Christian culture: the ascent to the prototype. Review of the monograph by A. V. Markidonov “Theology and culture”. St. Petersburg: SPbTA Publishing House, 2022

The article is a review of the book “Theology and Culture” (2022) by A. V. Markidonov, Associate Professor of the Department of Theology at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. The book is composed of the articles published at different times, which invariably attracted the attention of readers. At the same time, it makes a holistic impression due to the author’s unified worldview, as well as to the methodology of the strictly Orthodox theological approach to cultural phenomena that he developed. Throughout the study, the author’s thought about the “event of growth” is seen - one of the main signs of Christian culture, an eschatologically oriented movement, which reveals a person’s grateful creative response to the gift of being and goodness received from the Creator, and to the event of the Incarnation. The book by A. V. Markidonov is distinguished by the formulation of complex and very topical cultural problems, as well as by the depth and creative courage of their solution. The inner freedom of thought of the book author is combined with a high responsibility of thought and word.