Canon and dogma in the discussions of the Pre-Concil Presence
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: One of the most prominent problems in Orthodox ecclesiology in the 20th century has been the relationship between canon and dogma, which boils down to the question of how, and whether, it is possible to discern in a canon its dogmatic content—that is, content not conditioned by historical relativity. This issue was apparently first raised in all its urgency at the meetings of the Pre-Council Presence in 1906. Rather polarized viewpoints on this matter were expressed. Some sought to contrast formal fidelity to the canons with the canonical consciousness of the Church. Others, conversely, pointed to the established ecclesiastical notion of the immutability of the canons. The analysis conducted in this article demonstrates that, ultimately, neither the former nor the latter were able to present a sufficiently convincing methodological approach that would allow for the unambiguous identification of the dogmatic kernel contained (or not contained) in the canon. However, the undoubted significance of the Pre-Conciliar Presence in this regard lies in the very formulation of the problem, to which 20th-century theologians subsequently returned repeatedly.
Source: St Tikhons University Review
Author: Pavel Khondzinskii
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7213873752