On criticism of the theology of Archimandrite Hilarion (Troitsky) (later Archbishop and Hieromartyr)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51216/2687-072X_2025_4_14-31Keywords:
Church, theology, incarnation, cross, Bethlehem, Golgotha, redemption.Abstract
The article is devoted to the theology of Archimandrite (later Archbishop and Holy Martyr) Hilarion (Troitsky), which is contained in his articles of 1913‑1917. His theological views are examined in those aspects that were criticized in the 20th century. A review of contemporary publications shows that this criticism is open to controversy, which could be very fruitful for a more complete and thorough study of his ecclesiology and soteriology. In the author’s opinion, in this case it is especially important that the holy martyr Hilarion in the 1920s became a companion of St. Patriarch Tikhon and by his very life testified to his theological convictions. The material contained in the article can serve as an integral part of a systematic analysis of these convictions. In the existing criticism, the author of the article highlights two points related to Archimandrite Hilarion’s interpretation of the significance of the event of the Incarnation (1) and the properties of the human nature assumed by the Savior (2). To these two points, the author adds a third one (3), in which one can discern Archimandrite Hilarion’s confidence in the unconditional primacy of spiritual experience in the Church over the rational formulations of church dogma. The article presents arguments that, in the author’s opinion, indicate that, in all three points, criticism of Archimandrite Hilarion’s theology is based either on the incompleteness of the sources examined or on inaccuracies he allowed in expressing his thoughts. The study revealed that Archimandrite Hilarion was influenced by the “moral theory” of Archbishop Anthony (Khrapovitsky) (later Metropolitan).
However, having experienced the grace‑filled transformation of man taking place in the Church, he recognized the shortcomings of this theory and, therefore, in his writings, overcame its biases, which could lead to distortions of Orthodox doctrine.
For citation: Pavlyuchenkov N. N. On criticism of the theology of Archimandrite Hilarion (Troitsky) (later Archbishop and Hieromartyr). DOI: https://doi.org/10.51216/2687-072X_2025_4_14-31. EDN: NEIBAI // Theological Collection of Tambov Theological Seminary, 2025, no. 4 (33), pp. 14–31. (In Russian).
Received 05 September 2025.
Accepted for press 12 October 2025.
Downloads
References
1. Иларион (Троицкий), сщмч., архиеп. Верейский. Без Церкви нет спасения. Москва : Сретенский монастырь ; Санкт-Петербург : Знамение, 2001. 638 с.
2. Иларион (Троицкий), сщмч. Вифлеем и Голгофа : (письмо к другу) // Творения : в 3 т. Москва : Издательство Сретенского монастыря, 2004. Т. 2 : Богословские труды. С. 277-288.
3. Иларион (Троицкий), сщмч. Воплощение и Церковь // Творения : в 3 т. Москва : Издательство Сретенского монастыря, 2004а. Т. 3 : Церковно-публицистические труды С. 342-347.
4. Иларион (Троицкий), сщмч. Пасха Нетления // Творения : в 3 т. Москва : Издательство Сретенского монастыря, 2004. Т. 3 : Церковно-публицистические труды. С. 388-391.
5. Иларион (Троицкий), архиеп. Верейский. Церковь как союз любви. Москва : Издательство Православного Свято-Тихоновского богословского института, 1998. 454, [1] с.
Список литературы
1. Антоний (Храповицкий), архиеп. Полное собрание сочинений. В 3 т. Т. 2. Изд. 2-е. Санкт-Петербург : Издание И. П. Тузова, 1911.
2. Асмус В, прот. Архиепископ Иларион (Троицкий) и православное богословие // Богословский сборник / Православный Свято-Тихоновский богословский институт. 2001. Вып. 7. С. 56-70.
3. Василий (Кривошеин), архиеп. Символические тексты в Православной Церкви // Богословские труды. Москва, 1968. Сб. 4. С. 5-36.
4. Гнедич П, прот. Учение об искуплениях в статьях архиепископа Илариона (Троицкого) // Гнедич П., прот. Догмат искупления в русской богословской науке (1893-1944). Москва : Издательство Сретенского монастыря, 2007. С. 217-222.
5. Горбачев А. А. Опыт систематического изложения богословия священномученика Илариона (Троицкого) (по различным аспектам экклезиологии) // Православие.Ru : портал. URL: https://pravoslavie.ru/69130.html?ysclid=mj9vb1dza109367959 (дата обращения: 10.05.2025).
6. Легеев М, свящ. Богословие священномученика Илариона (Троицкого; 1886-1929). DOI: https://doi.org/10.47132/2541-9587_2025_1_113. EDN: OXDTFQ (https://elibrary.ru/oxdtfq ) // Труды кафедры богословия Санкт-Петербургской духовной академии. 2025. № 1 (25). С. 113-131.
7. Флоренский П. А. [Сочинения]. Т. 1. Столп и утверждение Истины. [Ч. 1]. Москва : Правда, 1990. 491 с.
8. Т[роицкий] С. [В.] Искупление // Православная богословская энциклопедия : приложение к духовному журналу «Странник» : в 12 т. / под ред. А. П. Лопухина. Петроград : [б.и.], 1904. Т. 5. Стлб. 1076-1084.
9. Хондзинский П, свящ. Догмат любви // Митрополит Антоний (Храповицкий). Избранные труды, письма, материалы. Москва : Православный Свято-Тихоновский гуманитарный университет, 2007. С. LII–CVII.
Sources
1. Hilarion (Troitsky), Hieromartyr, Archbishop of Verey Bez Tserkvi net spaseniya [Without the Church there is no salvation]. Moscow, Sretensky Monastery; Saint Petersburg, Znamenie Publ., 2001, 638 p. (In Russian).
2. Hilarion (Troitsky), Hieromartyr Vifleem i Golgofa [Bethlehem and Golgotha]. Tvoreniya [Writings]. Moscow, Sretensky Monastery Publ., 2004, vol. 2, Theological Writings, pp. 277–288. (In Russian).
3. Hilarion (Troitsky), Hieromartyr Voploshchenie i Tserkov’ [The incarnation and the Church]. Tvoreniya [Writings]. Moscow, Sretensky Monastery Publ., 2004a, vol. 3, Church‑P ublicistic Works, pp. 342–347. (In Russian).
4. Hilarion (Troitsky), Hieromartyr Paskha Netleniya [The Passover of Incorruptibility]. Tvoreniya [Writings]. Moscow, Sretensky Monastery Publ., 2004b, vol. 3, Church‑P ublicistic Works, pp. 388–391. (In Russian).
5. Hilarion (Troitsky), Archbishop of Verey Tserkov’ kak soyuz lyubvi [The Church as a union of love]. Moscow, Orthodox St. Tikhon’s Theological Institute Publ., 1998, 454, [1] p. (In Russian).
References
1. Anthony (Khrapovitsky), Archbishop Polnoe sobranie sochinenii [Complete Works]. St. Petersburg, I. P. Tuzov Publ., 1911, vol. 2. (In Russian).
2. Asmus V., Archpriest Arkhiepiskop Ilarion (Troitskii) i pravoslavnoe bogoslovie [Archbishop Hilarion (Troitsky) and Orthodox theology]. Bogoslovskii sbornik [Theological Collection]. Orthodox St. Tikhon’s Theological Institute Publ., 2001, issue 7, pp. 56–70. (In Russian).
3. Vasily (Krivoshein), Archbishop Simvolicheskie teksty v Pravoslavnoi Tserkvi [Symbolic texts in the Orthodox Church]. Bogoslovskie trudy [Theological Works]. Moscow, 1968, book 4, pp. 5–36. (In Russian).
4. Gnedich P., Archpriest Uchenie ob iskupleniyakh v stat’yakh arkhiepiskopa Ilariona (Troitskogo) [The teaching on atonement in the articles of Archbishop Hilarion (Troitsky)]. Dogmat iskupleniya v russkoi bogoslovskoi nauke (1893‑1944) [The dogma of atonement in Russian theological science (1893–1944)]. Moscow, Sretensky Monastery Publ., 2007, pp. 217–222. (In Russian).
5. Gorbachev A. A. Opyt sistematicheskogo izlozheniya bogosloviya svyashchennomuchenika Ilariona (Troitskogo) (po razlichnym aspektam ekkleziologii [An attempt at a systematic exposition of the theology of the Hieromartyr Hilarion (Troitsky) (on various aspects of ecclesiology)]. Portal Pravoslavie.Ru [Pravoslavie.Ru: Portal]. (In Russian). Available at: https://pravoslavie.ru/69130.html?ysclid=mj9vb1dza109367959 (accessed: 10.05.2025).
6. Legeev M., Priest Bogoslovie svyashchennomuchenika Ilariona (Troitskogo; 1886‑1929) [Theology of the Hieromartyr Hilarion (Troitsky; 1886– 1929)]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47132/2541-9587_2025_1_113. EDN: OXDTFQ (https://elibrary.ru/oxdtfq ) Trudy kafedry bogosloviya Sankt‑ Peterburgskoi dukhovnoi akademii [Proceedings of the Department of Theology of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy]. 2025, no. 1 (25), pp. 113–131. (In Russian).
7. Florensky P. A. Sochineniya [Writings]. Moscow, Pravda Publ., 1990, vol. 1, the pillar and ground of truth, part 1, 491 p. (In Russian).
8. Troitsky S. V. Iskuplenie [Redemption]. Pravoslavnaya bogoslovnaya entsiklopediya: prolozhenie k dukhovnomu zhurnalu “Strannik” [Orthodox Theological Encyclopedia: Supplement to the Theological Journal „Wanderer“]. Petrograd, 1904, vol. 5, pp. 1076–1084. (In Russian).
9. Khondzinsky P., Priest Dogmat lyubvi [The Dogma of Love]. Izbrannye trudy, pis’ma, materialy [Selected Works, Letters, Materials]. Moscow, Orthodox St. Tikhon’s University for the Humanities Publ., 2007, pp. LII–CVII. (In Russian).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Theological Collection of Tambov Theological Seminary
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
