Problem of co-relation between temporal and spiritual power in the writings of N.N. Alekseev

The authors of the article analyze the works of the Eurasian jurist N.N. Alekseev that were named metaphysical ones owing to their substantial relation to the questions of interaction between state and church. Thus, the subject matter of the research covers political and legal views of N.N. Alekseev on the problem of the attitude of a Christian thought to the state, on the co-relation between Christianity and the idea of the monarchy. Moreover, the views of Christian thinkers presented in the primary sources, the approaches to the problem of co-relation between temporal and spiritual power in national historical and legal literature are under consideration. As the research deals with the question relating to the history of political and legal doctrines, it relies on the principle of historicism, the historical and legal method and a comparative one. The choice of sources for the work is based is stipulated by their relevancy to the subject of research and substantial interrelation with the questions of relationship of the state and church and with the doctrine of eurasianism. In particular, it is necessary to mention the works of scientists A.V. Ivanov and R.V. Nasyrov from the city of Barnaul in which they analyze various aspects of eurasianism as the political and legal doctrine as well as the problem of correlation between secular and spiritual authorities. The article points out an alternative character of the views of N.N. Alekseev in relation to the traditional directions of the Russian legal thought. N.N. Alekseev claims that Christianity comprises the basis both of the loyal attitude to the state and law and their open rejection and states that Christianity is indifferent to the form of government. According to the authors of the article, the approach of N.N. Alekseev to the problem of co-relation between secular and spiritual authorities and to the attitude of Christianity to the form of government corresponds to the Christian dogma more than views of representatives of the so-called school of spiritual and moral foundations of law. This conclusion is supported by references to the works of Christian thinkers constituting the fundamental sources of dogma. Alternativeness of the views of N.N. Alekseev means that he pays attention to the impossibility of using religious Christian postulates for justification of any government, and emphasizes an indifferent attitude of Christianity to the form of government. Besides the works of N.N. Alekseev, the article refers to the writings of such thinkers as L.N. Gumilyov, N.S. Trubetskoy, I.A. Ilyin and N.A. Berdyaev who considered similar problems. In conclusion, the authors propose the application of a weighed and thoughtful approach allowing supporting the balance between secular and spiritual authorities. To form such approach, political and legal views of Eurasian thinkers, and N.N. Alekseev, in particular, can give an invaluable help.

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