The Russian-Orthodox Tradition and Modernity

Buss, Andreas. The Russian-Orthodox Tradition and Modernity. Leiden: Brill, 2003. Octavo. xix, (1), 222, (4)pp. Including list of other books in Numen series. Index, glossary and 10 page bibliography. Pictorial boards with lilac/gray spine lettered in white. A fine but ex-library copy, with minimal markings (i.e. rubber stamps on title page & bottom of text block).

The book attempts to identify the uniqueness of the Russian-Orthodox religious tradition and to contrast it with two of the characteristics of modern Western society: its particular economic ethics and individualism. Max Weber and Louis Dumont provide the theoretical framework. The first part of the analysis is concerned with the economic ethics among Orthodox Russians, Old Believers and the adherents of various sects in the historical context of Russian society. The second part centres on the place and the kind of individualism in the Orthodox tradition since its beginnings in early monasticism and up to the twentieth century. The comparative perspective does not only shed new light on Russia but also on the development of Western individualism and on the Janus-like features of a traditional culture exposed to modernization. (Publisher)

Contents: Pt. 1. Between two alternatives. Max Weber and and Leo Tolstoy on science and culture — pt. 2. The economic ethics of Russian-Orthodox Christianity. The patrimimonial state and the ‘spirit’ of orthodoxy — Russian old believers and sects — pt. 3. The place of individualism in the Eastern-Orthodox tradition and in the West. The place of the individual in the Eastern-Orthodox tradition — The Occident’s separation from the Orient, its unique path of development — Orthodox Russia’s acculturation to modernity — Epilogue: Trial and error since the October Revolution — Appendix. (OCLC)

Volume 100 in the Brill’s series, “Numen Book Series. Studies in the History of Religions.” near fine. Hardcover. (52946) $75