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{{orthodoxyinamerica}}[[Protopresbyter]] '''Georges Vasilievich Florovsky''' ([[August 23]], 1893 – [[August 11]], 1979) was a prominent 20th century Orthodox Christian [[priest]], [[theologian]], and writer, active in the [[ecumenism|ecumenical movement]]. His writing is known for its clear, profound style, covering subjects on nearly every aspect of Church life.
==Life==
Florovsky was born in Odessa as the fourth child of a [[priest]]. Inspired by the erudite environment in which he grew up, he learned English, German, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew while still a schoolboy. At eighteen, he started to study philosophy and history. After his first graduation, he taught for three years at high schools in Odessa and then made his full graduation including the licensia docendi at all universities in the Russian empire. In 1919, he began to teach at the University of Odessa, but his family was forced to leave Russia in 1920. <!-- Image does not break paragraph. -->[[Image:Florovsky book.jpg|left|frame|thumb|2004 book on Florovsky, edited by Andrew Blane]]<!-- End image; continue same paragraph. -->The young Florovsky realized at that time that there would be no return for him, because Marxism did not accept the history and philosophy he taught. Florovsky thus became part of the great emigration of the Russian intelligentsia, which also included [[Maria (Skobtsova)]], [[Nikolai Berdyaev]], [[Sergius Bulgakov|Sergei Bulgakov]], [[Nicholas Lossky]], [[Alexander Schmemann]], and [[John Meyendorff]], the latter two of whom later followed Florovsky as Dean of [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]].
In the 1920s, he had a close personal and vocational friendship with Berdyaev. The two became somewhat more distanced in later years, largely through Berdyaev not understanding Florovsky's entering [[Holy Orders]], and also through Florovsky's critical attitude towards Berdyaev's [[Russian religious philosophy|philosophy of religion]] in ''Ways of Russian Theology''.
In 1932, Florovsky was [[ordination|ordained]] to the priesthood. During the 1930s, he undertook extensive researches in European libraries and wrote his most important works in the area of patristics as well as his magnum opus, ''Ways of Russian Theology''. In this massive work, he questioned the Western influences of scholasticism, pietism, and idealism on Russian theology and called for a re-evaluation of Russian theology in the light of patristic writings. The work was received with either enthusiam or condemnation—there was no neutral attitude to it among Russian emigrés. Among the critics were Bulgakov, the head of the St. Sergius Institute and prominent exponent of the Russian theological tradition of the 19th century, as well as Berdyaev, exponent of the religious renaissance of the 20th century.
In 1949, Florovsky moved to New York City to take a position as Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary. Florovsky's oversight of the development of the theological curriculum led to the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York granting the Seminary an Absolute Charter in 1953. He In 1955 Florovsky was fired as Dean in 1955 asked by his synod overseers to "lay down the deanship." {{ref|1}} and He thereafter taught at Harvard Divinity School (1956-1964), teaching patristics and Russian religious thought, and later at Princeton (1964-1972), teaching Slavic languages and literatures. He died in 1979.
==Works==
==Source==
*Some material taken from [[Wikipedia:Georges Florovsky]]
==External links==
*[http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/bms/13001/bms13001florovsky.html Harvard Divinity School Faculty Writings File: Georges Florovsky]
*[http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/florovsky.html Princeton University Library: George Florovsky Papers]
*[http://library.svots.edu/archival-collections/fr-georges-florovsky-papers St. Vladimir's Seminary Library: The Fr. Georges Florovsky Papers]
*[http://pages.sbcglobal.net/c.parks/florovsky.html The Collected Works of Fr. Georges Florovsky]: A partial list of links to works published on the web
*[http://www.sain.org/WINDOW/Ecclesio.txt Lewis Shaw, ''Georges Florovsky's Model of Orthodox Ecclesiology'']
*[http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/bms/13001/bms13001florovsky.html Harvard Divinity School Faculty Writings File: Georges Florovsky]
*[http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/florovsky.html Princeton University Library: George Florovsky Papers]
*[http://www.krotovberdyaev.infocom/englberdiaev/berdyaevberd_lib/1937_424.html Nikolai Berdyaev, Ortodoksia and Humanness], 1937, Critique of Florovsky's ''Ways of the Russian Theology''
*[http://jbburnett.com/resources/florovsky/ Free PDFs of some of Georges Florovsky's writings] More: [http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/fathers_florovsky_1.htm], [http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/fathers_florovsky_2.htm], [http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/fathers_florovsky_3.htm], [http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/fathers_florovsky_4.htm]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Modern Writers|Florovsky]][[Category:Priests|Florovsky]]
[[ar:جورج فلورفسكي]]
[[el:Γεώργιος Φλορόφσκι]]
[[ro:George Florovsky]]
