The New Doctrine of Sophia, the Wisdom of God

Book excerpt: In one of his writings prot. Sergiy Bulgakov, referring to his essay on Sophia of the Wisdom of God: "Hypostasis and hypostasis" says: "It does not give a new teaching, but only an attempt is made to comprehend the fact of veneration of Divine Sophia already existing in church tradition." We can only partly agree with this view of this doctrine, as it existed before, and only if we keep in mind the original thought from which it develops. But this doctrine develops from the idea of a mediator, as a special being between God and the world, without which, as if, the very fact of creating a temporary and created world and further Divine economy of the human race were impossible. 2Even Aria was inherent in this Gnostic thought, as one of the main in his heretical theological system. Arians did not allow the direct relationship of God to the world. Therefore, considering Jesus Christ, although the highest, but still a creature, they allotted to him the fate of the Gnostic demiurge in the creation of the world. "God," said the Arians, "created the world through His (Son), because the Divine itself could not come into contact with the finite world. "According to their teachings, He was used in creation as a tool, while, in Orthodox terms, the Father created Him as with his hand."In his essay "Hypostasis and hypostasis" prot. Bulgakov says that "the Wisdom of God - must be strictly distinguished from the essence of God or nature ( οὑσία or φύσις )." And in his book "The Lamb of God" Sophia and Hosea - (the essence of God or the divine nature) are identified by him.Prot. Bulgakov testifies that Sophia is not a creature: and then he says that Sophia is "the creation and daughter of God". In the same book, "Non-Evening Light," about. Bulgakov teaches that "Sophia does not have her own power, but receives it from God." And in his essay "The Burning Bush", as well as in his other writings, he defines Sophia as the "creative" or peacemaking principle of.Prot. Bulgakov claims that Sophia is not God and this statement does not prevent him from defining Sophia by names that apply to God alone and even directly calling her the goddess.