Fundamentals of Russian culture. Conversations, 1970-1971

The cycle of the radio expert "Fundamentals of Russian Culture" (1970-1971) of an outstanding church figure and theologian of the Protopresbyter Alexander Shmeman (1921-1983) is completely published for the first time. The radio cycle occupying a special place in the heritage of Shmeman covers a large historical space, building a panorama of Russian culture from the era of the introduction of Christianity in Kievan Rus to the twentieth century. Conversations represent an attempt to analyze multi -sized nodes and insoluble antinomies of Russian culture, which led to tectonic social scums at the beginning of the twentieth century, to the "revolution - as a break in the personal and national fate of several generations at once, to the disappearance of pre -revolutionary Russia" as a cultural civilization, to the tragedy of Russian The outcome, part of which was Alexander Shmeman himself, was born in exile, but realizing himself "unconditionally Russian".
The publication is accompanied by the preface of the priest’s son, an introductory article telling about the editing history of the text and the associated archival and textological searches, as well as extensive comments. The book is addressed to a wide range of readers interested in the history of Russian culture.
Compiled by M. A. Vasiliev