by Şerban Cioculescu (1902-1988)
excerpts Mr. Mircea Eliade starts from the premises of the break between today's generation and the former one. Today's generation, restless, effervescent, vibrant, exulting, has a life of its own, with numerous experiences; it doesn't artificially follow a factitious equilibrium; on the contrary, it postpones stabilization as much as possible, in order for the equilibrium and the synthesis to come as the result of a rich personal life. He considers positive science insufficient, he places the intuition method in science before the experimental method; he puts his trust in a scientific personalism or romanticism, whose method is the creation of a personality. He tells culture and civilization apart. He denies the existence of a Romanian culture, because "we didn't know how to develop spiritual positions, as few as given to us by the Christian-Orthodox religion." He affirms that literature is sufficient only to mediocre spirits, with undifferentiated functions of their spirit. He calls theosophy a "vague and hybrid mysticism", but "acceptable as an experience." He proclaims the reality of religious mysticism as a personal experience "reduced to the searching and finding of God." He points to anthroposophy as being "the only discipline recommended to souls which have not yet found the Church." He states that "Orthodoxy is the authentic Christianity," "the return to the redeeming, necessary Church," "whatever road a contemporary conscience might take, it would lead to Orthodox Christianity," "it is impossible for an elite soul not to reach Christianity." Today's generation, sooner or later Orthodox, will accomplish the unity of all consciences, and spiritual and mutual values. But some of the young people in the name of which Mr. Mircea Eliade speaks so nicely are concerned by the absence of the intellect in his program. Intellect and reason are missing. Their place was taken by "spirit". Viaţa literară (The Literary Life), 3rd year, no. 86, 26th of May 1928, pp. 1-3
by Şerban Cioculescu (1902-1988)
by Şerban Cioculescu (1902-1988)