Accused of Osipism, he objected without hesitation: “Alas, they will choose and go themselves. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life (Matthew 25:46). No one will drive or force anyone. These are not the thoughts of Professor Osipov, these are the words of the Lord. And other words of Holy Scripture can be cited to confirm that people choose their own place of eternal residence.” So, I want something in the city, do you doubt my education? How can you read the Gospel and not notice the following:
“Fear not those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; fear rather than him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28).
I will tell you whom to fear: fear the one who, if killed, can cast into Gehenna: therefore, I tell you, fear him (Luke 12:5).
Strive to enter through the strait gate, for I tell you, many will seek to enter and will not be able to (Luke 13:24).
Many will say to Me on that day: Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? and was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? and did they not perform many miracles in Your name? (Matthew 7:22)
God! when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve You? (Matt. 25:44)
We ate and drank before You, and You taught in our streets (Luke 13:26)
God! God! open to us.
But He will answer you: I don’t know you, where you come from.
And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life (Matthew 25:46).”
“I remembered this disastrous separation and cannot bear it. Whoever has tears and contrition, cry, because in that terrible Hour everyone will be separated from each other by disastrous separation and everyone will go into migration from which there is no return. Then parents will be separated from children, friends from friends, spouses from spouses, and even those who swore not to be separated from each other forever. Then the sinners will finally be expelled from the Judgment Seat and will be led to the place of torment by unmerciful angels, receiving pushes and beatings from them, gnashing their teeth, turning more and more often to see the righteous and the joy from which they themselves are excommunicated. And they will see this unspeakable light, they will see the beauties of paradise, they will see the great gifts that those who labor in goodness receive from the King of Glory. Then, gradually moving away from all the righteous, and friends, and acquaintances, they will finally hide from God Himself, having already lost the opportunity to see joy and that true light. Finally they will approach places of indescribable torment and there they will be scattered and wasted.” (St. Ephraim the Syrian)
He who does not have the fear of God in himself is open to the attacks of the devil. He who does not have the fear of God floats in his mind and is indifferent to goodness, sleeps without measure and is careless about his affairs; he is the receptacle of voluptuousness, delights in everything that pleases him, because he is not afraid of the coming of the Lord; he boasts of passions, loves peace, avoids suffering, abhors humility, kisses pride. Finally, his Lord comes and finds him in activities that are not pleasing to Him, and will cut him up and betray him to eternal darkness. Who wouldn’t recognize such a person as damned? (He's the same)
If it were possible, at the coming of the Lord after the general resurrection, for the souls of men to be destroyed from fear, then the whole world would die out because of horror and trembling. Exactly what it’s like to see the heavens opening up, an angry, indignant God appearing, a countless army of Angels, and the entire human race gathered together! For this reason, we must conduct our lives with the most careful vigil over ourselves, as those who must give an account to God in our every movement. (Fatherland)
Osipov Alexey Ilyich is a famous Orthodox apologist and catechist. Doctor of Theology, professor. A brilliant lecturer and publicist. A man of modest, ascetic life. We'll talk about it today.
Biography of Alexey Ilyich Osipov. Personal life, wife
Alexey Ilyich was born on March 31, 1938 in the ancient Russian town of Belevo, which is located in the Tula region. But he spent his childhood and youth in the city of Kozelsk and the village of Optino, next to the famous Optina Hermitage, an Orthodox monastery, which was inactive at that time.
The biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov and his personal life were determined by his acquaintance with Abbot Nikon. This meeting took place in early childhood and influenced the boy’s entire future life and fate. He grew in a clear understanding of his path and tried in everything to be like his teacher and confessor Father Nikon.
Pious life, asceticism and prayer practice filled the life and biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov. Wife and family were excluded in such an almost monastic environment. Alexey Ilyich is not married, leads a modest life and works for the good of the Church of Christ.
Alexey's mentor - Abbot Nikon
Hegumen Nikon (Nikolai Vorobyov) is a priest and spiritual writer. A well-known ascetic in Orthodox circles, he leads an exceptionally pure, ascetic life, filled with prayer and love for the people around him. The future elder Nikon went through the crucible of revolution, civil strife and war. He also experienced a loss of faith and a passion for science and philosophy.
After spending years, he realized that the sciences do not study the human soul, do not deal with issues of death and sin, but, on the contrary, have only superficial knowledge about the most important, from his point of view, issues. Then he delved into the study of Orthodoxy and reached the depths of understanding the evidence of the Epiphany and the importance of the spiritual path. He followed this path of faith all his life. At the age of 36, Nicholas became a monk. In those years, the monasteries were closed, and therefore he had to lead the difficult life of a monk in the world. So he labored until his death in 1963. In his life there were camps, and exile, and many other sorrows and misfortunes, but he did not become embittered, but remained a bright man, devoted to God and the Faith of Christ.
After himself, Abbot Nikon left many articles of a religious and apologetic nature, as well as a large number of letters in which his opponents were ordinary people who sought advice and prayers from the elder.
Growing in Faith
Having met Abbot Nikon in early childhood, Alexey Ilyich was imbued with the spirit of Orthodox piety, became accustomed to a contemplative life, and grew up under the sensitive guidance of his mentor. The elder immediately drew attention to the inquisitive and diligent boy and taught him a lot. He gave Alyosha Russian classics, Greek philosophers and, of course, the holy fathers of the Orthodox Church to read - John Climacus and the collection “Philokalia”.
The elder also monitored the boy’s studies, his grades and his leisure time. He taught him, for example, how to play chess, but then, when Alexey Ilyich had already grown up, he forbade him from playing chess, saying that it was a pointless waste of time. To the young man’s perplexed questions, the elder answered that in adolescence, chess is a lesser evil compared to other nonsense that can swarm in a teenager’s head.
Education
Classes with Father Nikon and his serious recommendations helped Alexei Ilyich immediately enter the fourth year of theological seminary, having passed exams for the first three. The elder looked after Alexei Ilyich until the very end of his life and was his main support in his spiritual maturation. IN Last year Throughout his life, Father Nikon was seriously ill, but, maintaining a clear mind and a pure heart, he never ceased to be a bright beacon in the biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov.
Teaching work
After graduating from the seminary, Alexey Ilyich entered which in 1963 he brilliantly graduated with a candidate of theology degree. The following year, Alexey Ilyich entered graduate school and began his teaching career, which continues to this day. In addition to teaching, Professor Osipov conducts extensive church activities.
IN different years he was a member of the educational committee at the Synod and a member of the theological commission, took part in Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church and various inter-church dialogues. But pedagogical work, conducting seminars and giving lectures are the most important obedience and stand out in the biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov. The professor’s personal contribution to the cause of catechesis and apology for Orthodoxy is enormous.
Lecture activities
In his lectures, Alexey Ilyich talks about Orthodoxy, spiritual life, and the legacy of the holy fathers. The professor’s erudition not only in theological issues, but also in matters of philosophy, psychology and culture attracts the attention of more and more listeners. Alexey Ilyich always finds the right words, in simple language talking about complex issues Being, motivates for further knowledge and growth in faith, great importance devotes himself to raising children.
The biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov is itself an example of correct church life, an example of piety and humility. Through the life of this amazing and modest man, Orthodoxy appears before us in all its glory historical significance, in its spiritual grandeur, in its beauty and splendor. The truth of Orthodoxy, as Professor Osipov says in his lectures, is easily proven; you just need to approach this issue with an open mind and an open heart.
Alexey Ilyich does not hide important issues of a negative nature - the problems of the church, his own mistakes, ugly actions of clergy and church clergy. He tells his listeners about all this and openly shares his thoughts about church life.
Spiritual life
Spiritual life in the biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov is a fundamental concept. She, as the holy fathers of the Church taught, is the only right life. The only true and most difficult path. Father Nikon told young Alexei Ilyich that spiritual life is the greatest rarity among people in our time. People are accustomed to confusing a highly moral life and a spiritual one. Many people are deceived in this and follow the wrong path. Spiritual life, or the path of the ascetic, is constant remembrance of death, clear awareness, purity of every second moral choice and majestic calm.
Modern people are immersed in an anti-spiritual atmosphere of vanity. Vanity takes over everything free time such people and does not give them the slightest chance to stop and comprehend what is happening to them. First of all, to understand ourselves, our lives and the meaning of these lives. And if a person does not think about the meaning of life, gives it up to vanity, then his existence becomes meaningless, says Alexey Ilyich Osipov. This is repeatedly confirmed in the biographies of many church devotees. Whatever a person is in life, if he has a need to understand his existence, then his life is gradually transformed, structured, and he gradually begins to move along the religious path.
Alexey Ilyich talks a lot about the patristic heritage, the apostolic ministry and the holy martyrs of the twentieth century. His balanced attitude, deep faith and brilliant wit create an atmosphere of intelligence and trust during his lectures. But the professor pays attention not only to the holy fathers; he cites many examples of piety from life ordinary people, ordinary husbands and wives. In the biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov, there are also such people - pure, generous Christians, whose acquaintance transforms and beautifies the world.
Another problem of our time, according to Alexei Ilyich, is entertainment. Endless temptations and pleasures, like vanity, distract people from the main issues of existence. All these are attributes of a completely anti-Christian world, in which there is no place for repentance and prayer. A person has no time to stop, think, raise his head and peer into the sky. Comprehend Eternity.
Anniversary
In 2018, Alexey Ilyich celebrated his eightieth birthday and, despite such a venerable age, he is still wise, witty and generous.
Throughout his long biography, Alexey Ilyich Osipov teaches piety, works for the good of the church and wages invisible warfare.
Osipov Alexey Ilyich (March 31, 1938, Belev, Tula region) - Soviet and Russian scientist-theologian, teacher and publicist, Doctor of Theology honoris causa. Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, a major apologist, a prominent Orthodox catechist of our time. Full member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences.
In 1955 he graduated from Secondary School in Gzhatsk (now Gagarin, Smolensk region).
In 1959 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary.
In 1963 - Moscow Theological Academy. He defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of theology on the topic: “Translation of the rites of Matins and Vespers according to the 1951 edition of the service book of the Greek Church in comparison with the Russian service book of the Synodal edition.”
In 1964 he graduated from the MDA graduate school and was retained as a teacher there. Over the years, he gave lectures on Ecumenism, History of Russian religious and philosophical thought, Current theological problems, Protestantism.
In 1969 he received the title of associate professor, in 1975 - professor, in 2004 - emeritus professor.
In 1985, for a body of theological works awarded academic degree Doctor of Divinity.
From 1982 to 2006 - head of the MDA graduate school.
In 2007, he received a diploma of honorary professor from the Institute of Friendship of the Peoples of the Caucasus. The same year he was elected full member Russian Academy Natural Sciences.
Since 1991, co-chairman of the International Annual Conference “Science. Philosophy. Religion" (Dubna, Moscow region).
He served as secretary of the commission of the Russian Orthodox Church for the preparation of materials for the Religious and Ethical Encyclopedia, published in Athens. Editor-in-chief of the journal of the Moscow Theological Academy "Theological Bulletin".
He took part in bilateral dialogues held by the Russian Orthodox Church with the Ancient Eastern (Pre-Chalcedonian) Churches, the Roman Catholic Church, the Catholic organization Pax Christi Internationalis, the Lutheran Churches of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, Finland, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), the Anglican Church, National Council of Churches USA, Protestant Episcopal Church USA, Disciples of Christ (USA).
He was a participant in a number of Assemblies of the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Conference of the Conference
European Churches, Christian Peace Conference, African Christian Peace Conference and other World and Regional Christian Conferences.
He spoke at world, international, regional Orthodox, inter-Christian and secular assemblies, conferences, at universities and institutes, in the audiences of public and business organizations, in Houses of Culture, both in Russia and abroad: in Australia, Austria, England, Belarus, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Greece, Israel, India, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Poland, Syria, Slovakia, USA, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Estonia.
Books (14)
God
Amazing fact- all attempts to find any atheistic people or at least a small tribe in the time available to historical science were not crowned with success.
Some assumed that in those distant times this was due to ignorance of the laws of nature and the impossibility of a natural explanation for many of its phenomena, especially those that caused fear, or, on the contrary, amazed the imagination with their beauty and grandeur, hence fantasies about the existence of another world, spirits arose , gods, God.
But now the long-awaited kingdom of science has arrived, a time of amazing development of scientific and technological progress and... little has changed.
From time to eternity: the afterlife of the soul
The book examines one of the most complex and vital questions of existence: what awaits a person in eternity?
Numerous testimonies of the Holy Fathers of the Church, its councils and liturgical tradition speak of the Church’s paradoxical answer to this question. She did not condemn the teachings of either the Fathers, who spoke of the infinity of the hellish torment of sinners, or the Fathers, who affirmed the fulfillment in Christ of God’s creative plan for man, when God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28).
Thus, the Church, for a variety of reasons, left this issue a secret eternal life, but, having warned, through the mouths of the saints, “that although Gehenna is subject to limitation, the taste of being in it is very terrible, and beyond the limits of our knowledge is the degree of suffering in it.”
Seeking salvation. Tips and Cautions
The brochure by Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy Alexei Ilyich Osipov will help the reader look at issues of personal salvation through the prism of patristic teaching, which indicates the true path of salvation and warns about possible errors on this way.
Love, marriage and family
“Love, marriage and family” is a topic that covers, one might say, the very core of the earthly, “horizontal” side of human life, in modern conditions acquiring particular poignancy.
This “horizontalism” can ascend to the fullness of unity in marriage, but it can also plunge into the depths of promiscuity, unnaturalness and betrayal. These vectors are determined to a great extent already in the early years of a person’s life.
Famous Russian philosopher late XIX century, Vladimir Solovyov very accurately noted: “And hell, and Earth, and Heaven with special attention they watch over a person at that fateful time when Eros takes possession of him.” Eros is the ancient god of love. But why did the philosopher call the time when Eros “possesses” a person “fatal”?
Spirit Carriers
Knowledge of the laws of spiritual life and the dangers that stand in the way of a Christian is one of the necessary conditions for his faithful achievement of heavenly Jerusalem.
Such knowledge is acquiring exceptional importance at the present time, when, on the one hand, all kinds of “spirits” have flowed into Russia in a stormy stream and countless variants of spirituality have appeared; on the other hand, the patristic understanding of spiritual life and the wisdom of applying its laws to psychology and forces modern man for many reasons it is becoming increasingly rare.
Ignorance of these laws leads to the fact that many, even sincere seekers, are often carried away by externally attractive, but, in essence, far from Sacred Tradition Churches are forms of spirituality, as a result of which, at best, they remain without fruit, at worst, they end up in sects, ruining their souls and upsetting their physical and mental health. All this has the most serious consequences not only for their lives, but also for the life of the entire Church and society as a whole.
About the beginnings of life
Modern representations about spiritual life are filled with many and deep contradictions. Therefore, the Orthodox understanding of it especially needs clarification. Hegumen Nikon (Vorobyov), the 50th anniversary of whose death is celebrated this year (2013), with particular fidelity preserved and lovingly passed on to his compatriots the main thing in it - the patristic teaching about its laws. The importance of such people in our time is invaluable.
This book contains the most important thoughts from the letters, sermons and conversations of Abbot Nikon about faith and life in Orthodoxy.
Letters to Spiritual Children
This publication of a selected part of the epistolary heritage of Abbot Nikon (Vorobyov) is caused by great interest in his work, which is entirely devoted to the main thing in human life- her spiritual needs.
This topic is now acquiring particular urgency due to the development of many negative processes in its understanding. The believer will find in this book answers to many questions that are insoluble by scientific psychology.
Afterlife of the soul
The brochure is devoted to the problems of human existence beyond death. How to understand Eternity using our earthly standards? How do our unconquered passions operate in the afterlife? Gehenna is a place of punishment and residence of the soul or its net worth? Will my family be happy if they end up in heaven and I end up in hell? What and how can we really do for our deceased loved ones?
How exactly does prayer affect the posthumous state of the soul? No one can be left indifferent to these deep questions, this great mystery of human life in two dimensions - in time and in Eternity. A brochure by one of the best theologians of our time, Alexei Ilyich Osipov, compiled on the basis of his public lectures and answers to questions, will help the reader in many ways to rethink what is well known, to look at afterworld through the prism of your own life.
Alexey Ilyich Osipov was born on March 31, 1938 in the city of Belyaev, Tula Region, into a family of ordinary employees. He spent his childhood in hometown, later with his parents he moved to live first in Kozelsk, and then in the village of Optino (Kozelsky district). He moved to Gzhatsk in 1952. The biography of Alexei Ilyich Osipov contains information about his youth, career, but there is nothing about his personal life, wife, children, or even family photos.
https://youtu.be/Rr6dSXIbR8k
Early life and studies
IN school years he, like all students, was offered to join the Komsomol. But Alexey was one of the few who flatly refused the offer. He did not talk about the reasons for this decision, but perhaps it is related to faith.
After 3 years, namely in 1955, Osipov graduated high school, but refused to enroll in a university, despite the persuasion of his parents. The reason for the refusal was again faith. Instead of higher education, he deepened theology for several years under the guidance of the clergyman Abbot Nikon. In 1958, he received a letter of recommendation from his mentor, thanks to which he was able to enter the fourth grade of the Moscow Theological Seminary the first time.
Osipov Alexey IlyichJust 1 year later he was already studying at the Moscow Theological Academy. He defended his dissertation in the Department of Ancient Greek. Graduated educational institution, receiving a PhD in Theology. Upon graduation, he was issued a certificate directing him to work in the Smolensk diocese.
Career
Despite the opportunities, he accepted an invitation to graduate school at the Moscow Theological Academy. After graduating, he stayed there to teach in the new discipline of “Ecumenism” for that time. Two years later he was offered to teach classes in Basic Theology, and then the same subject at the seminary.
Ecumenism (universe, inhabited world) is the ideology of pan-Christian unity, the desire for the unity of religious communities throughout the Universe.
As a graduate student, Ilyich gave lectures on modern theological problems, the history of Russian religious and philosophical thought, and Protestantism. At the academy, in addition to his main subject, he also taught Western Confessions.
As a graduate student, Alexey Ilyich lectured on Contemporary Theological Problems He climbed the career ladder slowly but surely. In 1969, he became an associate professor at the same academy, 6 years later a professor, and 9 years later a doctor of theology.
Many people are interested in why Alexey Ivanovich, having gone through quite a long way studies, and eventually received a candidate of theology degree upon graduation, but did not become a priest, because in theory everything was going exactly towards this. In fact, at some point he simply realized that his true direction was not priesthood, but pedagogy.
In his opinion, to be ordained at the academy is a very strange act. A priest must have a flock. In the academy, its head is the rector, and the priest’s job is only to serve. They can conduct teaching activities, but only in the rank.
Life outside the academy
Outside of academic life, Alexey Osipov also achieved a lot. For example, in 1964 he was appointed secretary of the commission of the Russian Orthodox Church for the preparation of materials for the religious and ethnic encyclopedia of Athens. From 1967 to 1987, and later 1995-2005. - as part of the board of the almanac “Bogoslav’s Works”. Around the same period (1973-1986) he was a member of the educational committee at the Holy Synod. Also for a long time (1976-2004) he served on the commission of the Holy Synod.
For about 22 years, Osipov worked as the head of the postgraduate branch of the Moscow Theological Academy under the department of external church relations. He was editor-in-chief of the Theological Bulletin magazine and co-chairman of the annual international conference"The science. Philosophy. Religion".
Since 2009, he has been a member of the presidium of the Inter-Council Presence and its church commission.
For a year he worked simultaneously on the publishing council of the Moscow Patriarchate, the joint coordinating committee for interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Later he was a member of the permanent Presidium of the I-IV World Russian Councils.
Since 2009, he has been a member of the presidium of the Inter-Council Presence and its church commission.
Participated in bilateral dialogues held by the Russian Orthodox Church with the Vatican, Pre-Chalcedonian churches, Lutheran churches of the GDR, the National Council of Churches of the USA, etc.
Participated in various assemblies, for example, in the World Council of Churches, the Christian Peace Conference, many international, regional and other events both at home and abroad.
He has performed on radio broadcasts, television programs, in high schools, institutes, universities, cultural centers, parish churches and conferences (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey, Poland, India, etc.).
Excerpts from his books were published in “Theological Works”, “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, newspapers, and also abroad.
In 2014, information appeared in many newspapers, magazines, and on the Internet that Alexey Ilyich Osipov left the Moscow Theological Academy due to reaching the age of 75. But on the official website of the academy he is still listed as an employee.
Alexey Ilyich Osipov received many awards For his active work, Osipov was awarded many awards, for example: the Order of St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus', III degree, the Order of the Holy Blessed Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, III degree, etc.
Alexey Ilyich is sure that among people who consider themselves Orthodox, indifference to “moral and dogmatic teaching” is widespread. He believes that now the Churches unite those who are completely indifferent to the faith and truth of Christ. In his opinion, this is due to the fact that the Orthodox people know their faith very poorly and are easily exposed to superstitions.
Osipov, despite his fame even outside of Russia, is a very private person. So much so that, probably, even all those who have been communicating with him for many years know almost nothing about him. On the official website of Alexey Ilyich Osipov there are many photos with colleagues from the academy and not only, but nowhere family photos with his wife and children. The biography says nothing about him.
https://youtu.be/GTEJ1TSe9hw