Bulgakov’s Idea of Conciliarity and the Depths of Communion

Abstract

The foundational theses of Christian sophiology correlate with the conciliar character of the Church’s common life, accentuating the catholicity that inheres spiritually in each believing participant. Life in the Orthodox Church thus implies a constant task of overcoming self-isolation in order to assume an active participation in the supreme reality of the Body of Christ. It also entails that the synergetic multi-unity of the Church draws within her depths the individual spirit yearning for life in communion. It reflects the mysterious unity of humanity, i.e., the mystery of the Church, in which we are brought together in love. The telos is the One, Catholic and Apostolic Church, consubstantial in her Divine-humanity. Having Una Sancta as a guiding eschatological principle, she is conciliar not only as she expands outwards but also as she participates inwardly in the communion of the Divine and creaturely.