THE DEMOCRATIC POTENTIAL OF ICON THEORY

Abstract

The relevance of the topic lies in the vulnerability of the democratic values of Christian European civilization, which today are subject to new challenges. The author explores one of the roots of the value of each individual and human rights: the theory of the icon. Deriving an analogy between the image of God and its prototype, we see that in Orthodox culture personalism and attention to every human creature are affirmed.
The scientific novelty is revealed in the relationship between the static and dynamic parts of icon theory and kenosis and theosis.
Among the research methodologies, philosophical analysis, phenomenology and cultural analysis are applied.
They are used to determine the influence of the theory of the icon and its implications on the development of a specific personalistic Orthodox worldview.
The practical significance of the work lies in the assertion of human-centered democratic values and the finding of new sources in the Ukrainian Orthodox ecumene.