Freedom, Faith, and Dogma

Freedom, Faith, and Dogma is Vladimir Wozniuk's fourth volume of translations of Soloviev's writings. These essays display the Christian philosopher's concerns about the obstacles that religious and political dogma present to the free pursuit of faith. Many of them explore the reasons why neither Judaism nor Christianity was ever able to establish a truly just "kingdom of God." Several also reflect Soloviev's steadfast and outspoken championing of full religious and civic rights for Jews throughout Russia and all of Europe. Wozniuk's introduction places Soloviev squarely in the mainstream of Christian thought and highlights the concerns that dominate this collection: the meaning of church unification, the proper relationship between church and state, and how to deal with the tendency of the powerful to exploit the powerless, concerns that remain relevant to this day.