The concept of moral freedom of the individual in the works of St. Theophan the Recluse

Abstract

In his works, Saint Theophan the Recluse clearly distinguishes between nature and the individual who controls this nature. Saint Theophan identifies three main properties of the human personality: consciousness, rational-free activity, and vitality. These three qualities are not, in the literal sense, properties of the personality itself, but properties of the spiritual-spiritual nature of man, which most clearly reveal his personality. The authors come to the conclusion that the three properties of the spiritual-spiritual life of man - consciousness, rational-free self-activity, and vitality, according to Saint Theophan the Recluse, most fully reflect the state of man's ability to freely determine himself for action. The awareness of oneself as a person existing independently (that is, not identifying) with one's internal processes (attractions and desires) enables sober self-assessment. This internal attitude forms the foundation of all spiritual life, since it places a person in a position of objective judgment, which enables moral analysis of oneself and one's actions.