Kostenko T. Philosophical and religious analysis of understanding the phenomenon of the sacred in traditional and modern Orthodox theology

In the thesis for the first time in the national Religious Studies suggested a comprehensive philosophical and religious analysis of interpretation of the concept of sacred in the Orthodox tradition. It is established that the concept of sacred in the Orthodox tradition in its conceptual core has two poles: a sacred as deification and sacred as angelmorphics. The first pole is derived from the biblical culture, the second - from ancient philosophy. It was synthesized in the Byzantine theology within a single concept of sanctity of the ideal life in God. Аccording to the majority of a Greek patristic authors, the dynamic development of life in God for humans is possible for a person through participation in the sacramental life of the Сhurch. Particular importance was attached to the three main sacraments in the traditional Orthodox theology: the Baptism, that provides an universal properties to a sanctity of faithful, the Confirmation - personal characteristics of sanctity, the Eucharist, which makes saint involved to eternity. The general trend for modern Orthodox theology is profound attention to the sanctity as a supernatural life, realized in an ideal communication with God. The majority of modern Orthodox theologians consider church sacraments a way of implementation of communication with God, a minority - ascetic and mystical and hesychasm practices.