The Bulgakov Booth is a four-part series of interviews on the Russian priest and theologian, Sergius Bulgakov (1871–1944). The interviews here will explore the many intellectual twists and turns in Bulgakov's biography as well as some key themes in his writings.

Roberto J. De La Noval is Assistant Professor of Theology at Mount Saint Mary’s University (Emmitsburg, MD). A systematic and historical theologian, his work covers figures such as Sergius Bulgakov and Bernard Lonergan, with a focus on Christian eschatology. He is also a translator of Russian religious thought. His most recent publications are Sergius Bulgakov, The Sophiology of Death (Cascade Books, 2021) and Sergius Bulgakov, Spiritual Diary (Angelico Press, 2022, with Mark Roosien).

Fr. Mark Roosien is the pastor of Holy Ghost Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, CT, and Lecturer in Liturgical Studies at Yale Divinity School and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. He is a scholar and translator of Eastern Christian theology and liturgy. In addition to his translations of two books by Sergius Bulgakov—The Eucharistic Sacrifice (University of Notre Dame Press, 2021) and Spiritual Diary (Angelico Press, 2022, with Roberto De La Noval)—his monograph on liturgical and theological responses to natural disaster in Byzantium is forthcoming with Cambridge University Press. 

PODCAST LINKS:

Spiritual Diary: https://angelicopress.com/products/spiritual-diary?_pos=1&_sid=c7ba52dd8&_ss=r

The Sophiology of Death: https://wipfandstock.com/9781532699658/the-sophiology-of-death/

The Eucharistic Sacrifice: https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268201418/the-eucharistic-sacrifice/

Rob's Twitter: https://twitter.com/roberto_noval?lang=en

Rob's academia.edu page: https://nd.academia.edu/RobertoDeLaNoval

Fr. Mark's academia.edu page: https://yale.academia.edu/MarkRoosien

Hermitix podcast: https://hermitix.net/Home

CONNECT:

Website: https://wipfandstock.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wipfandstock

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wipfandstock

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wipfandstock/

Hermitix podcast: https://hermitix.net/Home

SOURCES MENTIONED:

Bulgakov, Sergius. The Bride of the Lamb.

———. The Comforter.

———. The Eucharistic Sacrifice.

———. The Lamb of God.

———. Relices and Miracles: Two Theological Essays.

———. Sergii Bulgakov: Towards a Russian Political Theology (edited by Rowan Williams).

———. The Sophiology of Death: Essays on Eschatology: Personal, Political, Universal.

———. Spiritual Diary.

Florensky, Pavel. The Pillar and Ground of the Truth: An Essay in Orthodox Theodicy in Twelve Letters.

Marion, Jean-Luc. In Excess: Studies of Saturated Phenomena.

Solovyov, Vladimir. Lectures on Divine Humanity.

OUTLINE:

(02:14) – Drip coffee, ice water, and orange salt electrolyte water

(07:15) – Rob’s roundtable: Bulgakov, Teilhard de Chardin, Balthasar, Simone Weil

(11:42) – Fr. Mark’s roundtable: Bulgakov, Balthasar, Ernst Bloch, Augustine

(15:45) – Biography: son of a priest –> Marxist economist –> theologian and priest

(27:35) – Personalism, the hyper-real, and Sophia

(34:10) – The Bulgakov of Spiritual Diary

(42:23) – Bulgakov the friend (of Florensky and Sr. Reitlinger)

(52:29) – The story behind The Sophiology of Death

(01:01:44) – Bulgakov’s theology of death

(01:11:44) – The Trinity and the eucharistic sacrifice

(01:23:07) – Final thoughts