Orthodox psychology — a look beyond the horizon of the scientific worldview

Abstract

The article examines the scientific contribution of the authoritative domestic psychologist, founder of the Moscow Scientific School of Christian Psychology, Boris Sergeevich Bratus, in substantiating the possibility of Christian-oriented psychology. As part of the historical analysis of the emergence and development of psychology as a scientific discipline, the main types of psychological knowledge are highlighted. Both achievements and omissions in the formation of a system of rational psychological knowledge are critically comprehended. Promising directions for the development of modern domestic psychology are proposed: humanitarian psychology, moral psychology and Christian psychology. In the second part of the article, options for the development of Bratus’s ideas are proposed. Sections of Orthodox theology are identified, in conjunction with which psychology gains the opportunity to actually become Christian-oriented — these are Orthodox dogmatics, Orthodox anthropology and Orthodox asceticism. The necessity of a terminological transition to the use of the definitions “Orthodox psychology” and “patristic psychology” is substantiated. An integrative scheme of Orthodox psychology has been developed. The main aspects of Orthodox psychology are identified: axiomatics based on Orthodox dogmatics; theory based on Orthodox anthropology; applied and practical applications based on Orthodox asceticism.