Communio viatorum is a theological journal from Central European perspectives founded in 1958 by J. L. Hromádka and J. B. Souček, published by the Protestant Theological Faculty of Charles University in Prague three times a year.
Communio Viatorum seeks to promote research and scholarly debate in all theological disciplines. Since its foundation special attention has been paid to both biblical studies and Czech Protestant history. The journal is also interested in articles that reflect new accents within the field of theology as well as relevant challenges from neighbouring disciplines, developments in the Church worldwide as well as new moves within society. It seeks to promote an ongoing process of theological debate from a specific Central European Protestant background, but open to authors from all around the world and all denominations who wish to engage in such a conversation.
Articles published here are indexed in the ATLA Religion Database® and are included in the full-text ATLASerials® (ATLAS®) collection. They are also indexed and abstracted in the Web of Science – Arts and Humanities Citation Index® of Clarivate Analytics, in Scopus, in CEEOL, and in ERIH PLUS.
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COMMUNIO VIATORUM, Vol 66 No 1 (2024), 51–68
Paradoxical Hope: Fr. Aleksander Schmemann’s Sermons on Radio Liberty
Milutin Janjić
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14712/30296374.2024.6
published online: 20. 09. 2024
abstract
This article explores Father Aleksander Schmemann’s radio broadcasts that began in 1953 on Radio Liberty, coinciding with Joseph Stalin’s death. The article argues that his broadcasts represent a unique form of hope, particularly from an Orthodox Christian perspective. A core aspect of his theological thought emphasizes personal religious experiences, both internal and external, expressed effectively through literature and poetry. The article examines one of Fr Schmemann’s sermons, which discusses Russian poet Joseph Brodsky’s poem “ The Meeting of the Lord” (“Sretenie”). Through this sermon, the article demonstrates Fr Schmemann’s view of literature’s role in conveying spiritual insights. It underscores Fr Schmemann’s belief of the significance of personal religious experiences in one’s relationship with God, conveyed primarily through words, whether in liturgical settings or creative expressions like poetry. This profound connection between language, faith, and personal experience forms the foundation of Fr Schmemann’s paradoxical hope, inspiring him to reach out to a distant and suppressed audience.
keywords: Liturgy; Experience; Word; Poetry; Meeting
Paradoxical Hope: Fr. Aleksander Schmemann’s Sermons on Radio Liberty is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
