(Question of Person and Freedom in Liberalism From the Perspective of Existential Personalism)

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to compare and contrast modern enlightenment and resulting liberalistic understanding of man and freedom from the position of existential personalism. This includes „the primacy of the person“ and „the freedom of the spirit“ as constituted in the Berdyaev philosophical context. Berdyaev realizes that the issue of freedom of conscience and religious freedom is difficult and painful, and usually poorly formulated. His most fundamental objection to liberalism – indifferent to religion – is that he understands the issue of freedom of religion and conscience as some formal right, one of many human rights. In contrast, the ecclesiastical world, which maintains faith, often slips into the denial of freedom of conscience and religious freedom, is afraid. It can be said that everyone is actually placing this question onto political, formal and external levels. The study points out that liberalism fails to justify the liberation of man, and that the lack of the material basis of freedom ultimately leads to the denial of freedom and of man himself. The input of personalism in this subject is topical, since freedom justifies the synthesis of theonomy and autonomy that is God-human like.

Authors: Grečo, Peter – Kotulič, Rastislav – Kravčáková Vozárová, Ivana

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2020.13.2.153-165

Publication order reference: PaedDr. PhDr. Peter Grečo, PhD.; Institute for Humanitarian Formation, Ružová 51, 083 01 Sabinov, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
doc. Ing. Rastislav Kotulič, PhD.; University of Prešov in Prešov, Faculty of Management, Konštantínova 16, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ing. Ivana Kravčáková Vozárová PhD.; University of Prešov in Prešov, Faculty of Management, Konštantínova 16, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2020, vol.: 13, issue: 2, pages: 153-165 (PDF file)

Keywords: FREEDOM, SPIRIT, HUMAN RIGHTS, PERSONALISM, OBLIGATION

Language: SLOVAK