The theology of suffering: understanding of hypostatic kenosis according to archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)

The article is devoted to the study of the teachings of Archim. Sophronius (Sakharov) on human suffering as one of the fundamental and inalienable themes of Orthodox anthropology. The study focuses on the understanding of human kenosis in the context of Christology and soteriology, as well as on the disclosure of the hypostasis of human kenosis as having its grounds in the intra-Trinity existence of the hypostases. The main research method is the theological method and other theoretical general scientific methods. An analysis of theology of Fr. Sophronius makes it possible to distinguish in his teaching a non-suffering, inexhaustible-kenotic being in the Trinity, a suffering but non-tragic kenosis of the Son of God and, arising from the conformity of man to the Creator and the fact of the fall, a passive, but already subject to tragedy, kenosis of man. Fr. Sophronius sees the goal of Christian life not “avoiding” the painful enduring of suffering, but a conscious and grateful acceptance of any trial as the Creator’s call to personal communication. Passing through the “valley of death”, living the ultimate state of God-forsakenness, a person becomes like Christ, Who Himself passed the path of suffering exhaustion. The theologian emphasizes that what matters is not suffering in itself, but the attitude of our free personality to it. This is especially acute in moments of God-forsakenness, when the kenotic- passive state of a person reaches the limit, and it is then that our free personal will is most clearly called upon to manifest.