Peculiarities of the Dogmatic Views of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy Professor Archpriest P. I. Leporsky (1871–1923)

The article analyzes the content of the dogmatic theology course by Professor Archpriest P. I. Leporsky (1871–1923), intended for the students of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy. The dogmatist’s lectures under consideration include the following topics: the concept of theology, the possibility of dogmatic development, the source of faith doctrine, divine attributes, the knowledge of God, the doctrine on the procession of the Holy Spirit, the teaching on the Wisdom of God, the creation of the world, the nature of angels and souls, the composition of human nature, the theories of the soul’s origin, the doctrine of the atonement, the issue of the addressee of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the ministries of Christ, the relationship between faith and good deeds, the concept of grace and its instruments of action, the sacraments of the Church. The authors of the article pay special attention to the peculiarities of the Professor’s theological views and also present their critical remarks. Archpriest P. I. Leporsky’s doctrines on the dual genesis of the Son, on the generation by will of the Second Hypostasis, on the eternal mediatorial nature of the Logos, on two consciousnesses in Christ are considered controversial. The dogmatist’s view on the Holy Scripture as the only source of faith doctrine, as well as his soteriological teaching on the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer are characterized as close to Protestant thought. It is concluded that Archpriest P. I. Leporsky is an original representative of pre-revolutionary Russian Orthodox dogmatic science.