The Religious Spirit of the Slavs (1916) - Sermons On Subjects Suggested By The War, Third Series by Nikolai Velimirovi?
page 33 of 38 (86%)
page 33 of 38 (86%)
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and with the common spirit of the Russian people. They all agreed with
their whole heart in the denial of the Greco-Roman worship of great men, which worship was everywhere revived in modern Europe in poetry, philosophy, politics, art and even in theology. For eighteen hundred years Western Europe was the spokesman of the Christian world and Russia kept silent. When, after eighteen hundred years, Russia came to the world, her answer was a decisive _No_. But that was not all she had to say. She had also to say a decisive _Yes_. *PANHUMANISM.* _No_ and _Yes_. There is in the Slav religious conscience a _No_ and a _Yes_. _No_--for a great man; _Yes_--for a saintly man. _No_--for pride; _Yes_--for humility. _No_--for individualism; _Yes_--for panhumanism. _No_--for longing after pleasure; _Yes_--for longing after suffering. History has proved that a great man is impossible and, even more, undesirable, and that a saintly man is both possible and desirable. It is proved also that a so-called great man meant a great danger for mankind; a saintly man never could be dangerous. We do not need great men at all, we need good and saintly men. We ought not to seek after greatness, but after goodness and saintliness. Greatness is no real virtue, but goodness and saintliness are virtues. Greatness is only an illusion, but goodness and saintliness are realities. Christianity came to impress these realities on |
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