The Creation of the Invisible World and Man According to the Teachings of Saint Theophan the Recluse

Abstract

The article examines the views of Saint Theophan the Recluse on the creation of the invisible world and man. A special place in Saint Theophan's theological heritage is the teaching on the incorporeality of angels and the human soul. Saint Theophan the Recluse, based on the Holy Scriptures, the teachings of the ancient Church Fathers and his own reasoning, reveals the teaching on the incorporeality of angels. His thought can be expressed as follows: angels are incorporeal spirits, having no body, even if subtle or ethereal. In conclusion of the article, the author comes to the conclusion that, according to the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church, materiality is decisively denied in the nature of souls and angels, and, it must be understood, any materiality, not only coarse, but also subtle, because the refinement of matter does not make it immaterial.