Abstract: The article is devoted to the problem of transformation of the imagery of the monumental sculpture ensemble created in memory of the Sino-Japanese War in Beijing. The construction of the memorial took place in two stages: the Memorial of the Chinese People's War of Resistance to Japanese Aggression was erected in the late 1980s, and a decade later the Sculpture Garden of the Memorial of the Chinese People against the Japanese War was laid. These elements of a single ensemble represent different options for using figurative-meaningful, compositional-spatial, artistic-stylistic and plastic features of monumental sculpture and interpreting its semantic role in such structures. Using the example of these memorials, it is possible to identify and trace the development strategy of memorials and their sculptural design, especially the dynamics of changes in the creation of an artistic image of sculptural groups. The author uses the method of art criticism to describe the visual and expressive features and the ideological content of the monumental sculpture of the memorial plan on the example of an analysis of the aesthetic qualities of two different elements of the ensemble in Beijing. This requires an analysis of the artistic structure and forms through which the authors express their ideological messages, as well as a comprehensive study of visual and expressive means. The object of attention in the article is the role and place of monumental sculpture in the development of historical memory and culture of China, and the subject is the options for the development of figurative and stylistic features of the art of sculpture in the context of the expansion and transformation of memorial complexes. Sculpture is considered as a reflection of the ideological and creative pursuits of Chinese sculptors of the late XX and early XXI centuries. The research material is a monumental sculpture as the most important artistic element of the memorial ensemble in memory of the Sino–Japanese War in Beijing, which allows for artistic comparisons, including with similar monuments on the territory of modern Russia. The article provides an opportunity to reveal the nuances of artistic, spatial and semantic interaction between the memorial and the sculpture garden.

Keywords: ideological content, art form, historical memory, Sino-Japanese War, sculpture garden, Memorial complex, Chinese art, monumental sculpture, Beijing, transformation

Abstract: This article is dedicated to examination of the art of several famous Russian rock bands, which leaders have repeatedly declared their religiosity and to some extent are engaged in missionary activity of the Russian Orthodox Church. The author covers the questions whether it is appropriate to attribute the art of such rock bands to the genre of “Christian rock”, and do the rock musicians contribute to popularization of Orthodox doctrine and churching of their fans, or rather to desecration of religious values and ideals. For solution of the set tasks, the author analyzed song lyrics of the prominent Russian rock bands, as well as interviews of their leaders and other publications in mass media and scientific periodicals that touch upon a religious aspect in rock music. The art of various Russian rock bands often attracted the attention of researchers, who noticed religious (primarily Christian) symbolism in the song lyrics. However, there has not been previously raised a question of whether it is possible to define the art of such rock bands as “Christian rock” or “Orthodox art” based on existence of references to Christian symbolism. It is demonstrated that leaning on the comprehensive analysis of the art of several Russian rock bands that use religious symbols and allusions in their lyrics, there are no grounds to attribute them to the genre of “Christian rock”. Despite the fact that the majority of leaders of these bands and the authors of texts are Orthodox, the lyrics, visual arrangements and videos often have the elements of Neo-Paganism.

Keywords: Yuri Shevchuk, Dmitry Revyakin, Ilya Kormiltsev, band Nautilus Pompilius, Orthodox missionary work, Orthodox rock, Christian rock, Rock music, Konstantin Kinchev, Boris Grebenshchikov

Abstract: In this article, the author summarizes his studies of esotericism, which contain the characteristics of the essence of esotericism, including analysis of a particular personality type as its source, as well as precise reconstructions of esoteric teachings determining the nature of that culture. The conducted reconstructions allowed specifying the peculiarities of esotericism, dividing it into mental and transcendental. Their analysis is provided. The author demonstrates the process of formation of esoteric outlook, and which role is assigned to the personality patterns and orientation. The specifics of esoteric reality and ways of its substantiation by esoteric experts. The author shares his thoughts on the boundaries of esotericism and its cultural role. As a result of the conducted research, the author was able to reconsider some of his previous works dedicated to esoteric teachings and esoteric personality. He introduces the definitions of the two types of esoteric teachings (mental and transcendental), explores the process of formation of esoteric outlook and personality, and raises the question on the limits and meaning of esotericism.

Keywords: knowledge, culture, personality, science, reconstruction, scheme, reality, religion, esoterics, teaching

Abstract: Christianity proceeds from the ontologically defined unity of the human race as the addressee of the mission, but humanity as the addressee of the mission is not identical with the people of God in the person of the Church. On the contrary, the Church and humanity, throughout its history and to its end, are tragically disestablished. The addressee of the mission is not identical with the Church and is opposed to it as the outside world. Initially, the mission of the apostles is addressed to the external addressee, so the external mission is the original form of Christian missionary service. The article discusses the concept of the mission addressee through the ontological definition, as well as through its attitude toward the boundaries of the Church. The situation from the apostolic age to the present day shows the conventionality of the division of the mission into an external and internal one. Initially, the Church consists of people united by faith based on the living experience of communication and presence. In this regard, the article shows that any addressee of the testimony of this faith is an external addressee in relation to the apostolic mission. 

Keywords: modern mission terminology, theology, Orthodox mission, religious studies, mission actor, mission addressee, mission field, Missiology, culture mission, method in missiology

Abstract: The renewal of Orthodox Missiology in late XX - early XXI centuries happened mainly as an academic discipline. Along with that, results, obtained in the process of practical missionary ministry, cumulative integrated into theoretical mission studies. A gradual accumulation of empirical results took the Missiology to the qualitatively new theoretical level of research work. The need for a missiological actualization of ecclesiological problems of theology is associated with a high degree of dynamics of missionary service as going out the boundaries of the Church. In the article, the example, characterizing the specifics of the given process, is observed - actively used in this period, the concept of the missionary field, which precedes the transformation of the subject area of missionary activity in the research field of missiology. The subject-object relationship model is not applicable to missionary service, as it is implemented rather in the subject-subject paradigm. This determines the choice of the terminology of this study. The subject of the mission is expressed by the concept of the actor, and its object by the concept of the addressee of the mission, which determines the configuration of the research field of missiology.

Keywords: modern mission terminology, method in missiology, Orthodox mission, culture mission, mission addressee, mission actor, mission field, Missiology, theology, religious studies

Abstract: The subject of research is the image of the holy bishop in illuminated manuscripts of Germany in the 11th-12th centuries and its connection with the history of the cult of saints - both cults with long tradition (veneration of first bishops of the German dioceses, founders of monasteries ), and new cults (the veneration of the bishops, who lived in the Xth - the first half of the XIIth century as the founders of monasteries and churches). The article deals with circumstances of appearance of these images and manuscripts. Using the comparative analysis of a variety of miniatures the author distinguishes between different thematic groups and iconographic types and identifies relations between the content of the image and purpose of the book. The main emphasis of this research is a function of the image in its relation to the history of the cult of the saint (representative, memorial), and the relationship of images of saints - holy bishops - with images of customers or the authors of manuscripts.

Keywords: 11th century, Germany, medieval west european manuscripts, bishop, cult of the saints, illuminated manuscripts, book illumination, holy bishop, 12th century, image of the bishop

Abstract: The object of this research is the representation of the religious in modern descriptive philosophical models. The subject of the research is religion taken as a phenomenon and aisthesis. The author examined the evolution of the phenomenological-aesthetic construction of religion from the enthusiastic reception of R. Otto to the crisis of the intuitive-essentialist phenomenology of religion. Assuming that the resources of this paradigma are not yet exhausted, the researcher illuminates other branches such as the aesthetic phenomenological representation of religion associated with the Munich group of philosophers, the intentional phenomenology of religion that goes through Ingarden. Particular attention is paid to the integral function of phenomenology and aesthetics. The research was carried out mainly with the help of general scientific methods of the theoretical level: comparative, genetic, systemic, and structural types of analyzes. General scientific methods of the empirical level are represented by the account and frequency analysis. As general scientific methods, the author relied on analysis / synthesis, abstraction / concretization, and generalization / restriction. From the private scientific philosophical methods, hermeneutics was used. The toolkit of scientific research includes arrays of scientific knowledge such as rsl.ru, elibrary.ru, google.scholar.ru. The main findings of the study are: 1) the aesthetics and phenomenology of religion are presented as a methodology for transcending religious and cultural differences; 2) the emphasis of intentional phenomenology on the accuracy of the sociocultural description of religion instead of the incomprehensibility of religious entities facilitates the disclosure of beliefs as self-constituting life-worlds, while religion is a form of sociocultural identity and its ontological status entirely depends on the intentionality of participants in a particular social group, which makes religion similar to art; 3) despite the fact that most religions claim the exclusivity of their dogmas, an intentional analysis of the history of their origins allows us to confidently assert that the objects of their faith are rooted in the socio-historical context and are projective entities rooted in the aesthetic structure of consciousness. A special contribution of the author to the study of the topic is the phenomenological-aesthetic constituting of the sociocultural network of being. The novelty of the research consists in conjugation of the individualized vital worlds of science and religion and the attempt of their totalizing theorization through a phenomenological-aesthetic paradigm. The scope of the application of these results includes media policy, intercultural communication, and art criticism.

Keywords: Roman Ingarden, Mircea Eliade, Rudolf Otto, intersubjectivity, heterogeneity, intentionality, aesthetics of religion, phenomenology of religion, the Other, phenomenological description

Abstract: The subject of the research is the traditional ritualism of Semeyskie republics of Buryatia and culture of protection against evil as a part of it and part of their picture of the world. The object of the research is the material and spiritual culture of Old Believers preserved in the territory of Buryatia. The authors of the article examine protective amulets and traditions that make forms of identity, self-identity and cultural identity. In particular, they analyze guardian signs in costumes (embroidering, jewelries), architecture (the way the gates, windows and houses were built) and personal possessions. The authors have conducted field surveys aimed at collecting the material and suveying respondents in villages of the Tarbagataisky Region. In work the key systems and guarding signs-symbols of the Semeyskiye, important for understanding of sources of their ritual and ceremonial culture, prospects of her development and revival, are revealed. It has also been discovered that indigenous inhabitants still preserve these systems. The syste of guardian signs and symbols that have been discovered during the research can be used to create souvenirs devoted to Old Believers' culture.

Keywords: traditions of Old Believers, costume′s complex, paintings, culture, ceremonialism of Old Believers, identification forms, Old Believers, architecture of Old Believers, ornamentation, farmstead of Old Believers

Abstract: The article analyses the core idea (concept) of the Russian modern popular animated series (the examples of “Smeshariki” and “Masha and the Bear”) and its ethical values. In recent decades animated series that are based on such ethical values as kindness, friendshi, family and so on are growing in popularity. The purpose of the present research is to describe general principles of making successful animated series. Animated series are artistic products that is why an artistic component is very important in conveying the idea to the audience as well as marketing and promotion of animated series on domestic and international markets. The author of the article analyses the basic idea of animated series and episodes and their stories, plots, graphics and etc. as well as interviews with the authors of the ideas and promoters. The study also pays attention to the marketing and branding. The author comes to the conclusion that nowadays the good basic idea (concept) of animated series is necessary to succeed on the market. However, there are no popular animated series without well-known professionals in the industry providing quality embodiment of the basic idea and affecting feelings of the audience. Good promotion at the first stages of promoting the brand is also very important. 

Keywords: villain, hero, government support, promotion, animation, values, artistic product, animated series, concept of animated series, traditional values

Abstract: The problem of the relationship between spiritual practices/traditions and cultural practices/traditions is investigated in the concrete case of Eastern-Orthodox hesychasm on the basis of the approach of synergic anthropology developed by the author. The framework of synergic anthropology makes it possible to present a self-consistent conceptualization of the problem based on some new concepts such as associated and supporting anthropological practices, immanent culture of spiritual practice, etc. The evolution of the relationship between hesychasm and culture in Byzantine history is reconstructed, with special attention to the phenomenon of Hesychastic renewal of the 14th century which is interpreted as a unique period when hesychasm played the leading role both at the anthropological and social reality levels. The research methodology includes the problem definition, comparative analysis, conceptualization, analysis of the development of the relationship between Hesychasm and culture. The historical analysis has allowed to make a conclusion concerning premises and prospects of the convergence, dialogue and synergy of spiritual traditions and cultural traditions in modern society. Moreover, the results of the research have allowed to see the evolution of culture in a new light as well as to describe Hesychasm from the culturological point of view. 

Keywords: Byzantium, Anthropology, Hesychasm, spiritual practice, Orthodoxy, tradition, culture, secularization, Palamas, neopalamism

Abstract: The article is devoted to the role of the semantic inversion in cultural archetypes of socialist realism and Soviet Pop Art. The author of the article traces back to the relationship between socialist realism and didactics of Christian world perception. Limanskaya defines the role of semiotic codes and iconographic formulas that allowed the ideology of socialist realism to acquire the status of a particular worldview in art. The author also describes ideological stereotypes of socialist realism and analyzes types of their deconstruction in Soviet Pop Art. The research method is based on the comparative analysis of cultural archetypes in socialist reliasm and Soviet Pop Art. As a result, the author comes to the conclusion that in Soviet Pop Art the change of the semiotic code of socialist reliasm is based on the semantic inversion that appears in response to structural symmetry of cultural archetypes. The research method is also based on the research of the role of cultural archetypes and inversion of art images in iconographic programs of socialist realism and Soviet Pop Art. According to the author of the article, socialist realism deconstructed the Christian mythologem and replaced it with the Communist  mythologem. That substitution was possible due to their structural symmetry. The change of the semiotic code of socialist realism in Soviet Pop Art was also based on the mechanism of the semantic inversion as a response to the structural symmetry of existing semiotic codes. 

Keywords: ideology, metahero, archetype, metaphorical / figurative sense, socialist realism, social art, typification, propaganda, semiotical, code

Abstract: Interpretations of the myth, at all variety, are based rather narrow circle of anthropological ideas among which the model of "homo sapiens" predominates. The understanding of the myth is connected with it directly (rationalistic interpretation) or indirectly (the models based on structuralist and semantic approaches). In this article the treatment of the myth caused by the real circumstances of its origin and primary functions connected first of all not with a rational exposition of reality, but with initiation of the certain instance representing collective spirit is planned. The method of research is caused by criticism of widespread mythological concepts; in its course their bias and the apriorizm caused by the prevailing positivistic position is established. In article is shown that the dawn of human history is marked not by gradual accumulation of an intellectual resource, but as explosive refusal of a support on schemes and algorithms of action, the refusal which demanded absolutely specific providing, one of which elements the myth acts. In the substantial relation the myth inherits to the following functions of cultural formation: a) deduction of pathos and to its transfer to the vital world in the sounding word; b) initiations of readiness for collective and spontaneous reaction "suddenly" (to ecstatic experience), c) to rooting as a part of mentality of the instance of involvement reacting to an environment as a being (whole, the world) the certain typicalness subordinating the shown.

Keywords: genesis, myth, the shared motivation, the transcendental esthetics, spontaneous reactions, Logical and a-logical, ritual, sacrifice, transfer, glorification

Abstract: The process of Hinduism’s universalization is depicted in the article as re-interpretation of Hindu tradition by intellectuals of the Indian Renaissance XIX– early XXth century. The author considers the interpretations by Rammohun Roy and his Brahmo Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Swami Dayananda and his Arya Samaj, and also by Neo-Hindu thinkers Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, Swami Vivekananda and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, as different variants of answers to key questions of spiritual and intellectual searches for real essence of Hinduism. Based on the phenomenological approach, the process is represented as the dialogue between Hinduism and other religious –first of all, Christianity and Islam – and creation of a concrete image of Hinduism as universal religion in Indian intellectuals’ minds. The variants of the interpretations underlie the religious movements – reformist and neo-Hinduist. The author suggests that in Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab intellectual universalization of Hinduism had helped to ground the world status of the religion. The universalization had two variants. The first one was a negative universalization from sharp critics of religious forms to grounding high monotheism and humanist ethics. The second one was a positive universalization based on accepting of all worship forms as different paths to Divine Absolute. Hinduism was symbolically depicted by intellectuals as a universal world religion, the repository of highest truth for all humanity.

Keywords: World religion, Indian spiritual culture, Hinduism, the Indian Renaissance, universalization of creed, reformation, reformist societies, neo-Hinduism, universal spiritual meanings, image of Hinduism.

Abstract: Thoughts and reflections provided in this article were initiated by the discussions about the role of religion in the modern (post-secular) world. Activation of religious beliefs related thereto and initiated thereby takes different forms and degrees. One of the position of such post-secular religious approach is the denial of Modernity as it is which has its meaning and purpose related to the religious truth and religious methods of life arrangement. This position can be called ‘anti-modernistic approach’. Anti-modernistic religious approach views modernity and secularization as the desire to interpret the truth of low significance as the truth of maximum significance. Therefore, modernity is viewed by the anti-modernistic philosophy as an easy target for criticizing. Accoring to the author, this position can be illustrated by A. Kyrlezhev’s article ‘Post-Secular Conceptualization of Religion’. In this regard, the author sets a goal to define the ‘minimal’ rights of modernity and secularization that can’t be denied by the religious approach. In other words, the author tries to understand the ‘lesson’ taught by modernity that today’s religious community has to learn in order to maintain a more constructive approach. At first the author analyzed Kyrlezhev’s article and appraised his aspirations. Then the author showed the two directions towards finding the essential ‘truth’ of secularization, build the model of the ‘minimal modernity’ based on that truth and summarized the results of his research by describing the ‘symbol of faith’ of a modern post-secular human. When building the model of the modernity, the author based himself on his own concept of modernity as the interculture. When the author analyzed creation of a modern constitutional democratic state as a result of modernity, he referred to Jurgen Habermas’ works.

Keywords: culture, interculture, secularization, post-secular epoch, religion, ideology, New Art (Modernity), Post-Modernity, minimal modernity, symbol of faith.

Abstract: The author sets himself at a task to theoretically explain the severe cultural crisis ongoing in modern Russia based on the analysis of the ternary institutional structure of a modern society – state institution – civil society. To the author’s opinion, it is possible to create grounds for overcoming today’s cultural collapse and ensuring future humanistic evolution only if we understand that these three basic elements of the modern society complete one another, on one hand, and have absolutely different content and functions, on the other hand.

Keywords: cultural research, state institution, religious institutions, civil society, Russia, culture, crisis, upswing, post-Soviet period, intellectual – cultural landscape.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the world perceitpoin of philosphers and artists during the Silver Age that combined both eschatological and demiurgic ideas. In this regard the article discusses Soloviev’s ideas about human immortality as well as Soloviev’s conception of all-ecomopassing unity. In order to analyze the latter, the author addresses to his own researches of esoteric teachings, on the one han, and to his theory of ‘schemology’, on the other. The author shows that being an esoterist, Soloviev uses the schemes to understand the reality of all-ecompassing unity and solves the problem of death in this context. When doing so, Soloviev also realizes the strategy of ‘esoteric day-dreaming’ which helps him to enter the reality of all-encompassing unity.

Keywords: cultural studies, esotherics, conception, allencompassing unity, reality, psyche, problem, situation, vision, perception of the world.

Abstract: The author studies how Freudism conceptions infl uenced the artwork of the 20th century as well as art studies. Freudism conceptions of art by Jacques Lacan, Gilles Deleuze, Jean-François Lyotard, Manuel Serra, Julia Kristeva, Patrick Baudry and others were not only absorbed by post-modernism esthetics but proved their living ability in its framework. Having reconsidered the esthetical experience of the basic neo-Freudian schools of the 20th century Freudians focused on studying various levels and spheres of manifestations of unconscious language and structure in art.

Keywords: cultural studies, post-modernism, Freudism, literature, model, psychoanalysis, unconscious, values, human, esthetics.