Marking Fyodor Dostoevsky’s 200th anniversary: the writer’s religious views discussed at the Presidential Library

On May 14, 2021 the Presidential Library hosted a video lecture entitled "Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Religious Values" as part of the Knowledge of Russia project. This was the fourth event in the series of lectures "Fyodor Dostoevsky - Conversation about Values", dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of the world famous writer, which will be celebrated on November 11, 2021.

The video lecture was free. The meeting was broadcasted live on the Presidential Library's portal in the Live broadcasts section in accordance with the live events program,  the institution's YouTube channel and VKontakte social network.

Dmitry Bogach, PhD in Philology, Senior Researcher at the South Ural State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, told about the religious values ​​of Fyodor Dostoevsky. The classic was a deeply religious person and his beliefs were reflected in his works: many of the writer's works are filled with biblical motives and images.

Video lecture participants found out what led Fyodor Dostoevsky to God and how the Gospel became the classic's favorite book. Dmitry Bogach examined the writer's notes that he made in his copy of the New Testament, noting the key points of Christian teaching.

More details about the classic of Russian literature are available in the Presidential Library’s materials, which are presented in the special digital collection Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) [The World of Dostoevsky]. It includes copies of the texts of the writer's works and materials about his life and career.

The cycle of lectures about Fyodor Dostoevsky’s works "Fyodor Dostoevsky - Conversation about Values" was launched on February 19, 2021. At the first event, Dmitry Bogach told how the classic showed the value of human life and refuted the stereotype that Dostoevsky is a pessimistic author. As part of the second lecture, the participants in the video lecture learned how the writer's family values ​​were formed. At the third meeting, Dmitry Bogach analyzed the famous novel Crime and Punishment, which is the property of world literature.

Interactive lessons and video lectures are regularly held in the Presidential Library. More information about them is available on the institution's portal in the Multimedia lessons section and in the Video lectures for school section, which features records of lectures and open lessons held in the Presidential Library.