Theological idea of personality in modern Orthodox psychology

By writing the article the author pursued two main aims: firstly, to show, what is the benefit of Orthodox personalism and for what reasons the usage of theological concept of personality in modern Orthodox psychology seems helpful and fruitful; secondly, to prevent typical mistakes which often occur among psychologists who use the Orthodox theological notion of personality. To that end such questions as correlation and interconnection between notions of “personality” and “hypostasis”, “personality” and “nature”, “personality” and “individual”, “personality” and “consciousness”. “personality” and “image of God’ were discussed. The author thinks that an adequate formulation of the notion of “personality” in Orthodox theology and psychology demands clarification of patristic terminology - understanding of personality as the irreducibility to nature and being-in-communication and love. Such understanding has as its consequences the following characteristics of personality: possession of nature and underivability of consciousness from natural being.

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