George Zavershinsky, The theological existentialism of Starets Sophrony
„Principle of the person” and theology of the dialogue
Genuine dialogue is based on the hypostatic principle of the being, either divine or human. When I meets You in a hypostatic relation, there is always the eternal You which confirms that the dialogue is genuine, becoming hypostatically clear. The existentialist concept will be examined in the light of the hypostatical principle or that of the person, given by Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov. Father Sophrony considers that his relationship with St. Silouan the Athonite and the experience of the personal God are the most important things that influenced his way of life and his theology. In a dialogical sense, it is most necessary to highlight the genuine dialogue between Father Sophrony and St. Silouan, both having tasted the same experience of the eternal You, of the personal God. They lived the time of a true challenge to the very existence of mankind and have experienced that nothing but personal prayer could save mankind from chaos and total destruction. This challenge encouraged theological and philosophical thinkers of the last century to focus on the rediscovery of humanism in the context of personal approach.

Keywords: dialogue, person, Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov, theological existentialism

GEORGE ZAVERSHINSKY