Sources

Spiritual Elders: Charisma and Tradition in Russian Orthodoxy

Citation Formats

General Reference

Divinity Atlas. "Spiritual Elders: Charisma and Tradition in Russian Orthodoxy." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/spiritual-elders-charisma-and-tradition-in-russian-orthodoxy.

APA Style

Divinity Atlas. (n.d.). Spiritual Elders: Charisma and Tradition in Russian Orthodoxy. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/spiritual-elders-charisma-and-tradition-in-russian-orthodoxy

BibTeX

@misc{divinityatlas-spiritual-elders-charisma-and-tradition,
  author = {Divinity Atlas},
  title = {Spiritual Elders: Charisma and Tradition in Russian Orthodoxy},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/spiritual-elders-charisma-and-tradition-in-russian-orthodoxy},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

Irina Paert is a historian of Russian religion, and this academic book, published by Northern Illinois University Press, examines the institution of the starets, the charismatic spiritual elder figure in Russian Orthodoxy, tracing its historical development and its relationship to official church authority and to popular religious life. Its strength is treating charismatic spiritual authority and institutional church structure as two forces in genuine historical tension rather than assuming charisma simply served the institution, drawing on Russian archival and monastic sources. Its limit is that it is a historical academic study focused specifically on the starets tradition's development, so it should not be treated as a complete general history of Russian Orthodox monasticism or theology beyond this specific institution.

Facts

Assessment

Reliability Tier

Irina Paert's Northern Illinois University Press scholarly study of the starets, or spiritual elder, tradition in Russian Orthodoxy, including figures such as Seraphim of Sarov; a focused study of this one devotional institution, not a general history of the Russian Orthodox Church or of the separate Old Believer movement.

Notes

Irina Paert's scholarly study of the starets (spiritual elder) tradition in Russian Orthodoxy, including figures such as Seraphim of Sarov. Use for established scholarly facts about this eldership tradition within Russian Orthodoxy; a focused study of one devotional institution, not a general history of the Russian Orthodox Church or of the separate Old Believer movement.

Citation

Author

Irina Paert

Publisher

Northern Illinois University Press

Publication Year

2010

Source Type

academic monograph

Claims Backed By This Source (58 claims)

This source backs 58 claims across the atlas. As facts: 33 well-attested, 1 open question. As cited relationships: 11 holds, 3 connected. Plus 10 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.

Disposition By Topic

Cities, 14 claims: 6 well-attested, 4 holds, 1 connected, 3 general references.
Figures, 9 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 open question, 4 holds, 1 general references.
Open Questions, 9 claims: 7 well-attested, 1 connected, 1 general references.
Sources, 7 claims: 7 well-attested.
Articles, 5 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 general references.
Denominations, 5 claims: 2 holds, 1 connected, 2 general references.
Religious Roles & Titles, 5 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Sacred Sites, 4 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 general references.