Sergey Bulgakov and Georges Florovsky: The Task of Relating God and Creation

Abstract

A Sergey Bulgakov and Georges Florovsky belong to the same Eastern Orthodox tradition and often use the same terminology in their works, they speak two different languages and have vastly different theologies. In this article, I will seek to show that the way these two thinkers responded to the challenges of their time and appropriated their theological and philosophical sources led them to two different conceptions of God and creation. To narrow down my focus, I will concentrate specifically on several sophiological works of Bulgakov and Florovsky’s writings on God and creation. Based on my discussion of these authors, I will conclude with a few suggestions for the Evangelical audience, encouraging us in further reflection on the issues of relating God and creation and appropriating the sources of our theology as we seek to make our message relevant today.