Sergei Bulgakov's ‘Philosophy of Economy’: a Resource for Economic Bridge-Building between Islam and the West
Much has been written of the perceived ‘clash’ between Islamic and western civilisations and of the need for reconciliation. If western nations truly seek rapprochement with the Islamic world, then they must be open to the possibility that in some ways their marvellously productive economic systems...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge
2008
|
| In: |
Religion, state & society
Year: 2008, Volume: 36, Issue: 4, Pages: 451-467 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Much has been written of the perceived ‘clash’ between Islamic and western civilisations and of the need for reconciliation. If western nations truly seek rapprochement with the Islamic world, then they must be open to the possibility that in some ways their marvellously productive economic systems have contributed to a loss of community and a decline in social morality, and must acknowledge Muslim fears of the global economy. A purely material or human rights explanation for why non-democratic and predominantly Muslim countries should adopt democratic capitalism will fail. What is needed initially is some foundation upon which to build dialogue. Orthodox social thought could serve as a lynchpin connecting the communal economic ethic of Islamic societies with the individualist ethic of democratic capitalism. Russian Orthodox theologian and social theorist Sergei Bulgakov left a rich repository of economic thought that philosophically bridges a gap between the rationality of western market economies and the transcendent awareness of Islamic social structures. Bulgakov's philosophy of economy embraces ideas of human freedom even as it recognises the need for ‘guidance’ and the essential nature of economic relationships to the preservation of community. By engaging Bulgakov's economic ideas, westerners can better understand the apprehensions of intellectuals in traditional cultures concerning globalisation and the reticence of many Muslims to embrace it. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1465-3974 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion, state & society
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/09637490802451091 |