soloviev even wrote a small book about Judaism and another about the Talmud. His positive evaluation of Judaism resulted not only from his appreciation of Judaism's "religious materialism," that is, its avoidance of abstract theology. In addition, he opposed Christian missionary activities among the Jews. Soloviev learned Hebrew and on his deathbed he recited a Hebrew psalm for the sake of the Jews.

bibliography:

D. Stremoukhov, Vladimir Soloviev et son Oeuvre Messianique (1935).

[David Flusser]