The origin of the Universe in G. I. Gur­djieff’s “Beelzebub’s Tales to his grandson” and in Orthodox teaching: a comparative analysis

Abstract

For the moment, Russian religious studies, philosophy and Orthodox theology lack detailed studies of Gurdjieff’s views on the origin of the universe, despite the fact that without revealing cosmological themes, key aspects of his anthropology and practice, as well as the main idea of Gurdjieff’s thought — the achievement of immortality — will remain unclear. This article fills in this gap by offering a systematic exposition and critical analysis of Gurdjieff’s view of the origin of the cosmos, which, in his opinion, is an expression of the Christian understanding of this issue. Within the framework of this study, Gurdjieff’s cosmogonic views compared with the main provisions of the Orthodox faith, with an emphasis on the origin of matter, the nature of time, and the causes that led to the emergence of the cosmos. The work “Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson” was chosen as the most authentic representation of Gurdjieff’s idea of cosmogenesis.