In modern Orthodox Christianity, there is no more famous scientist, theologian, missionary than Father Alexander Schmemann, who devoted his life to serving high Christian ideals. His literary and theological heritage has turned many people's ideas about religion and Christianity upside down. He enjoys well-deserved authority not only among the Orthodox, but also among the Catholics.
Relatives
Schmemann Alexander Dmitrievich came from a noble family that was forced to leave the Russian Empire after the revolution.
- Grandfather Nikolai Eduardovich Schmemann (1850-1928) was a member of the State Duma.
- Father Dmitry Nikolaevich Schmeman (1893-1958) was an officer in the tsarist army.
- Mother Anna Tikhonovna Shishkova (1895-1981) came from a noble family.
Alexander Schmemann was not the only child in the family. The twin brother Andrey Dmitrievich (1921-2008) acted as headman of the church in honor ofIcon of the Mother of God "The Sign". In addition, he headed the society of Russian cadets in exile. He worked in the Metropolis of the West-Eastern Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, acting as secretary of the diocese and assistant representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Sister Elena Dmitrievna (1919-1926) died in early childhood, having not experienced various difficulties of the life of an emigrant.
Life Path: Paris
Alexander Schmemann was born on September 13, 1921 in Estonia in the city of Revel. In 1928, the family moved to Belgrade, and in 1929, like many emigrants, they settled in Paris.
In 1938 he became a graduate of the Russian cadet corps, located in Verasle. A year later he graduated from the Lyceum Carnot. In 1943, while a student at the St. Sergius Theological Institute in Paris, Alexander married a relative of Archpriest Mikhail Osorgin. His wife Ulyana Tkachuk became a faithful companion for many years of his life. In 1945, Alexander Schmemann graduated from St. Sergius Theological Institute. His teacher and curator of the dissertation research was Kartashev A. V. Therefore, it is not surprising that the young scientist became interested in the history of the church, following his mentor. His dissertation was written at a high professional level, after defending it, he was asked to remain a teacher at an educational institution.
In addition to the above-mentioned educational institutions, he graduated from the Sorbonne University. In 1946, Alexander Schmemann was ordained first deacon and then presbyter.
Period itstay in Paris was quite fruitful, in addition to performing the duties of a clergyman and teaching activities, Father Alexander served as editor-in-chief of the diocesan magazine "Church Bulletin". Even during his student life, he took an active part in the work of the Russian Christian movement among youth and students. At one time he was even its leader and chairman of youth meetings.
Life Path: New York
In 1951, Father Alexander moved to America with his family.
From 1962 to 1983, he headed the St. Vladimir Theological Seminary. In 1953, the priest Alexander Schmemann was elevated to the rank of archpriest. In 1959, he defended his doctoral dissertation in Paris on the subject of Liturgical Theology.
In 1970 he was elevated to the rank of protopresbyter, the highest rank in the Church for white (married) clergy. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann played a significant role in obtaining ecclesiastical independence (autocephaly) for the American Orthodox Church. Died December 13, 1983 in New York.
Teaching activities
In the period from 1945 to 1951, Alexander served as a teacher of church history at the St. Sergius Theological Institute. Since 1951, after an invitation that he received from St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary, he moved to the USA.
In this educational institution he was offered a vacancyteacher. In addition to teaching at the seminary, Schmemann taught an elective at Columbia University on the history of Eastern Christianity. For 30 years he hosted a radio show about the state of the Church in America.
Main works
- "Church and church organization";
- "The Sacrament of Baptism";
- "The historical path of Orthodoxy";
- "Introduction to Liturgical Theology";
- "For the Life of the World";
- "Introduction to Theology: Lectures on Dogmatic Theology";
- "Sacraments and Orthodoxy";
- "The Eucharist: The Sacrament of the Kingdom";
- "Church, Peace, Mission: Thoughts on Orthodoxy in the West";
- "Lent".
Literary heritage
The legacy of this scientist attracts the attention of not only domestic readers, but is also an interesting source for Westerners, because it introduces the latter to the Eastern ascetic tradition, which has its roots in the desert and goes back to the ancient anchorites.
It is indisputable that the Western branch of Christianity, Catholicism, and after it Protestantism, lost this connection, succumbing to various secular tendencies, lost the connecting thread between the mystical life of the church and everyday realities. Alexander Schmemann also spoke about this.
The books he worked on are mostly devoted to liturgical issues, because it is in the liturgy and the Eucharist thatthere is the greatest contact between a person and God, and therefore this is what should attract a Christian and become the center of his worldview.
In his writings, Alexander Dmitrievich understands the process of evolution of the Christian cult. From the imitation of the liturgical formulas of the Essenes and Therapeutics to the unification of liturgical life in the 8th century, there is a whole abyss of various attempts to form uniformity and verified dogmatic formulas in the sacrament. Considers the structure of Christianity in his books Alexander Schmemann. "Lent" - an essay dedicated exclusively to the mystical rethinking of the Christian life, caused many different opinions in the scientific community.
Just this historical process is one of the main points of the scientific activity of Alexander Schmemann. The analysis of liturgical monuments can help today's Christians to understand modern worship and feel the mystical meaning of this action.
Publish diaries
In 1973, the first entry was made in a large notebook. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann made it after reading the work of F. M. Dostoevsky. The Brothers Karamazov. In his diaries, he not only describes his experiences regarding various incidents in his personal life, but also talks about the events taking place in the church life of that difficult period. There is no doubt that many church figures have found their place in his records.
In addition to all this, in the published works there are reflections onevents experienced by the Schmemann family after emigrating from Russia. The publication of his diaries took place in 2002 in English, and only in 2005 were his notes translated into Russian.
Negative attitude
It is undeniable that the position of Alexander Schmemann in relation to the Soviet Union was rather unfriendly. In his reports and radio broadcasts, he repeatedly accused the country's leaders of having a negative attitude towards the Russian Orthodox Church. It should be noted that the situation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the ZROC was rather shaky. Therefore, the author's works could not get into the USSR.
The situation has not changed even after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A number of bishops of the Orthodox Church, belonging to the most conservative party, consider Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann a heretic and forbid reading his scientific writings.
The most striking example is the ban on reading his works at the Yekaterinburg Theological School. The ruling bishop Nikon anathematized Alexander Schmemann and forbade students to read his writings. The reason for this decision is still unknown. Despite everything, Alexander Schmemann, whose biography remains a model of pastoral service, is the standard of life for a clergyman.
