THEORIA
Explore full early church libraryExplore library
Library
  1. Library
  2. Pavel Florensky
  3. The Pillar and Ground of the Truth

Theoria Original

Our original translation of this text — available exclusively to members. Includes facing Russian original inside the reader.

The Pillar and Ground of the Truth

Pavel Florensky

15h 27m read
Modern

An essay in Orthodox theodicy, cast as twelve letters on truth, love, the Trinity, Sophia, and the life of the Church.

Become a member — $7.77/month

Table of Contents

1I. To the ReaderFree preview
2II. Letter One: Two Worlds
3III. Letter Two: Doubt
1I: What is the sun? — She: "The dear sun." — I: No, *what* is it? — She: "The sun just is." — I: And why does it shine? — She: "Well, just because; the sun is the sun, that's why it shines. It shines and shines. Look, there's the dear sun…" I: But *why*? — She: "Lord, Pavel Aleksandrovich, as if I would know! You're the educated folk, the learned ones, and we — we're unlearned."
1IV. Letter Three: The Tri-Unity
2V. Letter Four: The Light of Truth
3VI. Letter Five: The Comforter
4VII. Letter Six: Contradiction
5VIII. Letter Seven: Sin
6IX. Letter Eight: Gehenna
7X. Letter Nine: The Creature
8XI. Letter Ten: Sophia
9XII. Letter Eleven: Friendship
10XIII. Letter Twelve: Zeal
11XIV. Afterword