Fyodor Stepun on Russia and Russian philosophy

This article is devoted to the life and writings of the Russian religious philosopher Fyodor Stepun (1884-1965). In his works, published in emigration, Stepun provided a profound analysis of Russian culture and philosophy, of the reasons for the Russian Revolution, and of the phenomenon of Bolshevism. In this article, his views of Russia and Russian religious philosophy in their development are considered in the context of the key events of Stepun's life, based on his memoirs and leters, as well as the recollections of his friends and contemporaries. In analyzing his emigrant period, special atention is drawn to his key articles, published in the journals Sovremennye Zapiski and Novy Grad, where he explains his understanding of the mission of the Russian emigration and the “Russian idea”, the problems of Russia's relationship with Europe, and his original juxtaposition of the Russian Revolution and Russian philosophical thought. In this article, the author shows that the subject of Russia and its intimate connection with Orthodoxy remained central for the philosopher's work throughout his life in emigration (1922-1965). To most of his German colleagues and students, Stepun was a missionary of the Russian culture.