Abstract

The author states the problem of “the churching of intelligentsia” amidst the growing secularization of the Russian society at the turn of the twentieth century, and draws on the example of the life and journalistic essays of priest Iosif Ivanovich Fudel. The novelty of the work lies in the absence of treatises which would explore the topic of the pre-revolutionary intelligentsia becoming churchly, the ways and scale of this process, as well as the insufficient knowledge about the biography of the person whose activities vividly illustrate the chosen topic. Fudel’s personality and his system of beliefs are investigated in the context of socio-ecclesiastical life of his time. He had an original view on the issue of intelligentsia’s role, as he represented a conservative current within the Russian thought (which was first and foremost connected with Mikhail Novoselov’s circle and differed from the modernist and political currents of the “religious-philosophical Renaissance” age). At the heart of the source study base are Fudel’s political writings from the 1880–1900s, as well as his letters and memoirs about him. Some key articles on the topic are also used (works by Ivan Aksakov, collections of articles Vekhi and Intelligentsia in Russia). This made it possible to follow Fudel’s transition (spiritual and social) from the intelligentsia circles of the Moscow University to the Church, and the evolution of his thought from identifying with the initially criticized intelligentsia to the attempts at the meaningful dialogue with it and “internal mission” of the Church. Father Iosif set a great challenge, at that moment a practically impossible task of creating “folk intelligentsia”, which overcoming the stage of secularization would again become churchly at a new stage of its spiritual and intellectual evolution. Fudel’s standpoint was not exceptional, neither was it widespread enough to be able to overcome the alienation between the Church and the intellectuals. Nonetheless, Fudel’s work on bridging the gap between the Church and the intelligentsia — by way of preaching (inter alia, public and journalistic), mission, publication of literature, personal example — represents an important and individually successful case of relations between the two parties.