SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin
type: channel
description: The Journal «Sophia. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin» is inseparably connected to the Religious Studies Department of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Scientific articles and reports, book reviews and tutorial literature are published in journal.
publisher: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
language: en-US
publication name: SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin
issn: 2521-6570
items: THE DOCTRINAL AND RITUAL FEATURES OF THE "WHITE BROTHERHOOD"
items: EDUCATION AS A MEANS OF ENSURING POLITICAL, NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS SECURITY OF UKRAINE: WORLDVIEW AND PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS
items: RELIGIOUS DISCOURSE IN THE DEFENSE OF THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE IN LITURGICAL USE
items: THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF KAROL WOJTYLA THROUGH THE PRISM OF HISTORIOGRAPHY
items: INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN TIBETAN BUDDHISM AFTER 1959
items: СПІВВІДНОШЕННЯ РЕЛІГІЙНОЇ ТА ЦИВІЛІЗАЦІЙНОЇ ІДЕНТИЧНОСТЕЙ: РЕЛІГІЄЗНАВЧИЙ АНАЛІЗ
items: CIVIL RELIGION AS A FACTOR OF SOCIAL CONSOLIDATION
items: RELIGIOUS SECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF HYBRID WARFARE: TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE DIGITAL RELIGIOUS SPACE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION
items: CHAPLAINCY AND RELIGIOUS FAITH AMID FULL-SCALE INVASION: A BIOETHICAL PERSPECTIVE
items: THE SPECIFICITY OF HASIDIC PRAYER PRACTICE
items: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF SEMANTIC ANALYSIS
items: RUDOLF VON JHERING'S PHILOSOPHY OF LAW AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE "RUSSIAN WORLD"
items: EDUCATIONAL-SPIRITUAL AND ETHNOMENTAL COMPONENTS OF EASTERN CHRISTIANITY
items: РОЗУМ ТА МІФ
items: POSTMODERNITY AS A SPACE OF IDENTITY DECONSTRUCTION: A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIOCULTURAL SHIFTS

THE DOCTRINAL AND RITUAL FEATURES OF THE "WHITE BROTHERHOOD"
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The relevance of this study stems from the need to comprehensively interpret the phenomenon of the "White Brotherhood" as an expression of spiritual crisis and the transformation of religiosity in post-Soviet Ukraine. The emergence of this movement in the 1990s signaled a search for new forms of sacrality after the collapse of totalitarian ideology, while exposing the dangers of religious manipulation during times of social transformation. The article examines the doctrine, ritual practice, and sociocultural reception of the "White Brotherhood" within the broader context of global trends in new religiosity, syncretism, and neo-esotericism, aiming to reveal the mechanisms of sacralization, charismatic leadership, and the impact of religious experience on social identity. M e t h o d s . The methodological framework integrates philosophical, religious, sociocultural, and psychological approaches. Hermeneutic and phenomenological methods (E. Husserl, M. Eliade) are used to reconstruct the inner logic of sacred experience, while sociocultural analysis (É. Durkheim, C. Geertz, V. Yelenskyi, L. Fylypovych) interprets ritual as a mechanism of collective integration. Psychological theories (E. Fromm, V. Frankl) help explain phenomena of charismatic leadership and spiritual compensation. A comparative approach situates the "White Brotherhood" alongside other new religious movements (Theosophy, Unification Church, Aum Shinrikyō), identifying common features of post-totalitarian religiosity – apocalyptic worldview, syncretism, and the aspiration to create a "new humanity". R e s u l t s . The "White Brotherhood" is presented as a syncretic religious formation combining Christian eschatology, esoteric cosmology, occult feminism, and psychotechnical practices. At the core of its doctrine lies the concept of the "Mother of the World" as a female Messiah embodying the dawn of the "Age of Light". The movement's teaching proclaimed Ukraine as the sacred center …
creator: Dmytro VALIUKH
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-02
publication date: 2026-04-02
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 4
ending page: 9
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.1

EDUCATION AS A MEANS OF ENSURING POLITICAL, NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS SECURITY OF UKRAINE: WORLDVIEW AND PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . It is emphasized that the years of full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine sufficiently convincingly show the place and role of the information component in modern warfare. The fundamental function of this component has set new types of tools that are largely capable of ensuring the desired results without the direct use of military firearms in its classical sense. It has been revealed that one of the most widespread and influential tools for influencing the consciousness of large masses of the population is propaganda and disinformation. The importance and significance of the struggle "for the minds and hearts of the people" as a spiritual and moral value for ensuring the process of formation and functioning of society, nation, individual, state is also clarified. The main vocation of this struggle is the consolidation of a particular community for the successful solution of socially significant problems of its own life. M e t h o d s . The following methods were used: theoretical analysis, generalization method, descriptive method, synthesis, logical- methodological method, comparative analysis method. A review of scientific publications was carried out, observing objectivity and impartiality in the formation of conclusions. R e s u l t s . It is shown that ideological conviction is one of the leading values that a person should be imbued with. Without this complex feeling, his social existence becomes incomplete, extremely impoverished, low, since the person will be outside important connections and relationships that determine his pro-social position, socially significant life realization, internal state of mind, self-esteem, life success, etc. C o n c l u s i o n s . It has been proven that one of the key means of counteracting the spread of propaganda practices in the information sphere, leveling their destructive impact on a person, is modern education as the most effective tool for forming in ordinary citizens not only the desire …
creator: Konstantin VERGELES
creator: Pavlo KULISH
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-02
publication date: 2026-04-02
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 10
ending page: 13
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.2

RELIGIOUS DISCOURSE IN THE DEFENSE OF THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE IN LITURGICAL USE
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The defense of the Ukrainian language in liturgical use has deep historical roots and is manifested in a number of modern challenges related to the church tradition. Religious figures such as Ivan Ohienko and Arsen Richynskyi emphasized the sacred meaning of the native language, arguing that "language is the heart of the nation: if the language dies out, the nation will die out." M e t h o d s . The logical method of generalization was applied, a theoretical analysis of the reviewed scientific publications, monographs was carried out. The use of the philosophical method of religious discourse as a system of speech, reading texts, symbols, ideas and practices, in the Orthodox tradition. Which makes it possible to delve into liturgical texts, as well as socio-cultural manifestations of faith, which form a common understanding of the spiritual, moral and sacred in society through the language of communication. R e s u l t s . Over the centuries, the Ukrainian language has been subjected to numerous bans and oppression by imperial authorities (in particular, the Russian Empire, which issued documents such as the Valuev Circular and the Ems Decree). These actions were intended to oust the Ukrainian language from all spheres of public life, including the church. The use of a living, modern Ukrainian language in churches during divine services is a key element. It is argued that services in the incomprehensible Church Slavonic language do not provide the faithful with all the spiritual benefit. For many believers and part of the clergy, the Church Slavonic language is mistakenly associated with the only "traditional" and "correct" language of divine services, while the use of modern Ukrainian is perceived as modernism or a violation of the canons. The advocacy of the Ukrainian language in worship often intersects with issues of statehood and opposition to Russian influence (through the use of the Moscow variant of Church Slavonic). C o n c l u s i o n…
creator: Hennadii HONCHAROV
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-07
publication date: 2026-04-07
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 14
ending page: 20
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.3

THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF KAROL WOJTYLA THROUGH THE PRISM OF HISTORIOGRAPHY
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . It is concluded that Karol Wojtyla's anthropological teaching is based on Christian principles, philosophical ideas, and universal moral norms. It is emphasized that he examines both the personal and social aspects of human life, raises specific questions of the contemporary era, and proposes solutions. His ideas are practical and centered on human values. His global influence demonstrates the significance of his ideas. It is stressed that K. Wojtyla's heritage needs to be organized systematically, with the analysis of historiography. M e t h o d s . The study employs a range of general scientific and philosophical methods. Hermeneutic, comparative, and interdisciplinary methods, content analysis, and case studies were applied. Analysis, generalization, and systematization contributed to the fulfillment of the set objectives. The research employs impartiality and objectivity by remaining neutral and unbiased in its approach. R e s u l t s . The anthropological teaching of K. Wojtyla is examined through the religious, spiritual, and moral dimensions of human transcendence. The works of primarily Polish researchers were analyzed. The main aspects of the research on the anthropological teaching of the first Slavic pope were presented. Key concepts of K. Wojtyla, which are most often referred to by scholars, and the ways of interpreting the conceptual and categorical apparatus were identified. C o n c l u s i o n s . It was established that historiographical researches of the philosophical-theological heritage of K. Wojtyla are characterized by fragmentation. Mostly, researchers analyze only some of K. Wojtyla's works. Key concepts were identified: law, freedom, religiosity, spirituality, morality, faith, truth, responsibility, person, dignity, goodness, solidarity, tolerance, crisis, life, value. As a result of the research, it was established that the teaching of Karol Wojtyla can be appropriately defined as ethical personalism.
creator: Mariia DOVHAN
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-07
publication date: 2026-04-07
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 21
ending page: 25
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.4

INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN TIBETAN BUDDHISM AFTER 1959
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The article examines the institutional transformations of Tibetan Buddhism following the events of 1959, when the violent imposition of PRC control over Tibet and the mass exile of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community caused a profound rupture in traditional religious, educational, and cultural structures. The study focuses on the destruction of the sacred geography of Tibetan Buddhism, the dismantling of the monastic system, and the subsequent formation of new institutions in exile that shaped the contemporary global spread of the tradition. M e t h o d s . The research is based on a historical-analytical approach employing comparative analysis of Tibetan Buddhist institutions before and after 1959. The study draws on the works of leading scholars in Buddhist studies and ethnography, as well as contextual analysis of educational, cultural, and religious practices within the Tibetan diaspora and Western Buddhist centers. R e s u l t s . The analysis demonstrates that the loss of territorial and sacred foundations led to significant "de-territorialization" of Tibetan Buddhism: religious practices, authority, and lineage structures became mobile and transnational. In exile, major monastic traditions were re-established, and new learning centers, libraries, and schools were created, ensuring the continuity of monastic education and cultural transmission. The expansion of Tibetan Buddhism in the West generated innovations in teaching, the development of new educational programs, and the inclusion of non-Tibetan practitioners in preserving and evolving the tradition. Western Buddhist centers, translation initiatives, and academic engagement contributed to the global dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism, while also introducing risks of simplification and commercialization. C o n c l u s i o n s . The institutionalization of Tibetan Buddhism in exile demonstrates the tradition's remarkable adaptability, maintaining continuity without dependence on Ti…
creator: Volodymyr ZADIRAKA
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-07
publication date: 2026-04-07
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 26
ending page: 30
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.5

СПІВВІДНОШЕННЯ РЕЛІГІЙНОЇ ТА ЦИВІЛІЗАЦІЙНОЇ ІДЕНТИЧНОСТЕЙ: РЕЛІГІЄЗНАВЧИЙ АНАЛІЗ
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d. Religious identity is a factor in the formation of collective identities, in particular national and civilizational identities. In the context of globalization and world integration processes, there is a need A detailed study of the relationship between religious identity and civilizational identity, determining approaches to their interpretations, and clarifying the nature of their interaction. M e t h o d s. This article employs the methods of theoretical analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, comparative method, and generalization method. R e s u l t s. Religious identity and civilizational identity are important categories for understanding the influence of religion in socio-cultural processes. Religious identity is a multidimensional value-creating phenomenon that is a factor in the formation and development of civilizational identity, even in secularized societies. In the Ukrainian context of declared rapprochement with the European community, further study of the role of religious identities in the adoption of a European civilizational identity is becomes especially pertinent. C o n c l u s i o n s. Identity is an important component of civilizational identity, which shapes value orientations. It can provide cultural and historical continuity and integrate individual beliefs into a broader civilizational narrative and dimensions
creator: Yuriy KIRUSHOK
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-07
publication date: 2026-04-07
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 31
ending page: 35
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.6

CIVIL RELIGION AS A FACTOR OF SOCIAL CONSOLIDATION
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The study of the integration potential of civil religion is conditioned by the rapid growth in Ukrainian society of the demand for the development of values and practices that will help unite Ukrainian society, which is divided by many dividing lines. M e t h o d s . The study used an interdisciplinary approach in conjunction with the method of historical and philosophical analysis and the basic principles of philosophical hermeneutics. General scientific methods such as analysis and synthesis, generalization were also widely used. R e s u l t s . The term "civil religion" has a long history of development. It was introduced into scientific circulation by the French philosopher J. J. Rousseau, who, through a comprehensive study of the role of religion in society, argued for the expediency of creating a non-denominational civil religion of a deistic nature. The ideas proposed by the French thinker were quite favorably received by intellectuals of the time and even became the conceptual basis for the practical implementation of civil religion. Its manifestations were seen not only in D. Williams' attempt to compile a non-sectarian philosophical liturgy capable of uniting members of all Christian denominations in a common worship service, but also in the cult of the Supreme Being introduced by M. Robespierre during the French Revolution. Both attempts failed, but this did not diminish public attention to ideas and practices that could integrate secular society in the following centuries. C o n c l u s i o n s . The renewal of interest in the idea of civil religion, compromised by the ritual practices of the Jacobins, and its return to scientific circulation took place in the early twentieth century under the influence of E. Durkheim's research. In the process of searching for mechanisms of social unity, the scientist argued that religion is primarily a system of collective ideas and practices that unite people into communities, and therefore it ex…
creator: Andrii LENOV
creator: Iryna PANCHUK
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-07
publication date: 2026-04-07
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 36
ending page: 42
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.7

RELIGIOUS SECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF HYBRID WARFARE: TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE DIGITAL RELIGIOUS SPACE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d. The article examines the specifics of ensuring the security of the religious cyberspace in the context of hybrid warfare. It emphasizes that the religious sphere has become one of the key targets of aggressive hybrid influence, as Russian aggression actively employs the religious factor as a tool of destabilization, legitimization of violence, and manipulation of public consciousness–particularly through digital platforms, social networks, and online propaganda. In the digital religious space, which unites the communicative, informational, and symbolic resources of faith communities, the roles of belief and spiritual identity are being reinterpreted. This space becomes an arena both for interfaith dialogue and enlightenment, and for the spread of disinformation and religious radicalism aimed at undermining Ukrainian statehood. Accordingly, the issue of religious security acquires strategic importance as part of national and humanitarian security. M e t h o d s. The research employs systemic-structural, civilizational, and cultural-anthropological approaches, as well as comparative- analytical and hermeneutic methods. Among empirical methods, a survey technique was applied. R e s u l t s. The study notes that the phenomenon of religious security has a distinct national specificity, as it is closely linked to historical experience, cultural-civilizational features, state-confessional relations, and the socio-political context of each country. As a component of national security, religious security significantly influences the formation of social identity, value orientations, and societal stability. Manifestations of religious intolerance or external influence from religious centers pose threats to civic unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The Ukrainian context of religious security is marked by the unique situation of hybrid war, in which the religious factor is actively exploited by the aggressor to influence public consciousness, unde…
creator: Irina LOMACHINSKA
creator: Bohdan LOMACHINSKYІ
creator: Svitlana KHRYPKO
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-14
publication date: 2026-04-14
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 43
ending page: 49
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.8

CHAPLAINCY AND RELIGIOUS FAITH AMID FULL-SCALE INVASION: A BIOETHICAL PERSPECTIVE
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The full-scale invasion revealed not only the fragility, but also the resilience of Ukrainian society. Therefore, within the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the phenomenon of chaplaincy becomes especially relevant. The factor of religious faith under wartime conditions requires systematic interdisciplinary research within a bioethical framework. The way we address moral dilemmas affects not only the well-being of patients, service members, and healthcare workers, but also public trust in institutions, community solidarity, legal culture, and the country's capacity for postwar recovery. The bioethics of war takes medicine far beyond classical clinical scenarios–into the realm of allocating scarce resources, rapid decision-making, trauma care, and supporting the families of those affected. In all these critical nodes, questions of meaning and values inevitably intersect with the religious convictions of patients, their families, and clinicians themselves. In combat and frontline settings, the risk of moral injury among healthcare personnel rises sharply–stemming from exposure to violence, the impossibility of maintaining "ideal" standards of care, and dilemmas of dual loyalty (professional duty versus security requirements). It is precisely here that spiritual care and the presence of chaplains can perform a unique existential function–one that purely medical or psychological protocols cannot fully provide. M e t h o d s. The study employed theoretical analysis, a comparative approach, logical methods, and generalization. We also used analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, and descriptive generalization of accumulated materials. A targeted review of scholarly publications and regulatory documents was conducted (content analysis of key provisions), followed by a synthesis of findings to examine the bioethical dimension of spiritual care. R e s u l t s . It was established that chaplaincy during wartime is a vital component of support for…
creator: Ihor MAKSYMENKO
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-15
publication date: 2026-04-15
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 50
ending page: 55
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.9

THE SPECIFICITY OF HASIDIC PRAYER PRACTICE
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The relevance of this study lies in the need to comprehend Hasidic prayer as a phenomenon of spiritual experience that unites mystical aspiration for direct communion with God and the sociocultural dynamics of religious community. The article analyzes prayer as the central form of Hasidic anthropology – a way of being in which inner joy, love, and humility serve as essential paths to the Divine. The author traces how Hasidic prayer embodies the ideal of "living faith," transcending the boundaries between the sacred and the profane, between theological reflection and everyday life, thereby shaping a unique model of religious humanism. M e t h o d s . The study applies a combination of phenomenological, hermeneutic, and comparative approaches. It draws on G. Scholem's ideas concerning the inner dynamics of Jewish mysticism, M. Buber's concept of religious ecstasy as dialogical experience, and W. James's philosophy of religious experience. The social dimension of prayer is analyzed using approaches from the anthropology of religion (C. Geertz, M. Eliade, V. Yelensky), which interpret ritual as a locus of collective meaning. The Ukrainian context is explored through the works of O. Kyselov and S. Sahan on the history of Hasidism in Podillia, Galicia, and Volhynia. R e s u l t s . The study shows that Hasidic prayer is not merely a religious duty but an ontological mode of existence in which the individual experiences the divine presence within the heart. Its essence is captured by the notion of devekut – spiritual cleaving to God – whereby the self transcends its boundaries and attains union with the Infinite. Hasidic prayer is marked by emotional expressiveness, the unity of body and spirit, and the use of music (nigun) as a means of inducing ecstatic concentration. The ritual of prayer embodies communal unity: the tzaddikfunctions as a spiritual center through whom the collective faith acquires cosmic significance. The research reveals that Hasid…
creator: Yevhen MELNYCHUK
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-21
publication date: 2026-04-21
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 56
ending page: 60
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.10

RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF SEMANTIC ANALYSIS
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The article offers a possible solution to the issue of the semantic potential of religious experience. The need to go beyond psychologism and banal descriptiveism in the identification of religious experience is noted. M e t h o d s . The implementation of the research results is achieved through the use of hermeneutic and comparative methods. Evidence is provided of semantic analysis, which is made possible through the presentation of a retrospective dimension and systematics. R e s u l t s. Some aspects of the semantic history of religious experience are considered, which are present in the works of F. Schleiermacher, W. James, R. Otto, J. Wach and M. Eliade. F. Schleiermacher's generalization about the inner experience of a religious person initiates a research trend based on the reliance on subjectivism in its perception. In the works of W. James, R. Otto, J. Wach and M. Eliade, a semantic binarity in the identification of religious experience is asserted, which finds expression in several variants of the solution to the dilemma: subjectivization – objectivation. The thesis is substantiated, according to which in the analyzed works a hint of two conditional methodological strategies in understanding religious experience is noticeable. The first methodological strategy is based on the identification of religious experience as the semantic filling of an individual's inner world with confessionally determined images and symbols. The second methodological strategy is based on the identification of confessional awareness of individuals as they are included in the realities of a particular religious tradition. The characteristics and consequences of the implementation by researchers of each of the methodological strategies are revealed. C o n c l u s i o n s. Generalizes about inadequacy the inadequacy of conceptualizations of religious experience in the context of the actualization of the first methodological strategy and the possibility for opt…
creator: Alexander SARAPIN
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-21
publication date: 2026-04-21
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 61
ending page: 68
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.11

RUDOLF VON JHERING'S PHILOSOPHY OF LAW AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE "RUSSIAN WORLD"
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The article explores how Rudolf von Jhering's philosophy of law, which asserts a teleological understanding of law as a morally oriented purpose, stands in opposition to the anti-legal eschatology of the "Russian world", where power is sacralized and law reduced to an ideological instrument of violence. The study highlights the civilizational dimension of Russia's current war against Ukraine as a clash between two systems of legal thought: the teleological, based on freedom and justice, and the mythological, which legitimizes imperial aggression. The relevance of the study lies in the need to comprehend the deep contradictions between European legal civilization – grounded in the principles of rationalism, dignity, and freedom – and the ideological doctrine of the "Russian world", which denies personal autonomy and the rational foundations of law. M e t h o d s . The methodological framework combines philosophical-legal, hermeneutic, and comparative approaches that integrate an analysis of Jhering's classical works (Der Zweck im Recht, Der Kampf ums Recht) with a critical interpretation of contemporary Russian ideological narratives. Methods of social phenomenology and analytical hermeneutics are applied to identify key semantic antinomies – law vs. power, purpose vs. mission, freedom vs. collectivism, dignity vs. subjugation. R e s u l t s . It is demonstrated that Jhering conceived law as an ethical form of social life harmonizing freedom and order. His teleological model views law as a struggle for dignity and justice, where power is subordinated to moral purpose. In contrast, the "Russian world" represents a form of anti-legal thinking that sacralizes authority, replaces morality with ideology, and transforms law into violence. This doctrine is revealed as an eschatological rather than teleological system, interpreting history as a repetition of a sacred myth while depriving the human being of the status of legal subject. Within the contemp…
creator: Yurii SKOKLIUK
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-21
publication date: 2026-04-21
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 69
ending page: 73
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.12

EDUCATIONAL-SPIRITUAL AND ETHNOMENTAL COMPONENTS OF EASTERN CHRISTIANITY
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . In the context of the treacherous Russian aggression that has led to the absurd Russian-Ukrainian war in the 21st century, new dimensions of Ukrainian national identity have emerged, prompting the search for new approaches to the educational process and scholarly understanding in general. Ukrainian identity has been shaped by various historical, religious, cultural, and ethnonational factors. Among them, the Orthodox and Greek Catholic traditions, along with elements of the ancient Slavic worldview, have played a decisive role, being reflected in customs, character traits, and value orientations. M e t h o d s . The historical method was applied to analyze sources and educational institutions in order to trace the evolution of the relationship between religion and education in Eastern Christianity. The religious studies approach made it possible to define the specific features of theological education in the Eastern Christian tradition, which focuses on the interpretation of the Holy Scripture and Sacraments, liturgical and artistic practices, as well as the practical application of Christian principles in everyday life. To demonstrate how cultural phenomena (such as language), artifacts (ancient Rus' manuscripts), and symbols(the anthropological code) influence the formation of educational patterns, a cultural analysis was used. This approach helped to identify the initial worldview orientations of Byzantine education in the Ukrainian lands and their resonance in the construction of the modern educational process. R e s u l t s . The study of the historical and contemporary context of the interrelation between religion and education in shaping ethnomentality has revealed that religious educational systems tend to form ethnonational values that are organically integrated into the local sociocultural environment. Religious knowledge within the educational process contributes to the development of a unique ethnomentality that unites the historica…
creator: Mykola STADNYK
creator: Oleksandr KUDYN
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-21
publication date: 2026-04-21
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 74
ending page: 80
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.13

РОЗУМ ТА МІФ
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The article is devoted to a philosophical analysis of the nature of the human mind in the context of contemporary debates on artificial intelligence, rationality, and the limits of cognitive knowledge. The renewed relevance of the problem is driven by the growing popularity of generative artificial intelligence systems, whose outputs increasingly imitate the results of human intellectual activity and provoke a rethinking of the very concept of intelligence. The authors proceed from the assumption that reducing mind to a set of computational or neurophysiological processes does not allow for an adequate explanation of its historical, ontological, and cultural conditionedness. In this connection, they propose turning to the philosophy of myth as a promising methodological framework for the analysis of rationality. M e t h o d s . The methodological foundation of the study consists in combining historical-philosophical analysis, hermeneutics, the phenomenological approach, and elements of philosophical anthropology. The paper employs a reconstruction of ancient and Neoplatonic conceptions of mind (Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Iamblichus) in comparison with contemporary concepts of enactive and embodied cognition (Uexküll, Dreyfus), as well as with findings from neuroscientific and cognitive research. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the socio-practical character of meaning formation and to the role of culturally conditioned ontological representations in the constitution of rationality. R e s u l t s . It is shown that mind cannot be adequately understood outside the system of social practices within which meanings, concepts, and representations of reality are formed. Ancient conceptions of mind, closely connected with mythological ontology, represent not a naïve or "pre-scientific" stage of thinking, but a holistic model of cultural rationality in which mind functions simultaneously as a principle of ordering the world, a means of k…
creator: Oleksandr BILOKOBYLKSKYI
creator: Ruslan KHALIKOV
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-21
publication date: 2026-04-21
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 81
ending page: 87
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.14

POSTMODERNITY AS A SPACE OF IDENTITY DECONSTRUCTION: A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIOCULTURAL SHIFTS
type: item
description: B a c k g r o u n d . The article provides a philosophical analysis of postmodernity as a space of identity deconstruction, where global, technological, and cultural transformations have radically altered the modes of human self-representation. The author interprets postmodernity not merely as a cultural-historical stage but as a specific ontological condition in which traditional forms of identity – national, gender, religious, professional – undergo dissolution and are replaced by multiple, hybrid, and performative models. Within the framework of the information society, identity is conceptualized as a continuous process of construction, reflecting the crisis of a stable "self" and forming new approaches to the understanding of human subjectivity. M e t h o d s . The methodological foundation of the study is an interdisciplinary approach combining philosophical-cultural, socio-philosophical, hermeneutic, and phenomenological analyses. The research applies the principles of deconstruction (J. Derrida), discourse analysis (M. Foucault), and a comparative approach to interpreting the sociocultural shifts that shape modern identity. The article draws upon the ideas of post-structuralism, J. Baudrillard's theory of simulacra, Z. Bauman's concept of "liquid modernity", and J. Butler's ethical performativity. R e s u l t s . The study substantiates that postmodernity has generated fragmentation and multiplicity of identity, which now manifests in networked, virtual, and culturally hybrid forms. Processes of virtualization, hybridization, simulation, and digitalization foster a new type of subjectivity – contingent, dynamic, and open to perpetual self-creation. The author demonstrates that, despite the seemingly crisis-ridden nature of these processes, the deconstruction of identity opens a philosophical space for a new ethics of coexistence, dialogue, and cultural pluralism. Particular attention is devoted to the Ukrainian context, where the ongoing war has intensified t…
creator: Vitalii TURENKO
creator: Yuliia SIEROVA
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 SOPHIA. Human and Religious Studies Bulletin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
date: 2026-04-22
publication date: 2026-04-22
volume: 27
number: 1
starting page: 88
ending page: 92
doi: 10.17721/sophia.2026.27.15