This publication represents one of the most outstanding works by N.N. Fioletov dedicated to Christian apologetics. Despite the fact that this work (which, due to a number of tragic circumstances, was not completed) was written more than half a century ago, it retains its significance today. It is important to note that N.N. Fioletov in his work developed a unique general concept of apologetics. In the author’s understanding, apologetics is part of the Christian mission that the Church has led from the first days of its existence and will continue to lead as long as teachings hostile to it exist. As Fioletov writes, “three main groups of questions are put forward to modern Christian apologetics, corresponding to three groups of objections raised against Christianity, and accordingly three main departments of apologetics: a) natural scientific apologetics, eliminating the imaginary contradictions of Christian revelation and natural scientific knowledge; b) moral and practical apologetics, resolving questions about the significance of Christianity for social progress, its relationship to the tasks of the earthly order of life and to questions of the meaning of earthly life: c) historical apologetics, considering issues related to the problems of the origin of religion, the authenticity of the sources of Christian revelation and the historical personality of Christ himself, and finally, with the problems of the historical role of Christianity and Christian teaching, with the meaning of history." In the Introduction to his work, the author notes: "Most of the attacks on Christianity are based on distorted ideas about it, its perversions, and the restoration the true meaning of the Christian doctrine is the best answer to them." On the other hand, as a theologian, he strongly emphasizes: the assertion that supposed evolution refutes the Christian doctrine of the creation of the world, that religion excludes the possibility of development, is unfounded and not based on anything, since it is “on the basis of the Christian worldview that the very idea of development can develop.” It is alien to the ancient world, where the world was thought of as a closed, limited whole, with nowhere to go and nowhere to develop, it is alien to the religious and philosophical views of the East. At the same time, the work shows that the author was. is well aware of the most important trends in natural scientific thought of the first forty years of the 20th century. The disadvantage of Fioletov’s apologetics course, from the point of view of Professor Archpriest Gleb. Kaleda, who wrote the preface to this book, is a poorly developed reference apparatus, which is quite understandable, given the conditions of life and work of the author in the Soviet Union. In addition, as Archpriest Gleb Kaleda writes, many of the provisions of Fioletov’s work can be detailed and refined; today, issues of the relationship between religion, science and philosophy arise in a significantly new form.

The author of this article, O. V. Petrenko, is a Ph.D. Physics and Mathematics, specialist in the field of solid state physics, laureate of the 1st degree diploma of the Moscow State University competition for young scientists. He is the author of more than 40 scientific works on physics. This article is an attempt by a believer to comprehend the latest scientific data, which, in the author’s opinion, clearly and unambiguously testifies to the Creator.

Orthodox conversation, No. 3, 1996